The Proton X90 is being recalled over a faulty grounding connection that may become a ‘thermal risk’.
Late last month, social media was ‘alight’ over a viral video of a Proton X90’s luggage area emitting smoke and melting the plastic interior cover of the rearmost left hand side D-pillar. Proton urged the public not to jump to conclusions and promised a thorough investigation into the matter. The X90 is Proton’s first ever attempt at assembling a vehicle with an electrified powertrain and there’s a lot at stake here.
Today, about three weeks after the incident, Proton has finally issued a follow-up statement. In a nutshell, here’s what Proton’s investigation has found.
- The ‘thermal incident’ was caused by a grounding connection to the body of the vehicle
- The 48v mild hybrid battery was not the cause of the incident
- ALL Proton X90 owners will be contacted for a preventative inspection of their vehicle’s grounding connection
- Owners can also call the nearest 3S/4S service centre for an appointment or contact PROTON’s helpline at 1-800-88-8398 for more information
While Malaysia doesn’t have strict rules regarding vehicle recalls, the Road Transport Department (referred to as JPJ) has made an effort to communicate voluntary recalls issued by brands. So far, Proton has stayed off the list entirely but this could be a turning point for the national automotive brand. Still, it’s unclear if Proton will be seeking JPJ’s cooperation in this matter.
Official Statement From Proton
PROTON would like to release the following statement regarding the Proton X90.
After a thorough investigation conducted by a team of product experts from PROTON and Geely, an issue has been identified regarding the grounding connection to the body of the vehicle.
This can cause overheating in the connecting area when a continuous large current passes through it and can result in a thermal incident due to its proximity to the sound proofing material.
As a safety measure, all Proton X90 owners will be contacted individually by PROTON 3S/4S dealers to bring their vehicles for inspection and if required, remedial action will be taken by the service centre to eliminate any thermal risk.
Owners can also either call the nearest 3S/4S service centre for an appointment or contact PROTON’s helpline at 1-800-88-8398 for more information.
Additionally, PROTON and its vendors have taken countermeasures by enhancing our supplier process control and incoming inspections on the Proton X90’s production line.
Finally, PROTON would like to confirm the mild hybrid (48v) battery used by the Proton X90 is not a source for the incident and would like to reassure everyone, the quality of our products and the safety of our customers is the company’s top priority.
