Nearly 3,000 BMW cars will be recalled in China due to defects in their steering systems, the country's consumer quality watchdog said Wednesday.

A total of 2,712 3 Series-model vehicles and 114 X1-model vehicles manufactured in China, as well as 49 imported 3 Series vehicles and 32 imported Z4-model vehicles, will be recalled starting from Aug. 15, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said in a statement.

The vehicles will be recalled by BMW (China) Automotive Trading Ltd. and BMW Brilliance Automotive, a joint venture by the BMW Group and Chinese automaker Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd., the statement said.

The companies will offer free replacements for the problematic components, the statement said.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet