Mahindra recalls select XUV500 crossovers for a hush-hush clutch replacement

Snapshot: Voluntary recall code notwithstanding, Indian automakers choose to recall their products surreptitiously or covered under the garb of “product improvement” measures. The latest on this front involves the Mahindra XUV500 crossover, which has received a steady stream of upgrades or “product improvements” ever since its launch in 2011. This time around, a single batch of the XUV500 has been called in for clutch replacement, which is happening during routine service.

What’s the latest Mahindra XUV500 recall all about?

Here’s the inside story, exclusively on CarToq.

Mahindra changed the clutch design of the XUV500 around February 2013. However, the XUV500s that rolled out of the production line with the revised clutch design began to experience issues. Mahindra promptly switched back to the older design, which was relatively trouble free. Also see: Mahindra XUV500 recall to fix 3 issues

After reverting back to the older clutch design, Mahindra began contacting owners of XUV500s with the revised clutch individually in order to replace the clutch and revert to the older design. Mahindra has chosen to keep this recall a quiet affair, without the usual public announcement that precedes a major recall.

Click here for CarToq’s Comparison Video of the Mahindra XUV500 and Renault Duster

Mahindra’s low key XUV500 recall for clutch replacement perhaps has to do with the following factors at play:

• The affected XUV500s belonged to a single batch with the affected number of crossovers forming a small number of the 75,000 XUV500s sold in India since 2011.
• Mahindra has already reverted to the older clutch design, which has proven to be reliable, but for the slave cylinder failure in certain models of the first batch of XUV500s – a problem that Mahindra has already rectified.

It may be noted that the “zero defect” XUV500 that Mahindra introduced post July 2013 has the original clutch design, which has proven to be reliable. With that, Mahindra continues to roll out regular upgrades for the XUV500, further refining the crossover.

The Mahindra XUV500 crossover is available in 4 variants: W4, W6, W8 and W8 AWD. All four variants of the XUV500 are powered by the 2.2 liter mHawk turbo diesel engine in the 140 Bhp-330 Nm state of tune. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard on all variants and so are safety features such as ABS+EBD and twin airbags.

Click here for CarToq’s report of the Mahindra XUV500 facelift coming in 2015