Recalls: BYD Seal
Overview
OverviewManufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: BYD Seal
No recall information is available for the BYD Seal.
Problems and faults: BYD Seal
Overview
OverviewThis section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
2023-25 BYD Seal: drivetrain vibration and faulty rear driveshafts
For 2023-25 BYD Seal Premium (RWD) and Performance (AWD) vehicles, owners have experienced a distinct shudder or “wobble” vibration during hard acceleration, occurring in two speed bands:
- 55 km/h and 70 km/h; or
- between 100 km/h and 120 km/h.
The shudder/vibration was due to a manufacturing defect in the rear drive shafts, which could be imbalanced or have insufficient structural rigidity to handle the high torque of the electric motors. In some cases, this led to the premature shredding of rubber seals in the rear motor unit.
A Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) was issued to dealers regarding this problem. To fix, both rear drive shafts were to be replaced. If owners are experiencing this problem, they should request a “Road Force Balance” test so that the tires can be ruled out as a potential cause, then request a driveshaft inspection if the shudder/vibration continues.
2023-24 BYD Seal: 12 volt auxiliary battery failure (“bricking”)
For 2023-24 BYD Seal Dynamic, Premium and Performance vehicles (i.e. all variants), the car could become completely unresponsive (“bricked”) and could not be unlocked or started despite the high-voltage “Blade” battery having adequate charge. This frequently occurred after the car had been sitting for a few days or while connected to a home charger.
This failure was often due to the factory-fitted 12V lead-acid battery being of poor quality or suffering from “sulfation” because the car’s DC-DC converter did not provide a high enough charging voltage (often peaking at only 13.8V instead of the required 14.4V+).
The 12 volt battery could be jump-started by using the terminals in the “frunk”. But for a permanent solution, many owners replaced the factory-fitted 12 volt battery with a higher-capacity AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) battery. A BMS/Gateway software update was also required to optimise how the main battery topped up the 12V system while the vehicle was idle.
BYD Seal: overly-sensitive ADAS and “Phantom Braking”
For BYD Seal vehicles, owners have reported:
- that the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), specifically Emergency Lane Keep Assist (ELKA) and Predictive Collision Warning functions, are overly sensitive; and
- “phantom braking”, i.e. automated emergency braking for no reason; and
- Aggressive steering corrections on country roads or when passing parked cars.
These events occur because the software for the BYD Seal’s safety systems is tuned to comply with strict ANCAP/ADR safety rating requirements. As such, the sensors can misinterpret shadows, roadside grass, or curved lines as imminent collision threats.
While BYD has released several OTA (Over-the-Air) updates (such as v1.2 and v2.1) to reduce the system’s sensitivity, many owners prefer to manually set the ADAS to “Vibration Only” or “Standard” instead of “Emergency” via the touchscreen. However, these settings often revert to the “Emergency” default when the car is restarted.
BYD Seal: infotainment “memory loss” and audio glitches
For BYD Seal vehicles, owners have reported that the DiLink system frequently “forgets” driver profile settings, such as mirror positions, HVAC preferences, and seat adjustments. Additionally, the entire audio system (including indicator clicks and safety beeps) can occasionally go silent. This is due to software errors/bugs in the DiLink 5.0 operating system. Exacerbating the problem, Australian vehicles have lagged behind European and Chinese models in receiving firmware updates, such that Australian owners are experiencing problems that have been addressed for other markets.
A temporary fix for a frozen screen or silent audio is a hard reboot: hold the physical volume/power scroll wheel on the centre console down for 10–15 seconds. For a permanent fix, owners should request a manual firmware flash (Version R46 or higher) from a service centre rather than waiting for the OTA update.
BYD Seal Performance: excessive wear for Continental EcoContact 6Q tires
For BYD Seal Performance AWD vehicles, owners have reported that the factory-fitted Continental EcoContact 6Q tires wear out quickly, sometimes reaching the wear indicators in as little as 10,000 to 15,000 km, especially on the inner shoulders of the tires. This is due the vehicle’s kerb weight (over 2,100 kg), torque (390 kW), and aggressive factory alignment settings (to improve handling) leads to rapid tread depletion. To maximise tire life, owners are advised to perform a wheel alignment and rotation every 5,000 km.
When the factory-fitted Continental EcoContact 6Q tires wear out, owners have recommended switching to EV-specific tires with a harder compound, such as the Michelin Pilot Sport EV or Hankook iON EVO for better longevity.
