Carced News
BYD Recalled Every Shark 6 In Australia Because The Spare Wheel Can Detach
Over 32,000 Shark 6s — effectively the whole Australian fleet — are under recall because a spare tire assembly can wear itself loose and leave the wheel behind.
A Hit Pickup With A Spare That Can Go Freestyle
BYD’s Shark 6 plug-in hybrid pickup has been a genuine volume story in Australia, with more than 32,000 sold in two years. Now every one of those trucks — 32,009 precisely — sits under a recall because the spare wheel can detach.
The Failure Mode Is Mechanical, Not Mysterious
BYD says abnormal wear of the spare-wheel support cable can come from incorrect spare installation, a mis-positioned tray, or insufficient fastening torque. Keep driving with that wear and friction, and the spare can leave the vehicle entirely. Premium, Performance, and Dynamic variants are all included. Until the fix is applied, owners are advised to remove the spare from its mount.
The Repair Is Short; The Logistics May Not Be
BYD says replacing the assembly is a free job that should take up to about 30 minutes. Workshop scheduling may still mean leaving the truck, according to local reporting. Owners are being contacted by email and through the BYD app, and anyone who has not heard can check the brand’s recall site.
Context: This Is Not BYD’s First Australian Compliance Story
In 2022, early Atto 3 sales hit a stop-sale and later recall over child-seat anchor compliance. A full-fleet Shark 6 recall is a different scale of headache for a brand still proving itself in a ute culture that is unforgiving about work-truck durability.
My Take
A spare wheel on the open road is a multi-vehicle hazard, not just an owner inconvenience. Credit to BYD for a clear interim instruction — remove the spare — and a short repair. If you are shopping Chinese PHEV trucks for markets that already have them, treat accessory and underbody hardware quality as part of the buy decision the same way you treat battery warranty language. US shoppers watching BYD from afar should file this under “volume success brings volume recalls,” which every mainstream truck brand already knows.
If you own a Shark 6, has the dealer scheduling been smooth, and did you pull the spare immediately? Owner logistics stories help other buyers plan.
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