"In recent import inspections, we have repeatedly found batches of passenger vehicles made by the French Renault that do not conform with our country's mandatory standards and relevant technical regulations, and there are serious safety risks," said the quality inspection agency in a statement.
Renault spokeswoman Gita Roux told Bloomberg News that the quality issues concern around 160 older-generation models built in 2007 that were most likely kept in storage since then. The spokeswoman said that the Chinese agency's concerns "arose from problems with the transport and storage of a limited number of cars" adding that none of them are related to manufacturing issues.
"We're sending a team of experts to look into it and to make sure we establish the proper processes," Roux told the news agency. "Our concern is to ensure that we comply fully with requirements of the Chinese authorities."