Tank 300 1st gen inspection checklist

Look for: Independent Australian testing (Auto Expert) documented the rear axle becoming heavily unweighted - rear wheels momentarily leaving the ground - during full ABS emergency stops from highway speed, reducing rear braking effectiveness and risking yaw/instability, particularly on slopes. Described as mirroring the Jeep Wrangler's suspension shortcoming.

Look for: Owners report stereo, screen, control and body-computer glitches - audio dropping out, controls unresponsive, features misbehaving - usually resolved by a reboot or dealer software update under warranty.

Look for: A widely reported Tank 300 issue across variants: the car flags excessive power usage when the 12V battery falls below ~12.5V, often triggered by the key fob being parked near the car, poorly wired accessories, or body-computer behaviour.

Look for: GWM is still expanding its Australian dealer and parts network. Owner experiences with warranty claims vary - some excellent, others reporting delays, parts waits and reluctance to rectify. Long-term parts availability for a new brand is an unknown.

Look for: GWM recalled Tank 300 HEV (and other hybrid models) in Australia because a manufacturing defect could leave the shielding ring in the high-voltage wiring harness improperly grounded, an electrical safety risk.

Look for: A common Tank 300 complaint: the dash warns of excessive power use when 12V battery charge drops below ~12.5V. Causes include the key fob sitting too close to the car, poorly wired aftermarket accessories (dashcams), or body-computer/software quirks.

Look for: GWM's hybrid models in Australia have been recalled over high-voltage wiring-harness grounding/electrical defects. As a brand-new PHEV sharing this HV architecture, the Hi4-T should be checked for any open recalls and HV-system software updates.

Look for: Tank 300s are prone to 12V battery-drain warnings and infotainment/body-computer software quirks; the added PHEV charging and HV management layers give more software surface area for early-build niggles.

Look for: Owners and reviewers report a noticeable delay between throttle input and response in stop-start traffic, plus occasional hesitation or a jerky shift as the turbo and 8-speed auto sort themselves out. It's a calibration trait of a small turbo engine in a heavy vehicle rather than a hard fault.

Look for: As a modern emissions diesel the GW4D24 has a diesel particulate filter that needs regular highway running to passively regenerate. Short, cold, low-speed urban-only use loads the DPF with soot, triggers forced regens and can raise back-pressure on the turbo and EGR over time.

Look for: Reviewers describe genuinely frustrating lag off idle before the 1500rpm torque band arrives, with the 9-speed auto sometimes slow to respond in traffic. In its band there's real pull and it cruises well.