Problems with cars' failing anti-lock braking systems were linked to the loss of more than 6,000 drivers' details in Northern Ireland, it was revealed today.
Some Vauxhall Corsas were subject to safety recalls by the manufacturer after cases of some of the anti-break steering (ABS) features catching fire.
The actual brakes are still working and Vauxhall has stressed there is no danger to drivers.
Yesterday the Driver and Vehicle Agency in Coleraine, Co Derry, admitted two uncoded discs containing 7,685 names and addresses of vehicle keepers were lost at a Parcelforce sorting centre in Coventry, en route to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in Swansea, Wales.
With Fiat, Citroen, Alfa Romeo and Ssangyong vehicles also subject to fault concerns, Northern Ireland Assembly Environment Committee chairman Patsy McGlone said full details needed to be disclosed.
"I am seeking clarification from the Department of the Environment as to why were these companies asking for details of the cars, what were the defects and has the Department sought further detail from the manufacturers that these are not defects which could be potential road safety issues?" he said.
The lost information has been re-sent via courier and forwarded to manufacturers. Vauxhall said it would be posting letters to owners within days.
A spokesman said: "We have had some instances, a very small number of incidents, of the wiring that goes into those (ABS systems) getting contaminated with water and short-circuiting the ABS.
"The brake system works, the brakes do not fail. We have had some vehicles catch fire or smoulder...over the last two or three years."
Northern Ireland's Environment Minister Arlene Foster said the discs were dispatched on November 20th and 21st and both arrived in Coventry.
However, on December 5th the DVA was told that the discs had not arrived in Swansea. Ms Foster said she was "not optimistic" that the discs would be found. It is the second major blunder involving lost government data in recent weeks.
Last month, two discs containing the personal details of 25 million people were lost after HM Revenue and Customs sent them unregistered and unencrypted. It was also disclosed yesterday that confidential personal details of dozens of prisoners intended for Norfolk Police were wrongly delivered to a private company instead.
PA