Motor named 10 breakdowns that often occur in Chinese cars

Chinese automakers have long ceased to be associated with one-off cars. Modern cars from the Middle Kingdom demonstrate an impressive service life of engines and transmissions. However, Chinese engineering genius also fails in the most unexpected places. The editors of Motor magazine studied user reviews on specialized forums, as well as motorists’ requests for services, and compiled an overview of the most common “sores” that owners of Chinese cars in Russia face.

Li Auto

The Lixiang L7, L8 and L9 hybrid flagships, after a couple of years of winter operation, may suddenly have climate control failure, power loss and the ominous Check Engine light. The culprit is the compressor, whose electronic board cannot withstand changes and destroys the contacts. In rare cases, the problem is solved by re-soldering, but more often the owners have to fork out money for a new unit.

Li Auto L9
Li Auto

Li L7 crossovers with an AMK air suspension compressor run the risk of turning into a low-riding hot rod in winter. Due to the accumulation of moisture in the receiver, the system refuses to maintain clearance in the cold. The most budget-friendly life hack from servicemen is to organize an air intake not from the street, but from a dry luggage compartment.

Li Auto L7
Li Auto

The signature wide mono light on the rear door of Li Auto cars is stylish, but unreliable. Due to depressurization, water gets inside, the contacts close, and the massive light panel goes out at the most inopportune moment. And most importantly, you don’t even need to hit the car to do this, just rain or a wash.

Zeekr 9X

The hybrid giant Zeekr 9X surprised owners with the fragility of the rear motor gearbox. Its magnesium body does not withstand contact with domestic de-icing agents and becomes covered with a network of cracks, losing its tightness.

Zeekr 9X
Zeekr

The manufacturer has already recognized the problem and began installing a reinforced unit in the first quarter. True, the price of the issue is from 600 to 900 thousand rubles for a new unit.

Haval M6

Owners of a manual Haval M6 know what fitness is while driving. Shifting into gear turns into a quest: you have to depress the pedal twice and accelerate in between.

Haval M6
Haval

The reason is not at all the weakness of the driver, but the unadjusted drive linkage. The problem is cured by adjustment, which, by the way, if you have straight hands, can be done even in the garage.

Hongqi H9

The Hongqi H9 premium sedan annoys owners with wheel bearings that wear out after 10-20 thousand kilometers*. The low resource was attributed to improper lubrication and the harsh realities of broken roads.

Hongqi H9
Hongqi

The most offensive thing is that dealers often refuse warranty replacement, and the new bearing “bites” – prices start from 10,000 rubles.

*As Hongqi told Gazeta.Ru, H9 owners can count on support from the automaker: diagnostics and subsequent repairs of the front hub at official dealers are carried out free of charge. The company said that the main condition for this is “the absence of signs of operational damage caused by external influences or violation of the rules for using the vehicle.”

Retractable handles

A disaster that unites the entire Chinese auto industry. Electric drives for retractable handles tend to sour or burn out, refusing to go back.

Automatic sliding door handles in a car
DongFeng

It can only be treated by replacing the mechanism. For example, for a “nervous” twist on Lixiang you will have to pay about 12 thousand rubles.

Tank 500

The Tank 500’s off-road character suffers from small things. The retractable threshold stops closing due to the fact that its shaft becomes sour from water, dirt and reagents.

Tank 500
Tank

Radical repairs are not needed: if you wash and lubricate the mechanism in time, the system comes to life. But delay risks costly replacement.

Chery

Owners of Tiggo 4, 7 Pro and 8 Pro are faced with a decor problem. The radiator grille, window trim and trim become cloudy over time, become covered with craquelure and simply peel off.

Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Max
Chery

In order not to drive in a “shabby” car, many owners immediately order the “antichrome” procedure, removing the metallized coating preventively.

Knewstar 001

The disease is not technical, but it is the most teeth-crushing one. Owners of the Knewstar 001 crossover (also renamed Geely Tugella) cannot find original body parts. Front fenders, bumpers and grilles with the Knewstar logo are not available for sale, and spare parts from Tugella do not fit the geometry.

Knewstar 001
Knewstar

At the slightest accident, the car runs the risk of being laid up for a long time, waiting for scarce parts.