Rolls-Royce recalls cars sold in Australia over safety fears

Rolls-Royce has recalled nearly every car it has sold in Australia over the past decade over fears of brake malfunctions and engine fires.

The recall affects over 100 cars sold since 2003 with a combined value of around $100 million, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

They were Phantom cars made between Jan. 1, 2003, and Nov. 30, 2009 and Ghost sedans manufactured between Sept. 1, 2009, and June 30, 2011.

The BMW-owned British luxury carmaker has sold only 124 Rolls-Royces in Australia in the past decade — not surprising given the Ghost starts at $645,000 and the Phantom's asking price starts at just over $1 million, Australia's Daily Telegraph wrote.

However, Australia's ABC wrote that the luxury brand's image might take a hit.

A recent promotional video for the next version of the Rolls-Royce Phantom described customers as very discerning.

"They go for drink cabinets, they go for refrigerators, for humidors, so everything you can imagine, we can deliver that and that is an inherent promise of the brand in itself," company chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos reportedly said in the ad.

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Muller-Otvos also said the company had seen 200 percent growth in the past two years.

According to a letter sent to Phantom owners, oil from the brake vacuum pump could leak into the brake booster, reducing power braking assistance and increasing the chance of an accident.

The letter reportedly said "mechanical braking is still available to slow and stop the vehicle and there have been no reported incidents among Rolls-Royce owners."

The Ghost had reportedly been found to develop cracks in the turbo cooling pump, which can cause the pump electronics to smolder.

"In extreme cases, this could lead to overheating, posing a potential fire risk," the company's letter to owners said.

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