NEW YORK: Over 136,000 Mercedes-Benz M-class SUVs are being recalled in the US over problems related to speed control, officials said.

Complaints have been received that the cruise control does not immediately disengage when drivers tap the brake pedal, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

Cruise control - also known as speed control or auto-cruise - is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver.

It said the recall covers 2000-2002 Mercedes-Benz M-class and 2000-2004 M-class AMG vehicles.

Several consumer complaints had been made to the agency that prompted the recall, according to Xinhua.

It said if the driver pumps the brakes, the cruise control system requires an "unusually high" amount of force.