GM to recall 2.5 million vehicles in China over Takata airbags

General Motors will recall more than 2.5 million vehicles in China over concerns about airbags made by troubled Japanese giant Takata, Chinese authorities have said, dealing a blow to the U.S. automaker in the world's largest car market.

GM and its joint venture partner Shanghai GM will start withdrawing vehicles fitted with the potentially faulty airbags beginning next month and will include Chevrolet and Buick cars, China's top consumer watchdog said.

They will replace the faulty airbags for free.

Takata has recalled about 100 million airbags produced for some of the world's largest automakers, including about 70 million in the U.S., because of the risk that they could improperly inflate and rupture, potentially firing deadly shrapnel at the occupants.

The defect has been linked to 16 deaths and scores of injuries globally, and the issue has led to the biggest car recall in history.  In China, the recalls involve 37 manufacturers and more than 20 million vehicles, of which 24 carmakers had recalled 10.59 million units by the end of June, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said on Sept. 15.

Last week, the watchdog announced that German carmaker Volkswagen and its joint ventures will recall 4.86 million vehicles in China over the airbag issue.

Of the vehicles being recalled, the vast majority were made in Chinese factories.

China is a crucial market for leading international carmakers, where they must operate as joint ventures with local partners.

GM has a long-standing presence in the country, where last year it sold 3.87 million vehicles making it the second-largest foreign manufacturer in the country, behind Volkswagen.

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