The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications has issued recall notices to the owners of 13,898 Holden ZB Commodore cars.
In a statement, the department said a manufacturing defect with the vehicle's brake boosters could "increase the risk of an accident" and cause "serious injury or death".
The vehicles in question were sold to drivers from 2018 to 2020.
"Due to a manufacturing defect, the brake booster may fail," the department said in its statement.
"If this occurs, the stopping distance in the un-boosted condition would exceed the distance prescribed by the Australian Design Rule (ADR) 31/03."
The department said the vehicles were "not compliant with the vehicle standard (ADR) 31/03-Brake Systems for Passenger Cars".
If the brake booster failed to operate as intended, the department said, "it could increase the risk of an accident causing serious injury or death to vehicle occupants and/or other road users".
A full list of the affected vehicle identification numbers has been provided by the department.
Affected owners offered free software update
The department said owners of affected cars would be contacted by General Motors Australia and New Zealand.
Drivers have been asked to contact their local dealer to have the Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) software updated, free of charge.
While the update is free, it's up to vehicle owners to organise a time to have the task done.
So, if you're affected, get in touch with your nearest Holden dealer to check availability.
ZB is last Holden model with iconic Commodore badge
The German-sourced ZB was the last Holden model to feature Holden's iconic Commodore name.
At the end of 2019, the automobile manufacturer announced it would retire both the model and the Holden brand in Australia and New Zealand in 2020.
