AA insists that Jetour issue a recall notice over ongoing T1 and T2 payload rating issue

The Automobile Association (AA) of South Africa has raised concerns over the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) approval of the updated payload rating for the Jetour T1 and T2 vehicles. Following the AA's allegations, the NRCS has engaged in independent payload testing of the Jetour T1 and T2 models. Weighbridge testing at the Clayville Testing Centre in Gauteng revealed notable discrepancies between the actual weight of the vehicles and the revised gross vehicle weight (GVM) ratings provided by Jetour.

Specifically, the AA found that the T1 Odyssey 2.0TD, weighing 1780kg, had a revised GVM of 2308kg, resulting in a payload variance of 538kg. Similarly, the T1 PHEV 1.5T, weighing 1940kg, had a revised GVM of 2448kg, with a payload variance of 508kg. The T2 Odyssey 2.0T, weighing 1880kg, had a revised GVM of 2380kg, resulting in a payload variance of 500kg, while the T2 PHEV 1.5T, weighing 2060kg, had a revised GVM of 2538kg, with a payload variance of 478kg.

The T2 Xplora 2.0T, weighing 1900kg, had the lowest variance at 455kg. While only the T2 Xplora was found to be below the updated 475kg payload rating claimed by Jetour, the AA remains concerned that the NRCS has not yet approved Jetour's revised payload ratings. This raises questions about the validity of the NRCS's approval process.

The AA insists that Jetour issue a recall notice to all affected customers, warning them of potential legal risks associated with the current lower weight rating listed on their license discs. Furthermore, the AA emphasizes that relying on global lab test reports for local vehicle approvals is insufficient and calls for the NRCS and similar bodies to mandate meaningful local homologation testing for all new vehicles entering South Africa.