• VinFast must recall 2,781 VF 8 SUVs due to an assembly problem related to the front axle.
• For the past month, some of the news coming from the Vietnamese company has been less than cheery.
• The American-market vehicles affected by the recall will be repaired before being delivered to customers.
Vietnamese manufacturer VinFast is making its North American debut this year and, so far, not everything is going according to plan so far. There have been delays in getting the first vehicles to market, and just recently we learned that the company is cutting its North American staff and eliminating the Canadian division, which will be annexed to the U.S. operation. Not to mention that the company's founder, Pham Nhat Vuong, has indicated that he no longer wishes to invest his own money in the company.
And now, the first electric model set to launch in North America is subject to a recall. Indeed, VinFast is recalling 2,781 VF 8 SUVs to have the bolt connecting the front brake caliper to the ball joint checked and possibly replaced. As the company explains via a release, “Due to a specific component assembly item, the bolt connecting the front caliper to the knuckle may loosen when the vehicle is in operation, potentially reducing the effectiveness of the front brake.”
When asked about VinFast's chances of breaking into the North American market, our answer is always the same. If the product is of quality and owners have a positive experience with their vehicle, it will have a chance to succeed. But if there are persistent quality issues, and/or if service is not up to par, it will be very difficult.
There’s also the question of pricing, which will have to remain competitive.
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VinFast is preparing for its rollout in the U.S. (which will include the construction of a $4 billion factory) where it hopes to compete with traditional automakers. The first 999 VF 8s arrived in the country in late 2022 and the first deliveries are expected this month. They will be inspected and checked for the new problem before being delivered to customers, so the recall does not affect any current users. The company explained that “This is relatively a simple procedure that can be done quickly and will not affect the delivery timeline, which is expected to start by the end of Feb. 2023.”
VinFast said it has not received any reports of failures involving the loose bolt that could cause brake problems.