BYD Australia is recalling 32,009 examples of the popular Shark 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute as their spare wheel could detach.

"For involved vehicles, BYD has identified that in certain circumstances incorrect installation of the spare wheel, incorrect positioning of the spare wheel tray or insufficient fastening torque may cause abnormal wear of the spare wheel support cable," the company said in a statement.

"Continued movement and friction during vehicle operation may cause the cable to fail, resulting in spare wheel detachment. This may create a hazard to other road users and potentially cause serious injury or death."

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All three Shark 6 variants are affected.

If you own a Shark 6, you can enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on BYD's Vehicle Recall Information page to confirm if it's affected. BYD is also emailing owners of affected vehicles, and notifying them via the BYD App.

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BYD says it will replace the spare wheel lifter assembly with an "updated design", free of charge. The work will take 30 minutes to carry out, but you may need to make your vehicle available to the dealer for longer.

Until the work is carried out, BYD is advising owners to remove their spare wheel. Steps on how to remove this can be found in the BYD Shark 6 Owner's Handbook on page 259.

If you have any further questions about the recall, you can contact your preferred BYD dealer or the BYD Customer Care Centre, weekdays between 9:30am and 5:30pm AEST, on 1800 888 293.

MORE: Explore the BYD Shark 6 showroom