The automaker, which is part owned by US giant Ford, will start recalling 35,181 units in Japan and some 54,000 in China of the Mazda 3, known as the Axela in Japan, its most popular model.

Mazda said the cars, produced from January 2006 to March 2009, have been recalled because an oil hose and a radiator shroud panel have been placed too close together and may be damaged by friction when travelling on bumpy terrain, leading to potential leaks.

"The company has received two cases of complaints due to the problem, both in China," said a Mazda spokesman who asked not to be named. "No accident because of it has been reported."

The Mazda 3 compact car is widely sold in Japan, China and Europe, said the spokesman, who added that no decision had yet been taken whether the recall will affect other regions such as the European market.

The affected model is not available in the United States, the spokesman added.

Mazda Motor Corp., which vies with Mitsubishi for the rank of Japan's number four automaker, generated a net profit of 4.4 billion yen (49 million dollars) in the third quarter, reversing a net loss of 600 million yen a year earlier.

Its compatriot, Toyota, has been bedevilled by a series of safety issues, having recalled more than eight million cars worldwide since late 2009 over accelerator and brake defects.

On Thursday, Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, suspended worldwide sales of its Lexus GX 460 sport utility vehicle due to a rollover risk at high-speed, and said it would conduct safety tests on all its SUVs.

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