BMW Korea, the local importer and distributor of the luxury German brand, will recall nearly 12,000 BMW cars sold here for a faulty baby seat latch that might break under repeated stress, the transportation ministry said Wednesday.

The recall affects 11,968 BMW cars of 11 vehicle models, including 8,233 units of the BMW X3 xDrive20d crossover SUV, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.


The car's ISOFIX baby seat latch may become detached from the car due to a welding defect and thus become unable to hold the baby seat safely in place.

The vehicles subject to the recall were produced between Nov. 19, 2010, and April 15, 2016. Production dates of vehicles subject to the recall vary for different vehicle models, which include the X3 xDrive30d and the X4 xDrive20d.

Free repair services will be available starting next Friday at BMW Korea service centers.

GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of U.S. automaker General Motors Co., is also recalling 384 cars of two vehicle models -- the Malibu and the Alpheon -- due to defective seat belt buckles in the rear seat that might unfasten in case of a crash and possibly fail to hold passengers.

The vehicles subject to the recall were produced between July 9-13 of 2015.

Owners of the vehicles may have the defective parts replaced starting next Wednesday, the ministry said. (Yonhap)