Chery sent an SUV up 999 scenic steps — it slid back into the guardrail

On 12 November 2025, Chery used Tianmen Mountain's 999-step Stairway to Heaven for a commercial shoot intended to demonstrate the Fengyun X3L's power, handling and four-wheel-drive capability.

The SUV failed to complete the climb. Videos showed it sliding backward and striking a stone-pillar guardrail, damaging part of the scenic-area barrier. Chery said nobody was injured and the natural environment was not harmed.

Chery's preliminary investigation said a shackle detached from a safety-rope anchor point. The rope then wrapped around the right wheel, obstructed power output and caused the vehicle to slide into the guardrail.

The company apologised, promised repairs and compensation, and acknowledged inadequate risk assessment and execution controls. It specifically regretted conducting the test in a public scenic area.

A safety-rope shackle detached, wrapped around the right wheel, and cut power, so the SUV slid backward into the guardrail, costing repairs and an apology.

A product demonstration depended on external safety equipment that could disable the vehicle when it failed

The team chose a protected public attraction, so a failed shoot could damage property as well as the product claim

Risk assessment focused on completing the climb without containing the reputational cost of a visible rollback

The stunt made four-wheel-drive capability the promise, turning the failed ascent into the campaign's main image

A live product stunt needs a failure mode that protects both the venue and the claim — the recovery plan is part of the demonstration.