When imported brake pads become the subject of a quality dispute, two reactions create risk: declaring the entire shipment defective before facts are available, or continuing sales after a supplier simply says the condition is normal. A controlled response protects people and the market first, preserves evidence, defines the affected scope and organizes a joint review under the contract.
1. Stop and escalate safety-related events
If the report involves loss of braking, abnormal wear, smoke, fire, injury or vehicle or property damage, stop sale, installation or use of the potentially affected product, isolate inventory and notify authorized decision-makers. Qualified professionals should preserve and investigate the vehicle, parts and data under applicable requirements. This guide does not replace incident investigation, recall decisions or regulatory reporting.
2. Contain stock without destroying evidence
Block inventory by SKU, batch, carton number, receipt date and location. Retain unopened samples, used parts, associated hardware and original packaging. Do not clean, grind or dismantle important surfaces merely to take photographs. Record custody, dates and transfers and use sealed-sample handover records where appropriate.
3. Describe facts rather than conclusions
Separate observed facts, measurements, customer statements and unverified hypotheses. Include the purchase order, customer SKU, supplier number, batch, quantity, discovery location, vehicle or application information, service time or distance, conditions, photographs, video, measurement method and equipment. “Noisy,” “defective” or “different from sample” is not a sufficient problem statement.
4. Compare the contracted and approved revision
Review the disputed product against the order annex, drawing or specification, material plan, approved sample, labels, packaging artwork, test evidence and change records. First confirm that both parties are discussing the same revision. A matching cross-reference does not establish identical dimensions, hardware and material, while a golden sample cannot express every technical requirement.
5. Define the potentially affected population jointly
Ask the supplier to use production and traceability records to identify material batches, work orders, dates, inspection and packaging records and shipments that may be related. Begin with a defensible containment boundary and narrow it as evidence develops. Do not expand one sample to all historical orders without support, or investigate only the single returned part.
6. Agree on retesting before testing
Document sample selection, quantity, sealing, transport, laboratory, method, criteria, cost and witnessing. A third-party report must still identify the sample and applicable scope. Results based on different methods or standard revisions may not be directly comparable.
7. Do not stop root-cause analysis at “operator error”
The analysis should explain how the condition occurred, why process or shipment controls did not detect it, which lots are affected and what evidence supports the conclusion. Separate immediate containment, correction, root-cause removal and effectiveness verification. One additional inspection or reminder to an operator does not by itself close a systemic risk.
8. Base claims on the contract, evidence and actual loss
Disposition may involve sorting, rework, replacement, credit, return or another written solution. Separate product, freight, storage, inspection, rework and customer-handling costs and retain supporting records. Liability, notice periods, consequential loss, insurance and legal remedies depend on the contract and applicable law and require qualified advice.
UNCITRAL explains that the CISG, when applicable, provides a framework for conformity, obligations and remedies in international sales of goods, but it does not cover every transaction or issue. Do not determine legal deadlines or liability from this article alone.
9. Update future orders before closure
After agreeing on cause and action, determine whether the technical specification, supplier controls, inspection checklist, label, packaging and purchasing contract need revision. The next order should cite the new revision and define whether resampling, enhanced checks or phased release is required.
Build a quality-dispute evidence pack
Organize the order, SKU, batch, photographs, measurements, sample custody, retesting and loss records, then contact BAOTAI. Assessment, retesting, disposition and compensation must be based on the actual products, valid documents, the parties’ contract and applicable professional advice.
