GM Recalls 207,500 Buick, Pontiacs for Fire Risk

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp GM.N is recalling more than 207,500 Buick and Pontiac vehicles because of an engine defect that could cause oil leaks and lead to fires, the No. 1 U.S. automaker said on Friday.

The recall applies to Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles with 3.8 liter supercharged V-6 engines, built between 1997 and 2003, GM said in a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

GM said drops of engine oil deposited on the exhaust manifold might ignite into fires if drivers brake hard.

It advised owners to park their cars in the open, and not in a garage or enclosed location.

GM spokesman Alan Adler said the automaker had received reports of five minor injuries and one moderate injury linked to the engine fires.

Owners of vehicles covered by the recall have been sent notices and can have their cars inspected at a dealership free of charge, Adler said.

(Reporting by Soyoung Kim; editing by Tim Dobbyn)