Fiat Auto (UK) is working “round the clock” to ensure power steering-equipped Punto cars and Punto Vans which may have a steering defect are recalled as soon as possible.

The pan-European safety recall is being carried out after it was found the power steering could fail while the car was being driven. The cars being recalled are all those built between mid-February and mid-March this year, believed to number 70,000 in total.

In the UK 7,000 are being recalled.

Fiat is taking the recall so seriously it has taken the unusual step of asking its dealers to alert their customers direct.

A Fiat spokesman said: “The cars we've checked in dealerships or in depots have been problem-free. However, we are doing all we can to contact customers to express the urgency of having the checks carried out. We must check all the cars which may have the problem.”

The recall is being carried out after Fiat found that the bearing brush at the top of the steering column could fail and “impair driving”.