The government of Central China's Wuhan promised to launch an investigation after a media report on Sunday said that more than 13,000 new taxis in the city have faulty brake systems.

The government set up a special team on the same day to investigate the problems, the Chutian Metropolis Daily reported.

The new Elysee-brand taxis were sold to taxi companies for about 40,000 yuan ($6,400) above market prices, although they lack antilock braking systems and their brake discs are smaller than they should be, according to a report on China Central Television on Sunday.

CCTV reported that taxi companies in Wuhan had to pay the taxi management authority about 100,000 yuan for each car, while the same vehicle can be bought for about 62,000 yuan.

Some taxi drivers also complained that the new cars are more difficult to drive than the old ones, the report added.

Most of the 13,000 taxis were put into use in Wuhan between September 2011 and March.

A taxi driver in the report said that he went through five rear-end collisions recently, and that mechanical inspections showed that the braking system on his car is faulty.

Contact the writer at wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn

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