The Thai-built Mitsubishi Mirage was recalled after discovering malfunctioning fuel gauges in some vehicles already delivered to customers here.
Other Mirages already exported to Brunei and Japan were not affected by the recall.
"We suspect the fuel quality [of gasohol] used in Thailand will affect the parts, while the better fuel quality used in the two export countries means no such problem," said Nobuyuki Murahashi, president of Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand).
The company yesterday issued a recall announcement affecting about 8,000 Mirage eco-cars in the Thai market.
Mail started being sent to owners of the recalled vehicles yesterday to notify them of inspection of the defective parts.
Mitsubishi said 11 Mirages have so far been discovered with malfunctioning fuel gauges that failed to alert drivers the engine had run out of fuel, causing them to stall while driving.
Theeraphan Laongsri, the general manager for technical and warranty support, said 12,200 Mirages have been produced since the third Laem ChaBang plant in Chon Buri province began commercial production in March.
Of these, 10,300 have been delivered to customers and dealers nationwide, of which 8,000 are in the possession of customers and 2,300 in the hands of dealers.
Some 10,300 Mirages are suspected of having defective parts related to the fuel gauge.
About 8,000 of them will be recalled for inspection and parts replacement, while the remaining 2,300 will also be inspected by dealers first before delivery to customers.
Mr Theeraphan said the new parts are expected by next month and free parts replacement will begin after that.
While waiting for inspection and replacement, Mirage owners are advised to make sure they refill the tank when the gauge indicates less than half a tank to avoid running out of fuel when driving.
"Although there have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to this problem, all the related Mirages that have been delivered to customers will be recalled. Safety is our top priority, and if any defect is found in any of our cars, the company will repair it," said Mr Murahashi.
He said there is a backlog order of 22,000 Mirages that are required to be delivered to customers by October.
"It's still not known how the recall will affect booking orders, which are running well at the moment," said Mr Murahashi.