American car manufacturer General Motors (GM) is set to recall up to 1.45 million cars in China due to defects in the brackets of its fuel pumps, the General Administration of Quality Supervision said on its website.
The recall is the biggest since China, the world's top car market, broadened its manufacturer liability policy in order to protect the interest of car buyers. GM's Chinese joint venture with Saic Motor Corp, the Shanghai General Motors Co., has started recalling 1.22 million Buick Excelle and 243,296 Chevrolet Sail following complaints that the said vehicles have defective fuel-pump brackets.
While the recall is the biggest in China since the implementation of a tougher law, experts said it will not have a big impact on General Motors because the cost of the repair will be shouldered by the component makers. The cost to replace the defective part is around 900 yuan or U.S. $150 to 1,000 yuan or U.S. $165.
The recall will also not affect GM's brand image in the country especially that the defect has not involved accidents that resulted to casualties. General Motors has not issued a statement regarding the recall as of this writing.
A new law calls for stiffer penalties on car manufacturers that do not issue recalls on vehicles that are defective. Another rule also mandates minimum warranties standards to better protect car buyers in the country.
The Chinese government has been strict on car manufacturers as foreign automakers have established local plants to attract Chinese consumers.
The quality supervision administration said a total of 3.75 million vehicles have already been recalled in China. Among those that issued a recall was Volkswagen, which recalled 384,180 vehicles in March.