US auto giant General Motors (GM) and its counterpart Ford will recall more than 1.5 million vehicles in China over defective parts, the country's quality watchdog said Friday.

Shanghai GM, a joint venture between GM and China's SAIC Motor, will recall more than 1.46 million Buick and Chevrolet cars due to defective fuel-pump brackets, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said in a statement.

The brackets could lead to fuel leaks under "extreme conditions" and thus pose safety threats, the statement said, adding the recall, will start on Monday.

The recall will affect cars produced between 2006 and 2011, it said.

In a separate statement, the quality inspector also said Changan Ford Automobile, jointly set up by Ford and Chinese partner Changan Automobile, will recall more than 80,000 Kuga sport utility vehicles in China due to a problem in the steering mechanism.

The recall will begin from February 21 as the firm needs to prepare replacement parts, the statement said.

China is the world's largest car market, with auto sales in the first 11 months of the year reaching a record high of 19.86 million, surpassing the total for the whole of last year.

The market has proved to be a saviour for many foreign car companies in the face of weak demand elsewhere.