More than 200,000 Vauxhall Zafiras to be recalled over fire risk

More than 234,000 Vauxhall Zafiras will be recalled for a second time over a problem that has seen seen the cars burst into flames.

In London alone, the fire brigade said it had attended 71 Zafira fires since 2013.

Vauxhall took the decision to recall the cars in December 2015 after reports some had burst into flames.

It said the problem was caused by improper repairs to the people carrier's blower motor resistor which can lead to overheating.

The manufacturer described the latest recall - which only affects Zafira B customers - as "preventative action" to "improve the overall robustness of the system" as opposed to simply replacing the resistor and its fuse.

A spokesman said when the recalls are complete, all vehicles will have a new wax fuse resistor, a new blower motor and a new moulding at the base of the windscreen to address water ingress.

Both recalls have been free for car owners and the company will be writing to customers inviting them into dealerships in August.

Drivers who have not yet had the work from the first recall completed should still take their cars to dealerships, Vauxhall said.

Car owners are advised to contact their local Vauxhall authorised repairer to arrange a free safety inspection and repair.