Nissan Paladin cars are assembled in the auto plant of Nissan in Zhengzhou, Henan province. [File photo/IC]

BEIJING - Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co will recall 1,283 defective Paladin sport utility vehicles (SUVs) from Monday due to an airbag problem, according to China's top quality watchdog.

The company, a Sino-Japanese joint venture founded in 1993, is recalling those SUVs manufactured between Feb 7, 2003 and June 4, 2003, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said in the circular.

In the case of collision, the airbag for the front passenger seat may malfunction, as pressure inside the airbag inflator may rise to an abnormal level and the metal container may break into pieces, which may lead to air leaks and even fire in extreme cases, the AQSIQ said.

Zhengzhou Nissan will check the affected vehicles and replace the defective parts free of charge.

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