BEIJING - Mercedes-Benz China will recall vehicles with faulty automatic gearboxes, the country's consumer quality watchdog said on Monday.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said in a statement that the company will recall its imported A160 and B200 models, which have potential risks in their continuous variable transmission (CVT) systems.

Belts inside the CVT gearboxes may break and create noise, as well as display a warning sign on the vehicles' instrument panels during driving, according to the AQSIQ.

The recall will start on May 8 and involve 20 A160 vehicles and 271 B200 vehicles, all of which were produced between February and March last year.

Mercedes-Benz China will offer free checks for the vehicles and install new CVT gearboxes if necessary to eliminate possible risks, the statement said.

Affected vehicles that are still in stock will not be sold until they are repaired, the statement said.