Volvo Cars has launched a global recall of roughly 460,000 vehicles, the biggest in the Swedish automaker's history. The affected S60, V70, and XC70 models, built in 2000 and 2001, carry a defective radiator fan control module that can overheat, short-circuit, and potentially catch fire.

The US accounts for 150,000 of the recalled cars, Sweden for 75,000, Germany for 40,000, and Britain for 35,000. The defect is most common in warm climates with heavy stop-and-go traffic, making Japan a particularly acute case, with nearly 14,000 cars affected there. Owners will receive written notification by mail.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in September 2004, in its own words.