Thousands of one of Australia’s most popular hybrid utes are being recalled after a potentially dangerous safety issue emerged.

Chinese manufacturer BYD issued the recall notice for more than 32,000 of its popular Shark 6 plug-in hybrid utes.

“BYD has identified that in certain circumstances 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,” the company said.

“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.”

The recall applies to all models of the BYD Shark 6 across its Premium, Performance and Dynamic Cab Chassis variants and produced between August 29, 2024, and June 15, 2026.

BYD will replace the Spare Wheel Lifter Assembly with an updated design at no cost to owners. The fix is also expected to be quick.

“The remedy will take approximately 0.5 hours. Depending on the dealer’s work schedule owners may be required to make their vehicle available for a longer period,” BYD Australia said.

Affected owners are also advised to remove their vehicle’s spare wheel until they can get the repair done. Information about how to do that is available in the BYD Shark 6 Owner’s Handbook.

Shark 6 owners can enter their Vehicle Identification Number on BYD’s Vehicle Recall Information page to confirm if it’s affected. BYD will also email owners of affected vehicles, and notifying them via the BYD App.

BYD is one of Australia’s fastest-emerging vehicle brands. It and fellow Chinese manufacturers GWM, MG and Geely made up 20 per cent of the market when the most recent vehicle sales data was released earlier in September.

The Shark 6 was launched in Australia in October 2024 and was an immediate winner. BYD sold almost 5000 in the first three months of 2025, but the end of the fringe benefits tax exemption for plug-in hybrids saw numbers drop off.

In June, BYD Australia chief operating officer Stephen Collins said the brand hoped to “get back to at least 1500 units a month” with an uplift coming courtesy of two looming upgrades.

Further information about the recall is available from the BYD Customer Care Centre on 1800 888 293.