Daihatsu ‘procedural irregularities’ – UMW Toyota Motor issues statement, working to address the matter
Earlier this week, on December 20, Daihatsu announced that it would temporarily suspend shipments of all vehicles it developed that are currently being produced in Japan and overseas markets. The move came after the automaker submitted a report by an independent panel to Japan’s ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism (MLIT) as well as ministry of economy, trade and industry (METI).
As reported previously, the independent panel had been investigating a scandal over the rigging of safety tests by Daihatsu, which was brought to light in April this year. At the time, the company admitted “wrongdoings” in particular crash safety tests done for regulatory approval applications for four models. Over 88,000 units were affected, with the focus point being door trim that did not meet safety standards in a side impact test.
In its statement announcing the suspension of shipments, DMC said that “as a result of the investigation, in addition to the door trim fraud in April and the pole side collision test fraud in May, it was discovered that there were 174 new irregularities in 25 test items.”
The company confirmed that 64 models and three engines were affected, including those currently in production or development as well as discontinued ones. The range of affected models cover those sold under the Daihatsu brand and those supplied on an OEM basis to Toyota, Mazda and Subaru.
The list of models also included several Perodua cars, namely the first- and second-generation Axia, Aruz, second-generation Alza, Ativa, Myvi and Bezza. Also in the list were Toyota models relevant to our market, these being the Rush, Vios and Veloz.
Later that day, Perodua released a statement on the matter, and now, UMW Toyota has issued its own statement regarding the matter, which is reproduced in verbatim below.
In light of recent developments surrounding the safety test at Daihatsu Motor Co Lte (DMC), a subsidiary of Toyota, Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT) ensures customers and the public that it is committed to transparency and accountability.
This follows the statement released by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) highlighting a procedural irregularity in the testing of models by DMC, impacting three Toyota models distributed by UMWT in Malaysia.
President of UMW Toyota Motor, Datuk Ravindran K. said, “We emphasise our dedication to maintaining the highest standards and quality in our vehicles. Rest assured, we are actively working to ensure that all our vehicles in Malaysia strictly adhere to the relevant regulations and rules.”
UMWT is working closely with regulatory authorities to promptly and transparently address this matter, maintaining its commitment to delivering high-quality vehicles to the Malaysian market.
He continued, “We understand the importance of trust, and we want to reinforce the confidence our customers place in us. Our dedication to customer satisfaction has always been and remains our top priority.”
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