German automaker giant BMW was recalling nearly 200,000 vehicles in the U.S. over a brake problem that could affect up to 345,000 cars worldwide, a spokesman said in Munich.
The spokesman said that BMW of North America had recalled 198,000 vehicles in the U.S. markets after brake faults were found that might cause a leak in the power braking system.
He said a total of around 345,000 vehicles might be affected worldwide by the problem, and the company was considering recalling vehicles in Germany and other countries.
Another spokesperson in Britain told reporters the potential fault could lead to "a small leak" that could weaken cars' breaking power although "mechanical braking is still available."
BMW said it had not received reports of accidents or injuries related to the technical flaws but the company had decided to recall the vehicles as a precautionary measure.
The recall involves BMW 5, 6 and 7 Series equipped with V8 and V12 engines and produced from 2002 to 2010. Some Rolls-Royce Phantom models from 2003 to 2010 in the recall.
BMW said owners of the cars would be notified by mail of the recall in coming weeks, and they could arrange a service appointment with the company's dealer network.
In May, BMW announced a recall of 122,000 motorcycles worldwide because of a leak problem in the braking system.
BMW enjoyed double-digit growth this year as the global economy recovered. In September, the company' s sales surged 16 percent compared to the same period of last year.
Followed the recall announcement, shares in BMW slumped 2.29 percent to 50.26 euros at 13:26 local time (1126GMT) on the Frankfurt stock exchange.