GM set to recall 1.5m cars in China

General Motors will recall almost 1.5m cars in China over safety concerns, in one of the biggest-ever recalls in the world’s largest car market by sales.

Shanghai General Motors, a joint venture between GM and Chinese carmaker SAIC Motor, will recall 1.46m locally-built Buick and Chevrolet models due to potential faults with a bracket that holds the fuel pump, China’s quality watchdog said in a statement on Friday.

The defective bracket could cause fuel leaks in extreme cases, the watchdog said.

GM is fighting with German rival Volkswagen for the top sales spot in the Chinese car market, and like many western carmakers operating in the country, has found success in promoting the quality of its cars to middle-class Chinese buyers.

China’s booming car market is a battleground for carmakers mired in the worst European demand slump for two decades, and stuttering growth in other emerging markets such as India, Brazil and Russia.

Car sales in China rose 15.1 per cent in the first 11 months of the year to 16.2m, according to the country’s car industry association.

GM’s recall, which affects Buick Excelle cars built between 2006 and 2012 and Chevrolet Sail models built between 2009 and 2011, will begin on December 30.

In a separate statement, the quality watchdog said fellow US carmaker Ford’s joint venture with Chongqing Chang’an Automobile would recall more than 80,000 of its Maverick cars due to a defective steering part.