Xiaomi (小米) blacklists two engineers after fake vacuuming found in air‑conditioner installs

What happened

Xiaomi (小米) said in an internal notice on May 19 that it has taken top‑level disciplinary action after a special audit of its digital vacuuming service uncovered two incidents of fabricated vacuuming during air‑conditioner installations. According to a screenshot circulating online, the two cooperating engineers were permanently blacklisted and removed from any future collaboration; their offline installation outlets were fined ¥1,000 per affected order and publicly criticized across Xiaomi’s nationwide service network. It has been reported that Xiaomi has warned all partners to conduct immediate self‑inspections and promised stricter penalties if similar violations recur.

Why it matters

Vacuuming is a critical step in installing inverter air conditioners under China’s national standard GB 17790‑2008: the process removes air and moisture from refrigerant lines to near‑vacuum levels, preventing reduced cooling efficiency, higher power draw, ice blockages, corrosion and compressor damage. Historically the vacuuming step has been a “black box” — done with analog gauges and timed by eye — making consumer verification difficult. How serious is the risk? Small shortcuts at installation can meaningfully shorten an air‑conditioner’s life.

Digital monitoring and the wider context

Xiaomi has pushed a technical fix. It began equipping installers with a smart digital vacuum gauge and integrating pressure, duration and curve data via Bluetooth into its Xiaomi Service Tong app; orders cannot be closed until the cloud‑recorded values meet scientific thresholds. Users can view the test curves and raw numbers in the app, and the backend flags abnormal pressure drops to catch human tampering. It has been reported that the system now covers seven provincial regions and 600+ districts. Against a backdrop of rising consumer scrutiny and tighter regulatory focus on after‑sales service in China, the episode highlights both the promise and the limits of digital traceability in policing frontline service behavior.