Wheel off, bumper wrecked: Chery says collision, not faulty parts to blame for viral NKVE car damage

KUALA LUMPUR: Chery Auto Malaysia has clarified that the front bumper damage and detached wheels of a vehicle in an accident on the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) on Saturday were caused by the collision, not by a component failure. The company acknowledged public concerns stemming from the spread of photographs and videos of the accident on social media.

A report identified the vehicle as a Chery Tiggo Cross, which had collided with a Perodua Myvi on November 7. Both vehicles were damaged in the right lane of the highway, with several wheels from the Chery vehicle appearing to have come loose. However, Chery stressed that the accident caused the wheel detachment, not component failure.

The company's statement did not delve into the specifics of the accident or the outcome of authorities' investigations. Chery's team contacted the vehicle owner and offered assistance. The company urged the public not to share unverified information, to prevent unnecessary concern among road users and misinformation. This incident occurred about a month after the Road Transport Department suspended the Vehicle Type Approval certificate for the Chery Omoda 5 following a separate axle assembly detachment incident in Johor Bahru.

Chery subsequently recalled certain Omoda 5 models for inspections and component replacements. Chery reiterated that the Tiggo Cross incident involved wheel detachment due to the collision, not component failure.