BEIJING - German automaker BMW has announced a recall of 279 vehicles due to defects with drive shafts, according to China's top market regulator.

The recall, which started on March 29, involves a portion of imported vehicles including M3 and M4 models made from June 29 to Sept 30 in 2016, according to a statement on the website of the State Administration for Market Regulation.

The defects with drive shaft may bring abnormal noise from the chassis or keep the vehicle from being able to accelerate, resulting in safety risks, the regulator said.

The automaker will check all recalled vehicles and replace defective parts free of charge.