BYD apologised after a supplier mistake led to swapped front and rear wheel rims on the Da Tang electric SUV.
BYD issued a public apology on November 11, 2026 after confirming that several units of its popular Da Tang all-electric SUV were delivered to customers with misassembled wheel rims. The production error, which prompted safety concerns among owners on Chinese social media, was traced to a data entry and coding mistake at a wheel rim sub-assembly supplier.
Launched in June 2026 at a starting price of over 230,000 yuan (~₹32.3 lakh), the Da Tang has ranked as China's top-selling large electric SUV for two consecutive months, achieving 14,000 retail sales in October and surpassing 10,000 monthly units for four straight months.
The assembly discrepancy affects the 2026 BYD Da Tang all-electric 950 km rear-wheel-drive variant, which uses a staggered wheel configuration with rear tyres roughly 20 mm wider than the fronts. Under factory specifications, the front axle requires 20x8J rims with 255/50R20 tyres, while the rear axle uses 20x9J rims with 275/45R20 tyres, representing a 25.4 mm difference in rim width.
Also read: JLR Takes Legal Action Against BYD Over Alleged Intellectual Property Infringement
Due to the supplier's coding error, affected vehicles were fitted with wider 9J rims on the front 255 mm tyres and narrower 8J rims on the rear 275 mm tyres, causing outward sidewall bulging and altered shoulder load distribution.
Industry analysts noted that such component mismatches are difficult to catch during routine factory inspections because the 8J and 9J rims share an almost identical external appearance once mounted with tyres, differing only by internal stamped markings. Following specialised testing, BYD assured customers that the swapped rims do not compromise vehicle handling or driving safety.
Nevertheless, the automaker has rolled out a comprehensive remediation package offering free inspections and wheel rim replacements, loaner cars or transport expense compensation during servicing, and a full reset of the comprehensive vehicle warranty for affected owners.
