BYD recalls Shark 6 utes over spare wheels that can fall off

BYD has recalled Shark 6 utes built between 29 August 2024 and 15 June 2026 over a fault that can allow the spare wheel to fall off the vehicle while it is being driven.

The recall covers the spare wheel lifter assembly. BYD says incorrect installation of the spare wheel, incorrect positioning of the spare wheel tray or insufficient fastening torque may cause abnormal wear of the support cable. Continued movement and friction during driving may then fracture the cable, releasing the spare wheel onto the road. The company says this may create a hazard to other road users and potentially cause serious injury or death.

Owners are told they can keep driving, but only after removing the spare wheel themselves. Instructions for doing so are in the Shark 6 owner’s manual. Affected vehicles will have the lifter assembly replaced with an updated design free of charge.

The recall was issued on 14 September under campaign number APRN2609H0001S, and covers 2024, 2025 and 2026 model year Shark 6s. Owners can contact BYD New Zealand through bydauto.co.nz, with Neil Griffiths listed as the contact for the campaign.

The Shark 6 is the country’s best-selling plug-in hybrid ute and finished fourth among all utes in August, in a segment that has since gained GWM’s Cannon Hi4-T at $58,990 and has MG’s U9 EV and Ford’s range-extender Bronco still to come. It is the second consumer-facing safety action on an electrified vehicle in New Zealand in recent weeks, after ANCAP’s alert on the KGM Torres EVX.