New regulations may make vehicle recalls and suspension of sales more commonplace.
A new regulation published by the China State Council will require automakers to recall vehicles and temporarily halt sales if they identify a defect with the car. According to state-owned news service Xinhua, the new rules would compel companies to make the recalls promptly, maintain ownership records for 10 years and suspend production until the issue is resolved.
Honda CR-V Image: Honda |
The news came after Honda recalled 50,410 CR-V compact crossovers in China to repair defective wiring in the headlights, which regulators claimed may switch off in extreme conditions. The cars were produced by Dongfeng Honda Automobile, Honda's Chinese joint venture, between September 5th and November 23rd last year.
Italian supercar brand Maserati has also recalled 222 of its vehicles sold in China, after the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine claimed defective circuit boards could cause the rear lamps to fail. Fiat S.P.A., which owns the luxury brand, has recalled all Gran Turismo, Gran Turismo S and the Gran Cabrio models in China. Each car typically costs between $150,000 and $180,000.