BMW to recall vehicles in China over airbag defects

German luxury car manufacturer BMW will recall 193,611 vehicles in China due to defective airbags, officials said on Monday.

China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said in a statement that when the airbags for the driver and front passenger of these cars are activated, the gas generators inside can cause damage and launch fragments towards vehicle occupants, Efe news reported.

The German company has promised to replace the defective parts free of charge for owners of affected models.

The recall for repairing this defect will begin on August 1, 2017.

The affected vehicles comprise 168,681 cars imported between December 9, 2005, and December 23, 2011, as well as 24,750 cars manufactured between July 12, 2005, and December 31, 2011.

It is not the first time that BMW has had to recall some of its vehicles due to manufacturing defects, as in August it withdrew 156,922 cars to repair children's seats with faulty welding.

BMW has a strong presence in the Chinese market, where in 2015 it sold a total of 463,736 vehicles, including those of its subsidiary Mini, which was 1.7 per cent more than the previous year.

--IANS

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