Audi, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), and Ferrari are recalling some of their vehicles in China, according to the country's safety watchdog in a statement. China's General Administration of Quality, Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said that Audi will recall 886 units of its imported SQ5 sport utility vehicle (SUV) over issues with steering control software. In temperatures below 15º Celsius, the faulty software may result in heavy steering, posing a safety issue. The recall involves vehicles produced between 22 July 2013 and 25 February 2015. Under the recall, the automaker will upgrade the software. Similarly, the safety regulator has instructed JLR to recall 1,243 units of the imported Discovery 4 model over insufficient adhesion in roof glass window cases. The situation may lead to wind noise and leaks. The affected vehicle were produced between 15 August 2012 and 14 September 2012. In addition, AQSIQ has also ordered Ferrari to recall 13 units of its LaFerrari sports cars, produced between 30 May 2014 and 25 July 2014. The automaker will fix seat and head restraint systems on affected vehicles, in addition to upgrading faulty tire-pressure monitoring software.
Significance: All three recalls are fairly small and involve imported vehicles. As such, it is unlikely that the regulatory development will materially impact the sales prospects of the automakers involved. At the same time, the recalls indicate the regulator's increasing vigilance. China's quality watchdog has upped standards in recent years, forcing several automakers to issue repeated recalls.
