Vauxhall recalls 235,000 Zafira people carriers for a THIRD time over fire fears after one of the vehicles exploded due to a newly found fault
- The British carmaker has been forced into a third recall in the space of four years
- Eleven vehicles in the Zafira B range are said to have shown signs of overheating
- Some 234,000 Zafiras were recalled in two stages in 2015 and again in 2016
Vauxhall is recalling hundreds of thousands of Zafira people carriers over fresh fears the vehicles could catch fire.
The British carmaker has been forced into a third recall after at least one vehicle reportedly exploded due to overheating.
Another 11 vehicles in the Zafira B range, built between 2005 and 2014 also showed signs of overheating.
According to The Sun, as many of 235,000 of the Zafira B vehicles could be affected by the latest move.
Firefighters extinguish a Vauxhall Zafira which caught light near a level crossing in Manor Road, south west London, in November 2015
Company boss Stephen Norman is said to have admitted ‘huge regret’ over the third recall in four years.
A pin in the car’s wiring is said to need replacement in the latest recall.
A similar number of Zafira B vehicles were recalled in two stages in 2015 and 2016 after fears of a fire risk.
Vauxhall, who were investigating 161 Zafira B fires, called back 234,000 models in two separate recalls due to rising safety concerns.
The company wrote to 234,000 owners in December 2015 to ask them to arrange for their car’s heating and ventilation system to be inspected by a local dealer.
The initial recall came following reports of nearly 200 of the model bursting into flames.
The British carmaker has been forced into a third recall of the Zafira B range (stock photo) after at least one vehicle reportedly exploded due to overheating
Subsequently all Zafira B owners were offered a free safety inspection in light of the fires.
A report by the Commons Transport Select Committee in April 2017 accused Vauxhall of showing a ‘reckless disregard for safety’ by not stopping motorists driving Zafira B vehicles it knew were a fire risk.
The manufacturer was too slow to begin a full investigation, according to the cross-party committee.
Vauxhall was also accused of acting prematurely in attributing the problem to improper repairs by third parties, according to the cross-party committee.
Concerns that there was a distinctive pattern of fires were first raised within Vauxhall in 2014, but it did not begin an investigation until August 2015.