A Jaecoo J5 EV was left immobilised in the middle of Central Jakarta after its front-right wheel assembly detached following an incident involving a roadside curb and concrete barrier.
The incident, which happened on November 4, has attracted attention on Indonesian social media, with footage showing the black electric SUV stranded beside a raised road divider. Its detached wheel and suspension components were seen lying on the road, alongside a damaged section of the vehicle’s bumper.
The incident has also reignited discussions about the reliability of vehicles under China’s Chery Group, particularly following a series of axle-related incidents involving the Omoda 5 in Malaysia.
Jaecoo J5 EV Loses Front Wheel In Jakarta
The incident reportedly occurred at around 8.20am along Jalan KH Mas Mansyur in Karet Tengsin, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.
Videos circulating online showed the vehicle with its front-right wheel assembly completely separated from the body. Parts of its suspension system were also visible on the road, while the roadside barrier appeared to have sustained damage.
There was initially some confusion over which wheel had detached, with several Indonesian reports identifying it as the rear-right wheel. However, Jaecoo Indonesia later clarified that the affected component was actually the front-right assembly.
Following the incident, the company dispatched its technical team to inspect the vehicle after contacting its owner.
Manufacturer Says Collision Caused Wheel Separation
According to Jaecoo Indonesia, its inspection concluded that the SUV had struck a roadside curb and barrier before the wheel assembly came loose.
The manufacturer maintained that the wheel separation was a consequence of the collision rather than the cause of the accident.
The inspection reportedly identified damage to the front-right bumper, fender and front passenger door. Jaecoo also said its technical assessment had not uncovered evidence suggesting that a manufacturing defect was responsible.
Its aftersales department was subsequently coordinating with the owner to arrange repairs and replacement components.
However, no independent investigation into the Jakarta incident has been reported, meaning the manufacturer’s findings have not been independently verified.
Incident Draws Comparisons With Malaysia’s Omoda 5 Axle Controversy
The Jakarta incident comes at an uncomfortable time for Chery Group, which has already faced scrutiny in Malaysia following several reports of Omoda 5 vehicles experiencing rear axle failures.
On October 11, Malaysia’s Road Transport Department (JPJ) temporarily suspended the Omoda 5’s Vehicle Type Approval (VTA), preventing new registrations while investigations were carried out.
Chery subsequently announced a recall campaign covering 8,878 Omoda 5 C and H variants on October 14. Affected vehicles were scheduled for inspections and replacement of components where necessary.
The controversy became serious enough for Chery chairman Yin Tongyue to issue a public apology to Malaysia’s Investment, Trade and Industry Minister on October 21 over concerns surrounding vehicle quality.
Interestingly, this was not the first time the Omoda 5 had encountered axle-related concerns. In May 2024, approximately 600 vehicles were called in for precautionary inspections. Chery later identified 60 vehicles fitted with potentially affected axle components from a production batch manufactured on August 15, 2023, attributing the issue to a miscalibrated welding tip.
It is important to note that the Malaysian Omoda 5 cases involved the rear axle, while the Jakarta Jaecoo J5 EV incident involved its front-right wheel assembly. There is currently no evidence linking the two incidents.
Jaecoo J5 EV Remains Popular In Indonesia
Despite the controversy, the Jaecoo J5 EV has enjoyed considerable commercial success in Indonesia.
According to figures from the country’s automotive industry association Gaikindo, the electric SUV recorded 26,635 wholesale deliveries between January and September 2026, making it Indonesia’s best-selling battery-electric passenger vehicle during that period.
The latest incident is likely to attract further attention towards Chery Group’s quality control and aftersales responsibilities, particularly as Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers continue expanding aggressively into overseas markets.
For now, Jaecoo maintains that the Jakarta wheel separation was caused by an impact with roadside infrastructure rather than a manufacturing fault. Whether further investigations will provide additional clarity remains to be seen.