The carmaker says the recall affects a total of 91,588 cars in Europe, with the affected vehicles having been produced between 7 January 2008 and 22 December 2008.

However, a report in Reuters says that the recall covers cars and knock-down parts shipped between January 2008 and July 2010 and adds that a total of 494,500 Mazda3/Axela cars are affected globally: 157,700 units in North America; 91,600 in Europe; 84,000 in China; and 20,000 in Japan.

Mazda has found that due to the possibility of a fault in the ground terminal, affected vehicles could develop an oxide film around the wiper motor's ground wire contact point, causing a loss of contact.

Affected owners in Europe will be notified in writing in mid-July, and asked to bring their car to an authorised dealership. The repair is free of charge, and requires the addition of a ground wire to the front wiper motor on all affected vehicles.