Toyota admits to improper vehicle testing as quality scandal widens
TOKYO, June 3 Kyodo - Toyota Motor Corp. admitted Monday to improperly obtaining vehicle certifications for seven car models by carrying out safety tests in ways not specified by the government, in a renewed blow to the company following a recent spate of quality scandals at its group firms.
Similar instances of misconduct were also reported to the transport ministry by Honda Motor Co., Mazda Motor Corp., Suzuki Motor Corp. and Yamaha Motor Co., according to the ministry.
The ministry said it will conduct on-site inspections at the automakers' offices and consider taking administrative action.
The latest issues were discovered after the ministry instructed 85 automakers and parts suppliers to investigate whether certifications were acquired properly following a series of scandals at Toyota group firms.
"We mass-produced and sold cars without following the correct certification process," Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda said at a press conference.
"The misconducts shook the foundation of the certification system and that was what automakers were not supposed to do no matter what," Toyoda said. "We apologize as Toyota group."
Three of the seven models are still in production -- the Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio, and Yaris Cross -- while the rest have been discontinued, the company said.
Toyota was instructed by the ministry to halt shipments of the affected models, as was Mazda, which had irregularities in two car models, and Yamaha, which had irregularities in one class of motorcycle.
About 1.7 million cars were affected by Toyota's misconduct while Mazda and Yamaha saw irregularities in about 150,000 and 7,000 vehicles, respectively.
Honda and Suzuki reported some 4.35 million and 26,000 vehicles, respectively, although both said only discontinued models were affected.
Toyota turned in incorrect data and rigged engine output in tests, while Mazda purposely rewrote engine controlling software. Suzuki, Honda, and Yamaha reported falsified test results, among other wrongdoings, they said.
Of the 85 firms surveyed, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism received responses from about 70 as of the end of May. No other misconduct was found beyond what was reported by the five companies, and the ministry expects the rest of the firms to turn in their reports soon, it said.
Toyoda said an internal investigation is still ongoing, but the vehicles in question are all safe to drive.
The Toyota group has been hit with quality issues in recent years. Its small-car unit Daihatsu Motor Co. said in December that safety data had been manipulated for most of its cars, while in January, affiliate Toyota Industries Corp. revealed that engine data had been falsified for years.
Toyota's truck-manufacturing subsidiary Hino Motors Ltd. admitted to cheating on emission and fuel efficiency data in 2022.
==Kyodo
