Chery's J11 SUV recalled due to inadequate side-impact protection in the event of accident.
Chinese car brand Chery has issued its second recall in as many months, this time over crash safety fears for the J11 SUV.
The J11 SUV has been recalled because: “The side impact capabilities of the vehicle may not adequately protect the occupants in the event of an accident”.
The recall affects 1664 vehicles and is a similar problem to the one that forced a recall of Chery’s J1 city car last month.
Chery J11 SUV has been recalled after poor ANCAP testing.
The brand recalled the J1 after a fault was found in the seat structure that posed
“a high risk of a life-threatening chest injury for the driver".
Owners are advised to contact their dealership as the J11 requires both front seats removed and the backrest assembly replaced, while some other sections of trim will be replaced on the centre console and side pillars.
Daniel Cotterill, a spokesman for the brand’s importer Ateco, says the recall is preventative rather than reactive.
“The J11 is part of the way through its ANCAP crash testing, but this action was taken on the basis of lessons learned,” he says, referring to the sub-par, three-star crash test score awarded to the brand’s J1 city car.
“I think it’s fair to say that no-one was happy with the result from the J1,” Cotterill says. “Chery has undertaken rectification there, and they’ve moved to do so with other models as well.”
“Chery is new to the market and our policy is to have engineers here for the tests so that they can see for themselves the standards that are set here and how they’re tested,” he says. “We think that’s captured their attention, and they’ve moved to improve things where they think they need to.”
The recall is not the only safety concern for the Chinese brand. Its cars are currently unable to be sold in Victoria as none are fitted with stability control technology - a legal requirement for all cars sold in that state, and due to become a nation-wide regulation from November.
The J11 SUV is currently Australia’s cheapest soft-roader, priced at $17,990 driveaway.
]
