BYD is recalling 183,211 vehicles in China over a manufacturing defect in brake pedal stoppers that can leave brake lights permanently illuminated.
The company filed the two recalls with China’s State Administration for Market Regulation, which published them on Friday. They cover the Tang SUV family and Qin sedan line.
Both recall numbers end in V, the code the national standard on recall numbering uses for a manufacturer-initiated recall, as opposed to I for one prompted by a regulatory investigation or O for one ordered by the authorities.
Both recalls take effect immediately.
The first filing, designated S2026M0116V, covers 142,895 Tang series vehicles produced across three sub-models by BYD Auto Industry Co.
A total of 58,026 Tang vehicles were built between March 28, 2015, and December 21, 2018.
Another 77,846 all-new-generation Tang DM plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) were manufactured between May 19, 2018, and January 14, 2022.
The filing also includes 7,023 all-new-generation Tang EV battery-electric SUVs produced from December 27, 2018, to October 25, 2021.
A separate filing, S2026M0117V, covers 40,316 Qin sedans built by BYD Auto Co. between June 27, 2014, and June 9, 2019.
Combined, the two filings span vehicles produced over an eight-year window from mid-2014 to early 2022. The notices cover only certain vehicles within those build windows, and no VIN list has been published.
Brake Pedal Stopper Defect
The filing says a manufacturing issue caused material abnormalities in certain batches of brake pedal stoppers, the pads that set the brake pedal’s rest position.
After prolonged use, the stoppers can crack and deteriorate, the notice said.
In extreme cases, a stopper may detach entirely, leaving the brake lights illuminated even when the pedal is not being pressed. The regulator does not explain the linkage, but on a typical pedal box the stopper defines the rest position that keeps the brake-light switch open.
A vehicle with a permanently lit brake light sends a misleading signal to following traffic, which the regulator classified as a safety hazard. Nothing in the filing indicates any loss of braking performance.
BYD will have authorized dealers replace the affected stoppers with improved parts at no cost.
Vehicles that have already received the improved part in prior servicing will not require a second replacement, according to the filing.
Third Major Recall in 1 Year
Friday’s action is BYD’s third large-scale recall campaign in less than twelve months.
In October 2025, the Shenzhen-based automaker issued what was then its largest recall, pulling 115,783 Tang and Yuan Pro electric vehicles off the road over component design defects and battery-sealing issues.
A month later, BYD recalled 88,981 Qin Plus DM-i plug-in hybrids over battery pack consistency problems that could limit power output.
Friday’s filing is the largest of the three by unit count and the only one BYD initiated itself rather than under regulatory pressure.
Declining Sales
Both the Tang and the Qin belong to BYD’s Dynasty series, a brand family rooted in Chinese historical motifs that once anchored the company’s domestic lineup.
The legacy models covered by this recall are out of production, and BYD has rebuilt both families around newer names, including the Da Tang EV and the Qin MAX, which launched this year.
Broader Financial Pressure
The recall comes as BYD’s margins remain under pressure from the prolonged price war in China’s EV market.
First-half net profit attributable to shareholders fell 20.5% to 12.33 billion yuan ($1.84 billion). Group sales for January to August were 2,668,015 vehicles, down 6.8% year on year, even as August exports topped 180,000 units for a record month.
Chinese automakers’ collective profit margin stood at just 1.5% in the first five months of 2026, a level the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers described as a historical low.
BYD held total assets of 902.08 billion yuan ($134.5 billion) at the end of March, up 2.1% from the close of 2025.
The recall was filed for the Chinese market. Neither BYD nor any overseas regulator has announced a related action abroad.
