Three recall announcements for defective vehicles on the Chinese
market were released by the General Administration of Quality
Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ) this week.
The recalls involve the Porsche Carreras, FAW Huali Terios, and
Nissan X-Trail SUV.
The first automaker to recall faulty vehicles sold on the
mainland this year, German luxury sports car manufacturer Porsche
handed in its recall report to GAQSIQ six days ago.
The recall involves 60 imported Carrera S (997) sports cars
built between April 24, 2004 and October 21, 2005, for potentially
defective exhaust pipe tips.
The exhaust pipe tips fitted to the tailpipes of these cars
might have inadequate welding seams. Should these welding seams
fail, the tips can come loose and fall off. Approximately 30
instances have been reported worldwide but none so far in China,
Porsche AG said.
FAW Huali Motor, the only mini utility vehicle production base
of China FAW (First Automotive Works) Group Corporation, will
recall 721 homemade Terios, the company's flagship SUV (sports
utility vehicle), from today.
A number of Terios made during August 18 to November 30 last
year appear to have an internal problem causing the horns to sound
off on their own.
Replacement of the horns will be made free of charge.
Japan's second largest automaker Nissan Motor Co, which is based
in Hong Kong and responsible for Nissan's exports to China, will
recall 4,542 imported X-Trail SUVs on the Chinese mainland starting
March 7.
The recall will include X-Trail T30 SUVs made between June 26,
2001 and November 22, 2004. The cars reportedly leak fuel from fuel
tank pipes, the company said in the statement.
Nissan said it has perfected its production line and plans to
replace the faulty pipes with improved ones through its franchised
maintenance service centers in China, at no cost.
Nissan said that it has not received a malfunction or accident
report in China so far. Starting from March 3, its domestic
dealerships and service centers will inform customers about the
recall by mail and telephone.
On January 30, GAQSIQ announced that the government would take
the recall of defective vehicles as a significant measure in safety
administration this year.
GAQSIQ also expressed that it would enlarge and increase the
recall range and variety of defective vehicles.
Analysts said that more vehicle recalls would be ordered in
China, and that the process is good for the healthy development of
the auto industry.
The nation launched its first auto recall regulations in October
2004.
According to GAQSIQ's first annual report on the regulations
last October, after one-year's implementation, 21 global and
domestic automobile manufacturers had actualized 29 recalls
involving 33 models and 339,696 vehicles.
(China Daily February 28, 2006)