BEIJING - China's quality authority warned buyers on Wednesday against a defect in Ford's Windstar minivans which may cause drivers to lose control of the vehicle.

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Li Yuanping, a spokesperson for the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), said that Ford China submitted a report to the AQSIQ requesting the recall of the 1999 to 2003 models of its Windstar minivans.

The company said there are 260 minivans produced between April 16, 1998 and July 3, 2003 to be recalled in China's mainland.

If those vehicles were used in a highly corrosive environment, the brackets and mounts could separate from the subframe, and the steering system could become uncontrollable, said Li.

The AQSIQ urged owners to contact the company as soon as possible to inspect and repair their vehicles. The administration also required all Exit and Entry Inspection and Quarantine Bureaus to inspect other Ford automotive models for similar problems.