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)