German automakers Mercedes Benz and Volkswagen will recall nearly one million vehicles in China, according to the country's quality regulator.

Mercedes Benz will recall nearly 400,000 vehicles of different models produced between May 2015 and February 2017 due to concerns that parts of the ignition circuitry could overheat under some extreme conditions, according to a statement posted on the website of China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (ASDIQ) late Tuesday.

In a separate statement it said Volkswagen would also recall more than 572,000 vehicles in China to address potential problems arising from leaks in the panoramic sunroof.

It came after a recall announced earlier this month affecting nearly 680,000 of VW's premium Audi cars in China over defects in coolant pumps that could lead to engine fires.

In January, Volkswagen recalled more than 342,000 cars in the US for the same problem.

VW's business has been under the microscope since 2015, when it was revealed the company had installed software on 11 million cars that allowed them to cheat emissions tests.

Source: AFP