Malaysia suspends sale of Chery Omoda 5 after viral incident, Singapore cars not affected

JOHOR BAHRU, 12 OCTOBER 2026 —

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s Road Transport Department (Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan, JPJ) on Sunday rescinded the type‑approval certificate for the Chery Omoda 5 and halted all new registrations of the model after a dramatic rear‑suspension failure in Johor Bahru.

The suspension was triggered by an incident on 6 October in Johor Bahru, where an Omoda 5 travelling near Aeon Mall Tebrau City lost its entire rear‑suspension assembly while both wheels remained attached. The episode marks the second high‑profile failure of the model in as many years.

In May 2024 Chery recalled about 600 Omoda 5 units over the same rear‑suspension and axle‑failure risk, after a separate incident in which an Omoda 5 shed its rear wheels while in motion. That recall affected 60 vehicles, which had their components replaced before the recall was closed in June 2024. Investigations at the time traced the defect to incomplete welds caused by equipment miscalibration.

The model was subsequently updated in September 2025 with a new rear‑suspension assembly that uses a multi‑link unit instead of the earlier torsion‑beam design.

JPJ’s statement on Sunday confirmed that the type‑approval has been “temporarily rescinded” and that the department is “conducting a technical investigation into the model, its production and suppliers.” Chery Auto Malaysia’s recall notice said customers would receive the aforementioned inspections and any required part replacements.

Hal Serudin of automotive consultancy Lampaki Consulting described the episode as “a serious incident, the second of its kind, where the manufacturer is now taken to task by JPJ.” He added that “the history and sequence of events also suggests that the safety and communications processes need to be improved. In some markets, such as Australia, manufacturers know to initiate a voluntary recall when they discover a fault.”

The Omoda 5 is a mid‑size sport‑utility vehicle equipped with a 1.5‑litre turbocharged engine and assembled in Malaysia by Inokom at its Kedah plant. The recalled C and H variants are among the latest trims offered locally. The September 2025 update introduced a multi‑link rear‑suspension assembly, replacing the earlier torsion‑beam component that was implicated in the 2024 recall.

It remains unclear whether the current recall concerns a new defect or older, pre‑update vehicles that did not receive the revised suspension.

Singapore’s market is not directly affected, as the Omoda 5 is not sold in the Republic. The only model from the same family available there is the fully electric E5, which features a different multi‑link suspension system. According to Vertex Automobile, the authorised distributor of Chery’s Omoda and Jaecoo brands, all Chery models sold in Singapore are manufactured in China.

The suspension of type‑approval halts any fresh Omoda 5 registrations in Malaysia, effectively pausing sales of new units while the investigation proceeds. The recall of the C and H variants also means that owners of those trims will face inspection appointments and possible component replacement, which could dampen consumer confidence in the model and affect Chery’s market performance in the country. No specific sales figures or registration data have been released.

JPJ said the technical investigation will continue until the root cause of the rear‑suspension failure is identified. Chery has not indicated whether further recalls will be issued or if additional updates to the suspension design are planned. The outcome of the investigation will determine when, or if, the type‑approval certificate can be reinstated and new registrations resumed.

Related: Chery Auto Malaysia · Hal Serudin · Johor Bahru