Vietnamese electric automaker VinFast issued a voluntary recall on the entire first batch of EVs exported to the US last year following the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s notice.
As EV-a2z previously reported, VinFast’s first EV shipment to the US consisted of 999 VF 8 electric SUVs in late December 2022.
What’s the issue?
VinFast claims it first discovered the issue on April 27 while checking customer comments and concerns.
VinFast’s recall for the VF8 models in the US comes after the NHTSA issued a safety warning, saying that “a software error may cause the multifunction head unit (MHU) display to go blank.”
Therefore, the EV may be unable to display key safety data, such as the speedometer or warning lights, which raises the risk of a car crash.
According to the safety recall report, the estimated percentage of vehicles with the defect is 7%.
Fortunately, over 700 of the 999 VF 8 units are apparently not yet delivered to customers or fleet services, the NHTSA gauged. As of now, 111 units are delivered to customers, and 153 units are in fleet service.
“VinFast is not aware of any field reports of incidents in the United States on vehicles in customer hands or in Company fleet service.”
NHTSA
Nonetheless, VinFast already rolled out an over-the-air (OTA) update on May 25 to patch the glitch without charge. The automaker will also notify customers via mail beginning May 29.
See Also:
- VinFast celebrates the arrival of its first VF 8 shipment in the United States
- VinFast secures $2.5 billion fund for its global expansion
- VinFast started customer deliveries for first VF 5 Plus models in Vietnam
- VinFast plans to deliver longer-range electric SUVs to the US in April
- VinGroup launches taxi and rental service company to boost VinFast EV’s deployment
The safety issue may appear easy and can be fixed immediately without causing long-term effects. However, first impressions are everything. VinFast must establish a strong brand image, considering it is a newcomer in the US market.
