Thousands of the Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Grenadiers have been recalled - Hollie Adams/Bloomberg

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s car company has been forced to recall SUVs in the US after customers complained that doors were flying open while driving.

Ineos Automotive has confirmed plans to replace door button parts on 7,000 Grenadier cars, dealing a fresh blow to the billionaire’s business.

According to documents filed to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ineos said the relevant parts had been assembled without enough grease being applied.

This led to the parts sticking and causing doors to open mid-journey. Ineos has said it will pay for the repairs.

An Ineos spokesman said: “Safety is our top priority and we are undertaking a campaign to replace the door-lock mechanisms on all affected vehicles as quickly as possible.”

Ineos, which forms part of Sir Jim’s sprawling business empire, currently has more than 20,000 vehicles on the road across the world.

However, the car company was last year forced to halt production after the collapse of a key supplier. At the time it said: “It’s a trim part but one that we can’t sell the car without”.

Production has since restarted at its factory in Hamback, France, with Ineos Automotive chief executive Lynn Calder targeting more than 40pc growth in 2025.

Sales of the Land Rover-inspired Grenadier have recently expanded to Mexico and China, meaning the SUVs are now available in 50 countries worldwide.

It comes after Sir Jim has been thrust into the limelight after taking a minority stake in Manchester United last year.

He has since embarked on a major cost-cutting plan, claiming earlier this month that Manchester United could have been “bust by Christmas” if he had failed to act.

He said: “In super-simple terms, the club has been spending more money than it has been earning for the last seven years, including this year…

“At the end of 2025, Manchester United would have run out of cash. There would be no cash at the end of this year. That is the first time we have ever said that in public, but that is the fact of the matter.”

Despite the financial challenges, Sir Jim recently announced plans for a new stadium worth £2bn.

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