Holden to recall hundreds of NZ cars

Holden's global platform Cruze is the latest vehicle to be recalled in NZ. Photo / Supplied

An investigation of a potential fuel leak issue affecting a popular small Holden has now triggered a recall of almost 500 cars in New Zealand.

Holden New Zealand this morning said it intended to check out 485 examples of the Holden Cruze sedan that it had sold. A fuel hose fault was suspected.

The company said it was aware of three New Zealand instances of a reported fuel leak due to this condition.

Owners of potentially affected cars were being contacted directly by Holden NZ. Customers were being asked to contact their local dealer to book in a free vehicle inspection.

Only the 2010 model year editions of the petrol Cruze remained implicated in the recall. Holden had sold 918 petrol versions since the car's launch last July and a further 776 diesel versions, which were not affected.

Holden New Zealand corporate affairs manager Chantelle Urquhart said customers with further questions regarding this issue should contact their dealer or the Holden Recall and Rework Assistance Centre on 0800 465 336.

Holden had not indicated how long it would be before a fix was found.

"Holden has launched this programme to investigate a potential condition where the fuel hose may become detached causing a fuel leak on a specific range of MY10 (petrol engine only) Cruze," Ms Urquhart said.

"We are currently determining the root cause and an appropriate fix with this initial action. Safety is our number one priority."

The Cruze had been touted as a key model for the company as sales of the Commodore fell away.

- NZPA