JPJ suspends vehicle type approval for Chery Omoda 5, halts new registrations pending probe

PUTRAJAYA, 11 OCTOBER 2026 —

PUTRAJAYA — The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has temporarily suspended the vehicle type approval certificate for the Chery Omoda 5, halting new registrations of the model while technical investigations determine the scope of a potential safety defect linked to rear axle detachment.

The suspension will be applied selectively, targeting only the models and variants potentially affected by the defect, Aedy Fadly said in a statement. Chery Malaysia has been directed to identify all potentially affected units using component part numbers, production batches, vehicle identification numbers and relevant technical parameters. A recall must then be carried out for every vehicle identified as posing a risk, allowing for inspection and corrective action.

JPJ will also conduct a technical audit of the Omoda 5 production and assembly lines as well as the relevant axle component supplier, examining compliance with good manufacturing practices, quality control systems, weld joint inspection procedures and the safety standards of the components used.

“JPJ takes seriously the widely circulated reports involving a Chery Omoda 5 in Johor Bahru last week, which have raised public concerns over the safety of the vehicle,” Aedy Fadly said.

“The department wishes to emphasise that there will be no compromise on any non-compliance that could jeopardise road users’ safety.” He added that manufacturers are responsible for ensuring every vehicle marketed meets prescribed safety standards and technical requirements, and that the suspension will only be lifted once all corrective and preventive measures have been fully implemented and JPJ has provided technical confirmation that all safety risks have been adequately addressed.

The latest incident echoes a near-identical failure reported in August 2023, when the rear axle of an Omoda 5 detached while the vehicle was moving. At that time, Chery Malaysia moved before any regulatory directive, recalling 600 units after tracing the root cause to a miscalibrated welding tip.

The company identified 60 vehicles produced on August 15, 2023 as carrying the affected parts and, within a week, had scheduled axle replacement appointments with all 60 owners. JPJ subsequently closed the case in June 2024, roughly three months after the recall began.

That earlier episode centred on the Omoda 5’s torsion beam rear suspension design. The model has since been discontinued and replaced in September 2025 by the Chery O5, which adopts a multi-link rear suspension architecture. The O5 remains on sale and is not subject to the current suspension.

Industry observers note that the recurrence of a rear axle failure on the outgoing platform, even if limited to a specific production batch, raises questions about the durability of the corrective actions applied in 2023 and the robustness of the quality assurance processes at the component supplier level.

JPJ’s decision to audit both the assembly lines and the axle supplier signals a broader regulatory approach than a simple model-specific recall. By scrutinising good manufacturing practice compliance, quality control systems and weld inspection procedures, the department is seeking to establish whether the defect stems from an isolated production deviation or a systemic weakness in the supply chain.

The requirement that Chery Malaysia identify affected units by part number, batch and VIN also reflects a more granular traceability expectation than was evident in the 2023 response, when the carmaker acted on a single production date.

For consumers, the immediate effect is a freeze on new Omoda 5 registrations, though the model has not been sold as new since its replacement by the O5. Existing owners of the approximately 600 units from the 2023 recall, as well as any additional vehicles that may now be identified, face a second round of inspections and potential repairs.

The department has not specified a timeline for the audit or the recall, stating only that the suspension remains in force until technical verification confirms all risks have been addressed.

The episode underscores the evolving dynamic between Malaysian regulators and automotive manufacturers, particularly those representing newer market entrants. Chery’s prompt voluntary recall in 2023 was widely cited as a case study in proactive crisis management. The recurrence of a similar failure, however, suggests that the corrective actions — whether in welding calibration, supplier oversight or post-repair verification — may not have fully eliminated the underlying risk.

JPJ’s current stance, combining a targeted registration halt with a mandated supplier audit, indicates a lower tolerance for repeat defects and a willingness to use the vehicle type approval mechanism as a lever for deeper manufacturing scrutiny.

As the investigation proceeds, the focus will shift to the axle component supplier, whose identity has not been disclosed, and to the weld joint inspection protocols that failed to detect the miscalibration in 2023 or any new deviation in subsequent production.

The outcome will determine not only when the Omoda 5’s type approval is reinstated — a largely symbolic step for a discontinued model — but also whether the findings trigger broader reviews of component validation processes across Chery’s current lineup, including the O5. For now, the registration freeze stands, and the onus is on the manufacturer to demonstrate that the safety case for every affected vehicle has been conclusively resolved.

Related: Chery Malaysia · Road Transport Department (JPJ) · Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli · Putrajaya