BEIJING -- Nearly 3,000 BMW cars will be recalled in China due to defects in their steering systems, the country's consumer quality watchdog said Wednesday.

A total of 2,712 3 Series-model vehicles and 114 X1-model vehicles manufactured in China, as well as 49 imported 3 Series vehicles and 32 imported Z4-model vehicles, will be recalled starting from Aug 15, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said in a statement.

The vehicles will be recalled by BMW (China) Automotive Trading Ltd and BMW Brilliance Automotive, a joint venture by the BMW Group and Chinese automaker Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd, the statement said.

The companies will offer free replacements for the problematic components, the statement said.