DHAKA: General Motors is adding 824,000 more cars to an ongoing recall over defective ignition switches that have caused some engines to shut off and to disable airbags.

The US car maker said it was recalling a variety of models made 2008-11, in addition to 1.6m cars made before 2007 that were recalled last month.

GM said it was unaware of deaths caused by the flaw in the 2008-11 models.

But the problem has been linked to between 12 and 303 deaths in crashes.

Separately on Friday, GM halted sales of some models of the popular Chevrolet Cruze car.

It did not give details of the reasons behind its move, which affects models with 1.4 litre turbo diesel engines, nor did it say whether the sales halt affects markets outside the US.

The recall of the 2008-11 models announced on Friday adds to the 1.6 million cars the company has already recalled over reports of the faulty ignition switch.

"We are taking no chances with safety," GM chief executive Mary Barra said in the company`s announcement. "Trying to locate several thousand switches in a population of 2.2 million vehicles and distributed to thousands of retailers isn`t practical. Out of an abundance of caution, we are recalling the rest of the model years."

The models affected by Friday`s recall are the Chevrolet Cobalt and HHR, Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and the Saturn Ion and Sky, report the BBC.

BDST:  1028 HRS, MAR 29, 2014