China's Vehicle Recalls Drop Nearly 40% YoY in 2025, with NEVs and OTA Recalls Rising Sharply

In 2025, China carried out a total of 190 automotive recalls, affecting 6.846 million vehicles—a year-over-year decline of 18.5% and 39.1%, respectively. Among these, there were 105 recalls of new energy vehicles (NEVs), involving 2.652 million units, accounting for 38.7% of the total recalled vehicles. Thirteen recalls were conducted via over-the-air (OTA) software updates, covering 1.756 million vehicles, or 25.7% of the total. Additionally, 55 recalls—impacting 2.934 million vehicles, or 42.9% of the total—were initiated under urging from the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). By the end of 2025, China had cumulatively implemented 3,265 recalls nationwide, affecting 121 million vehicles. The majority of defects were concentrated in components such as steering systems, engines, and instrument lighting, which together accounted for 71.3% of all reported issues. Design flaws remained the primary cause, representing 61.6% of all recalls. Furthermore, 13 emission-related recalls were carried out during the year, affecting 578,000 vehicles—an increase significantly higher than the previous year.