Buick Showroom Beijing China
A Buick dealer in Beijing, China. Reuters

General Motors and its Chinese partner SAIC Motor will recall almost a million and a half vehicles in China to deal with faulty fuel-pump brackets: the US automaker's second recall this year in the world's biggest car market.

Around 1.218 million Buick cars and some 243,000 Chevrolet vehicles will be recalled, China's quality watchdog said in a statement on 27 December.

The regulator said the recall affects Buick Excelles manufactured from 2006 through part of 2012; and Chevrolet Sails made between April 2009 and October 2011, alongside some that were produced in 2012.

Shanghai General Motors, the equal joint venture between GM and SAIC, will replace the defective brackets, which could crack under extreme conditions resulting in fuel leakages.

Meanwhile, the quality regulator said in a separate statement that Ford Motor and its partner Chongqing Changan Automobile will recall more than 80,000 Kuga sport-utility vehicles owing to defective steering parts.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said GM's recall will start on 30 December.

Ford's recall would commence on 21 February, as the automaker needs to procure spare parts.

Pursued by The Wall Street Journal, a Ford spokeswoman confirmed the recall but refused to divulge costs.

China Recalls

China is the world's largest car market and is poised to overtake the US in luxury car sales by 2020.

In November, Volkswagen recalled nearly 850,000 vehicles to deal with a host of issues.

In August, JLR recalled 8,656 Range Rover Auroras and Land Rover Freelander 2 models built between January 2012 and June 2013 to investigate possible oil leakage problems.

JLR also recalled 3,196 Jaguar XF models built between July 2012 and May 2013, and XJs manufactured between March 2012 and May 2013 over potential engine problems.

In May, the government announced a recall of 2,653 imported GM Cadillac SRX sport utility vehicles to fix a problem with nuts that hold wheels in place.

GM makes vehicles in China with SAIC and the FAW Group. Ford has partnered with Changan and Jiangling Motors.