VW announced Thursday that together with its joint ventures with FAW and SAIC it would have to recall 4.86 million vehicles fitted with potentially faulty airbags made by Japan's bankrupt supplier Takata.

The action involves vehicles made between 2005 and 2017, according to China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

Apart from cars produced by VW's joint venture partners in China itself, some imported vehicles from Volkswagen, Audi, Seat and Skoda are also affected.

Recall to start in March 2018

Worldwide, there had not yet been a single case of a faulty Takata airbag in a VW car, but many other carmakers have had to withdraw and repair vehicles fitted with Takata airbags.

The latter contain ammonium nitrate and are liable to deploy, if they are hot for too long or if the air is very humid. They were blamed for several deaths in the United States.

Takata filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan and the US in June of this year, following the scandal over numerous recalls. It was the largest bankruptcy in Japanese history.

hg/jd (AFP, dpa)