GM Daewoo to recall 16,000 cars in S Korea

SEOUL: GM Daewoo Auto and Technology has decided to recall 16,379 units of its Matiz Creative mini-car because of defects in their airbags or windshield wipers, government officials said Sunday.

The South Korean unit of US carmaker General Motors said the recall affected units manufactured and sold between July and November, Seoul's land, transport and maritime affairs ministry said in a statement.

The windshield wipers of the units were found to malfunction in freezing weather, or their airbags were found to fall apart in a crash, it said.

The ministry, which had estimated the number of affected units at over 30,000, later revised the figure to total 16,379 -- 14,732 defective in both windshield wipers and airbags, and 1,647 flawed in airbags only.

Free repair services will be available from Monday, it said.