Three NZ models named in Mitsubishi recall

Japanese car maker Mitsubishi Motors is reportedly recalling about 347,000 cars around the world but its local arm says New Zealand motorists have nothing to worry about.

Spokesman John Dinniss said most of the cars recalled last week for checks were not on New Zealand roads and none of the faults identified posed an accident risk.

Japan had issued a "field service advice" rather than a recall on the Pajero Io, of which 250 were brought new to New Zealand.

There was a possibility that the rear indicator light could lose its amber hue before the light itself failed.

However, this sort of failure would be detected in warrant of fitness checks, Mr Dinniss said.

The recall also named two vehicles which would be in New Zealand only if they had been imported second-hand, bypassing Mitsubishi, said Mr Dinniss.

One was the Delica van, which might have a problem with the damper assembly on the rear differential, and involved only 126 vehicles worldwide.

The recall of the Legnum station wagon, whose air bag might be too underpowered to deploy properly, involved only 115 cars globally.

Major media overseas reported last week that Mitsubishi had reported to Japanese authorities that it would recall about 347,000 cars.

In 2000, Mitsubishi became bogged in scandal after confessing that it had covered up from authorities more than 640,000 customer complaints over faulty vehicles since 1977, choosing private repairs rather than public recalls.

Since then it has issued a series of recalls.