12,000 vehicles recalled

...including malfunctioning brakes, faulty airbag systems, leaking fuel pumps and spare wheels which could become missiles. The latest round of national recalls has hit Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover.

Honda has recalled more than 1300 of its Accord sedans, built between 2001 and 2002, because a faulty driver's airbag inflator can rupture which can tear the airbag.

Land Rover wants to check the high pressure fuel injector pump on more than 1600 of its Discovery 3 and Range Rovers built between 2007 and 2008. The company says in worse case situations the pump can leak fuel on to the engine or the ground, causing a fire.

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Land Rover has also recalled 5400 Discovery 3 and Range Rover diesels, built between 2007 and this year, to check the vacuum pump which may leak oil into the brake booster, reducing the vehicle's braking performance and in extreme cases a total loss of brakes. The wagons may also suffer from a sticking vacuum non-return valve which can cause a temporary brake pedal problem.

Mercedes-Benz also has launched a double recall. It wants to inspect more than 4700 Vito and Viano vans because the spare wheel, mounted under the van, could fall from the vehicle. It has also recalled 14 Sprinter vans to fix a software upgrade for the engine control unit which can cause piston damage 'from a less than ideal combustion process’.