Hyundai Mobis's Urea Solution Production
Also Failed Quality Test Last Year
"Judgment May Change If No Issues in Other Production Processes"
Simple 'Temporary Out of Stock' Notice... "Promotion Planned"
[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] Urea solution products bearing the names of major corporations have been discontinued in production. However, there are concerns that consumers may be easily confused as other urea solutions produced through different processes have received approval.
The National Institute of Environmental Research's Transportation Environment Research Center announced in the "Status of Administrative Disposition on Automotive Catalysts and Inspection of Manufacturing Standards for Non-compliant Products" that the "Hyundai Mobis Urea Solution" made by A-One Chemical was judged non-compliant on the 9th. This product is a urea solution produced by the company on behalf of Hyundai Mobis, Jaguar Land Rover, and others. However, it differs from Hyundai Mobis’s genuine urea solution injected during new car delivery. It is a vehicle product purchased directly by consumers, similar to windshield washer fluid.
On the afternoon of November 8, 2021, when the urea solution shortage continued, a notice of urea solution out of stock was posted at a gas station in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The Geumgang River Basin Environmental Office issued a manufacturing suspension and product recall order for the "Hyundai Mobis Urea Solution" due to failure to meet quality standards. A-One Chemical stated, "Although we feel somewhat unfair, since the disposition has been issued, we have no further comments."
The problem is that the judgment on this product differed among inspection agencies. On July 28 last year, the Korea Petroleum Quality Management Institute issued a non-compliance judgment. However, the next day, the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology gave an approval judgment. The recent non-compliance judgment was made by the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, which reversed its position. The urea solution appeared on both the approved and non-approved product lists, differing only in certificate numbers.
Consumers are likely to be confused. The Transportation Environment Research Center explained, "The samples sent to inspection agencies were urea solutions produced at different factories, so the judgments may vary." They also stated that if urea solutions produced by the same company through different processes have no issues, they manage them in this way to avoid production disruptions.
Currently, the product is simply marked as "temporarily out of stock" on online shopping malls, with no separate notice regarding non-compliance. Although the list can be checked on the National Institute of Environmental Research's Transportation Environment Research Center website, accessibility is criticized as poor. A representative from the Transportation Environment Research Center said, "When non-compliant product judgments are made, the Environmental Office issuing administrative dispositions informs online shopping associations and gas station associations separately, and they can check regularly. In February, products judged non-compliant for urea solution will be announced on over 130 electronic billboards nationwide installed by the government."
Using defective urea solution can cause damage to the vehicle's SCR system. This system is one of the eco-friendly diesel exhaust methods that injects urea solution to reduce harmful nitrogen oxides into water and nitrogen. The cost to replace this part is about 10 million KRW.
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