Daihatsu Rocky e-Smart Hybrid recalled for ECU fault

Daihatsu has issued a recall for the Rocky e-Smart Hybrid, which involves the control unit for the petrol-electric hybrid’s powertrain.

The Japanese manufacturer has stated that the fault in the ECU may see “improper power generation”, in which the internal combustion engine could stop while the vehicle is being driven. This will show the check engine light on the instrument panel, and the vehicle’s acceleration will be reduced.

If the vehicle continues to be driven with the engine fault having surfaced, its may not continue for long as it would run out of battery charge. The Rocky e-Smart Hybrid powertrain is effectively of a range extender configuration, where its WA-VEX 1.2 litre petrol engine acts as a generator for the electric drive motor.

To that end, Daihatsu will re-programme the ECU for all affected vehicles, and their owners will be notified by mail and other channels of communication, it said.

According to Daihatsu, a total of 3,421 units of the petrol-electric hybrid Rocky are affected by this recall, which covers a range of chassis numbers from A202S-0000061 to A202S-0004018. These units were manufactured between November 1, 2021 and December 3, 2021.

The Daihatsu Rocky is well and truly present in Malaysia as the Perodua Ativa, and the electrified version of that car has been sighted testing in Malaysia even before the Rocky e-Smart Hybrid itself made its debut. Perodua has since revealed that it is in fact conducting a market study for the hybrid version of the Ativa.

More on the hybrid model will be disclosed when the time is right, Perodua CEO Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said last November. In Japan, the Daihatsu Rocky e-Smart Hybrid is driven by a single 106 PS/170 Nm electric motor, with the accompanying 1.2 litre Atkinson-cycle three-cylinder engine serving solely as a generator; the latter produces 82 PS at 5,600 rpm and 105 Nm of torque from 3,200 to 5,200 rpm.

GALLERY: Daihatsu Rocky e-Smart Hybrid

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