BYD Shark 6 owners urged to remove spare wheel

BYD Australia has issued a safety recall for 32,009 examples of its Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute after identifying a defect that could cause the spare wheel to detach from the vehicle while in motion. The recall affects all Shark 6 variants sold locally, with owners advised to remove their spare wheel until the issue has been rectified.

According to BYD, the recall has been triggered by a potential issue involving the Shark 6's spare wheel mounting system.

The company says incorrect installation of the spare wheel, incorrect positioning of the spare wheel tray or insufficient fastening torque may cause abnormal wear of the spare wheel support cable.

"Continued movement and friction during vehicle operation may cause the cable to fail, resulting in spare wheel detachment. This may create a hazard to other road users and potentially cause serious injury or death," BYD said in its recall notice.

The recall affects all variants of the Shark 6 sold in Australia, including the Premium, Performance and Dynamic Cab Chassis.

Owners can check whether their vehicle is covered by the campaign by entering its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on BYD Australia's Vehicle Recall Information website. The company is also contacting affected customers directly via email and through the BYD smartphone app.

BYD says dealers will replace the spare wheel lifter assembly with an updated design free of charge. The repair is expected to take around 30 minutes, although owners may be required to leave their vehicle with the dealership for a longer period depending on workshop scheduling.

Until the repair is completed, BYD is recommending owners remove the spare wheel from their vehicle. Instructions for removing the wheel can be found in the Shark 6 owner's handbook.

The Shark 6 has quickly become one of Australia's most popular plug-in hybrid utes since launching in late 2024, making this one of BYD Australia's most significant recall campaigns to date.

Affected owners are encouraged to organise repairs as soon as possible to eliminate the risk of the spare wheel becoming detached while driving. Vehicles fitted with the updated assembly will no longer be subject to the defect.

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