FAW-Volkswagen, an automobile joint-venture based in northeast China's Jilin Province, announced a recall of approximately 4,000 imported Audi Q7 SUVs on the Chinese mainland because of a defect in the system that controls the rear door, according to sources released by the General Administration of Quality Supervision Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) on Wednesday.

Beginning on Dec. 6, the recall targets SUVs manufactured from June 2006-July 2007, in total about 4,067 on the Chinese mainland, noted the FAW-Volkswagen's report submitted to the AQSIQ.

The report said that the defect lies in the operational software used to control the rear door. The defect may lead to a sudden closure of the rear door when the dual gas springs to sustain the door lose efficacy simultaneously, imposing a safety threat to people standing beside the vehicle.

The German manufacturer of Audi updated the rear door operational software embedded in the Audi Q7 off-production line after July. FAW-Volkswagen will update the software in the recalled vehicles after checking the open-close system of the rear door.

Franchised distributors of Audi vehicles around the country will call owners of the SUVs subject to the recall range and related checks and maintenance are free.

(China.org.cn by Zhang Tingting, December 6, 2007)