General Motors is recalling hundreds of thousands of cars over a defect in the parking brake that could cause a fire, a letter by the top U.S. auto safety regulator showed. The problem occurred with GM's 2013-2015 Cadillac XTS and the 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impala, said the Sept. 19 letter from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seen by Reuters. The total number of cars recalled was 221,558, thecompany said, including 205,309 in the United States, and the remainder in Canada and other countries.

Meanwhile, Chrysler Group is recalling an estimated 230,760 sport utility vehicles globally to install a new part to prevent a fuel pump issue that could cause the vehicles to stall or not start. Chrysler, a unit of Fiat, said it had discovered in an internal review that some fuel-pump relays in certain 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs were susceptible to deformation. The automaker said it was unaware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue.

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