GM Holden has announced Monday the recall of more than 51,000 units of vehicles that the carmaker assembled and marketed in South Korea between 2007 and 2010, pinpointing faulty brake modules as the likely cause of the unprecedented move.

Initial statement from GM Holden spokeswoman Kate Lonsdale indicated that the recall will not be implemented in Australia as the company identified the problematic vehicle models as the small cars Barinas and a mixture of family sedans and SUVs that were exclusively rolled out to Korean roads over the past half-decade.

The specific models were the small cars Barinas and Vivas, the mid-sized sedan Epicas and the SUV-type Captivas, Holden said.

"It has come from a GM Korea initiated recall, we've not actually picked up the condition here," Ms Lonsdale was reported by News Ltd as saying on Monday.

While it is likely that the same problems could be observed on Holden cars in Australian roads Ms Lonsdale noted that "we haven't seen the condition here."

"One of the reasons is the brake fluid that we use, or if you get it serviced at Holden dealer, the recommended brake fluid has not been found to cause the condition," the company spokeswoman told The Advertiser.

"But there is still the potential so we want to bring the cars in to double-check as a precautionary measure," she added.

A statement from GM Holden pointed to the mentioned car models likely suffering reduced brake performance or 'spongy' low brake pedal.

It appears that the core issue, according to the Australian Associated Press (AAP), was the model vehicles' "with a sticky valve in the electronic brake control module (EBCM)."

"In some instances, these vehicles may experience a reduced brake performance and or a spongy low brake pedal due to a sticky valve within the electronic brake control module," Holden said in a statement.

Holden's recall order would ensure that corrosion would not develop within the EBCM, which could is to perform below engineering expectations, the company said.

"In certain vehicles where incorrect-specification brake fluid is used at some stage of the vehicle's life, there's a possibility of corrosion building up on the zinc plating on the valve inside the brake control module," Holden external communications director Craig Cheetham told Fairfax.

The carmaker said up to 51,387 Holden models will be covered by the recall, in which the cars would be inspected for brake fluid flush and possible replacement of the defective EBCMs.

Holden said the whole procedure will be conducted for free and affected car owners will be contacted by company representatives to advise them when and where they can bring their units.