Daihatsu Safety Scandal 2023

• Daihatsu resumes shipments of Move Canbus, Rocky Hybrid, Toyota Raize Hybrid after green light from MLIT

  In Cars, Daihatsu, International News / By Gerard Lye / 19 April 2024 5:06 pm / 8 comments

  

  Daihatsu has announced it has resumed shipments of Move Canbus, Rocky Hybrid and Toyota Raize Hybrid which were previously suspended by Japan’s ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism (MLIT) due to non-compliance with standards set by regulators.

  In a release, the carmaker said the MLIT confirmed the three aforementioned models met the standards of the country’s Road Transport Vehicle Act following witness testing. These cars were embroiled in the company’s safety test scandal that came to light in 2023.

  At the time, investigations revealed the company had falsified safety test results for more than 30 years, with irregularities found in 64 models, including some that are discontinued.

  On that mention, Daihatsu revealed in the same release that four models whose production has already ended have been confirmed to comply with regulatory standards. These include the Daihatsu Move Conte and Applause as well as the Toyota Pixis Space and iQ.

   

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• Toyota to take over ASEAN car development in wake of Daihatsu safety scandal – will Perodua be affected?

  In Cars, Daihatsu, International News, Perodua, Toyota / By Jonathan Lee / 9 April 2024 11:04 am / 16 comments

  

  Toyota and Daihatsu have made far-reaching structural reforms in the wake of the latter’s crash test rigging scandal, which caused a stop-sale on all Daihatsu-developed models and impacted the near-spotless reputation of both companies. The press release stated that the move will affect the firms’ overseas business structure and reorganise Daihatsu into a “mobility company centred on mini vehicles [i.e. kei cars].”

  The reforms are aimed at preventing a repeat of the so-called “procedural irregularities” by recognising “Daihatsu’s [lack of?] resources and actual conditions,” instead leveraging the company’s strengths to “build ever-better cars.” Such a statement can be read in several ways, but it essentially means that Daihatsu will withdraw from global car development and return to building kei cars for the Japanese market.

  As a result of the reform, the Emerging-market Compact Car Company that spanned both Toyota and Daihatsu will be dissolved, with product planning responsibilities being shifted to the Toyota Compact Car Company. The latter will be the contractor to Daihatsu in emerging markets (such as Southeast Asia) and handle the entire process of creating future models, from development to certification.

  

  

  The Perodua Axia (left) and Toyota Vios were affected by Daihatsu’s crash test rigging scandal

  Additionally, the business and product management responsibilities will also be transferred to Toyota’s Business and Sales Unit. The company will take over other areas related to subcontracting – including resource management and optimisation – to strengthen its partnership with Daihatsu.

  These structural changes will be reflected in the renaming of the two companies tasked with developing and manufacturing cars for the greater Asia region. Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing (TDEM) in Thailand and Toyota Motor Asia Pacific (TMAP) in Singapore will henceforth both be named Toyota Motor Asia (TMA) and form Toyota’s Asia regional headquarters. The aim is to make the both of them self-reliant and broaden their collaboration. The reforms are expected to be completed in June.

  Daihatsu had hitherto been instrumental in the development of cars for the ASEAN market, building the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) that underpins several models sold in the region. These include the Daihatsu Rocky/Toyota Raize/Perodua Ativa, Xenia/Veloz/Alza and Ayla/Agya/Axia triplets, as well as the Toyota Vios and Yaris Cross.

  

  How will next-generation Perodua models like the Bezza be affected?

  The Ayla/Agya/Axia and Vios were affected by the aforementioned safety scandal, in which modifications were made to pass crash tests that were not present in production vehicles. Another crash test scandal affected the Rocky and Raize e-Smart Hybrid, whereby the results of the passenger-side side impact test were copied over to the driver’s side without repeating the test properly.

  An independent panel that investigated the crisis found that the scandal was rooted in management that focused on “short-term development” and did not take measures to address the fraud. The team, it added, “did not fully grasp the actual situation on the ground and only responded on an ad-hoc basis,” leaving workers “unable to speak up when they have a problem.” The reorganisation, which relieves Daihatsu of the burden of global car development, will surely hope to draw a line under the scandal.

  One aspect the press release did not touch on is Perodua. As Daihatsu’s part-subsidiary, the national carmaker played a key role in the development of cars built on the DNGA platform. Will this reorganisation diminish the company’s standing in the partnership? And will the move affect future models like the new electric vehicle and the forthcoming next-generation Bezza? Only time will tell.

   

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• Daihatsu to resume shipment of 2 models, another 10 given clearance – primary production resumes March 1

  In Cars, Daihatsu, International News / By Anthony Lim / 31 January 2024 3:39 pm / 0 comment

  

  Daihatsu, which is presently not building vehicles as a result of a complete production halt, has announced that is set to resume domestic shipments of certain models following the clearance given by the Japanese ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism (MLIT).

  The MLIT lifted its instruction to suspend shipments of 10 models being manufactured by the automaker after confirming that the vehicles comply with the standards of the country’s Road Transport Vehicle Act.

  The 10 vehicle models are the Daihatsu Mira e:s, Atrai, Hijet Cargo and Hijet truck, Subaru Pleo Plus, Sambar van and Sambar truck as well as the Toyota Pixis Epoch, Pixis van and Pixis truck.

  Clearance has also been given for the resumption of production and shipment of the Toyota Probox, which is built by Daihatsu for the automaker. Production of the Probox, which is assembled at Daihatsu’s Oyamazaki Plant in Kyoto, is set to resume on February 12. The plant also manufactures the Mazda Familia Van, and build for that will also resume. These will be the first two models to return to production.

  

  Meanwhile, production of the other above vehicles, which are built at the automaker’s three other plants, Shiga (Ryuo) Plant No.2, Daihatsu Kyushu‘s Oita (Nakatsu) Plant No.1/Plant No.2 and the Ikeda Plant Copen factory, will remain suspended until the end of February, with plans to resume operations on March 1.

  Daihatsu said that going forward, it will take all necessary measures such as performing testing with certification authorities in attendance in accordance with indications from the MLIT.

  The resumption of shipments will be a welcome tone to the beleaguered automaker following its safety testing scandal, which set in motion all the events that have since transpired. It was previously reported that the company could suffer over 100 billion yen (RM3.2 billion) in losses stemming from the shutdown of its plants as well as from providing financial compensation to suppliers

   

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• Daihatsu production halt extended to mid-February

  In Daihatsu, International News / By Anthony Lim / 26 January 2024 1:06 pm / 9 comments

  

  Daihatsu’s complete production halt, which was announced at the end of last month following the fallout from its safety test scandal, is set to go on until next month. Initially, the automaker said it had planned to suspend operations at all its domestic assembly plants until the end of January, but the company has announced that this will now be extended to the middle of February.

  It said that operations at three of its four Japanese factories – namely the Shiga (Ryuo) Plant No.2, Daihatsu Kyushu‘s Oita (Nakatsu) Plant No.1/Plant No.2 and the Ikeda Plant Copen factory – will remain completely suspended until February.

  Meanwhile, it is considering resuming partial production at its Oyamazaki Plant in Kyoto. While production of the Daihatsu Thor, Toyota Roomy and Subaru Justy at the facility will not resume until at least February 16, the firm said that resuming build of the Toyota Probox and Mazda Familia Van is under consideration, but added it would take into account customer feedback, the preparedness status of suppliers and other relevant factors before a decision is made on the matter.

  

  The automaker has continued to be hit hard by the scandal. Last week, it had three vehicle type approvals (VTAs) revoked by Japan’s ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism (MLIT) last week, and this was followed by a recall for 322,740 units of the Daihatsu Cast and Toyota Pixis Joy for being non-compliant with standards

  The rectification order issued by the MLIT – which conducted its own investigation into the affair – last week also requires Daihatsu to make fundamental reforms to its management, workplace environment and culture which resulted in “wrongdoings,” in particular crash safety tests done for regulatory approval applications for several models.

  All this will of course cost the automaker dearly. Initial estimates were that the company could suffer over 100 billion yen (RM3.2 billion) in losses stemming from the shutdown of its plants as well as from providing financial compensation to suppliers, but that was working on an end-January timeframe. With the extension, the costs are surely to increase.

   

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• Daihatsu Cast and Toyota Pixis Joy kei cars recalled for defective power door locks – 322,740 units affected

  In Cars, Daihatsu, International News, Toyota / By Gerard Lye / 24 January 2024 1:56 pm / 1 comment

  

  Several days after receiving a rectification order from Japan’s ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism (MLIT), Daihatsu has issued a recall for the Cast and Toyota Pixis Joy. Previously, both models were reported to the MLIT as possibly being non-compliant with standards, but following an investigation, it was now determined that a recall is necessary. At the time of writing, the Cast and Pixis Joy are absent from Daihatsu and Toyota’s official Japanese websites.

  According to an official release (Toyota also issued a similar one), the defect affecting these models involve the power door lock, which may activate during a collision due to insufficient verification of the door lock operation in the event of a side collision.

  As a result, all doors may become locked during a collision, requiring additional time to rescue occupants. The fix requires the driver’s side door lock of all affected vehicles to be replaced with corrective parts, and the key operation method described in the owner’s manual will also need to be corrected.

  

  “As it will take time to supply the corrective parts, provisional measures will be carried out for customers who request it to prevent the doors from locking during a collision. These measures will render the key unusable for operating the door lock and restrict it to remote control operation only. Customers will then be notified once corrective parts have been prepared for replacement,” the release read.

  For the Daihatsu Cast, 239,616 units of the model type DBA-LA250S, 5BA-LA250S and 3BA-LA250S produced between August 31, 2015 and June 9, 2023 are involved in the recall. Additionally, 48,530 units with the model type DBA-LA260S, 5BA-LA260S and 3BA-LA260S made between the same period are also affected.

  As for the Toyota Pixis Joy, 28,324 units manufactured between August 31, 2016 and June 9, 2023 of the model type DBA-LA250A, 5BA-LA250A and 3BA-LA250A are subject to the same recall, along with 6,270 units of model type DBA-LA260A, 5BA-LA260A and 3BA-LA260A produced in the same period. No Perodua models derived from Daihatsu ones – like the Ativa (based on the Rocky) – were mentioned in the latest announcement.

   

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• Daihatsu safety scandal – rectification order issued for Gran Max, TownAce, Bongo; Perodua not affected

  In Cars, Daihatsu, International News, Toyota / By Gerard Lye / 16 January 2024 5:22 pm / 9 comments

  

  Daihatsu has announced it has had three vehicle type approvals (VTAs) revoked by Japan’s ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism (MLIT) following its safety testing scandal. The VTAs are necessary for the mass production of vehicles, and the affected models are the Daihatsu Gran Max (which is sold in Malaysia), Toyota TownAce and Mazda Bongo.

  This comes after Japan’s ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism (MLIT) conducted an on-site inspection and judged that fraud in applications for VTAs was particularly malicious for these models. The MLIT also confirmed new instances of procedural irregularities following its inspection.

  To add to the VTAs being revoked, Daihatsu was instructed to promptly submit a report if a recall is necessary for two other models, namely the Daihatsu Cast and Toyota Pixis Joy, if they are non-conforming to standards. No Perodua models derived from Daihatsu ones – like the Ativa (based on the Rocky) – were mentioned in the announcement.

  The rectification order issued by the ministry also requires Daihatsu to make fundamental reforms to its management, workplace environment and culture which resulted in “wrongdoings” in particular crash safety tests done for regulatory approval applications for several models. Daihatsu’s production sites in Japan have since suspended operations until at least the end of January 2024.

  In an official release, Daihatsu said, “we have betrayed the trust of all our stakeholders including customers, and we would like to again convey our sincerest apologies for the great inconvenience that we have caused.”

  “We take very seriously the indications in the rectification order that we received at this time, and in addition to conducting a thorough review of our certification procedures, we will implement reforms from the perspectives of management, the workplace environment and culture, and appropriate monodukuri and kotodukuri with strict legal compliance as a fundamental premise,” it added.

  Meanwhile, Daihatsu’s parent company, Toyota, wrote in a separate release to issue its sincere apologies to all stakeholders, including customers, suppliers and dealers, for the inconvenience and concern that it has caused as a result of the procedural irregularities committed by Daihatsu.

  “Toyota will fully support Daihatsu not only in reviewing its certification operations but also in making fundamental changes in its corporate culture and management so that Daihatsu can once again be trusted and chosen as a company of choice,” read the release.

  “Going forward, we will work with Daihatsu to carefully respond to the concerns of our customers, suppliers, and dealers in a courteous and polite manner. In addition, we will report on measures for revitalisation and transformation to prevent recurrence and on the rectification order in about one month,” it ended.

   

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• Daihatsu could lose RM3.2 bil from production halt – Japan’s transport ministry starts its own investigation

  In Cars, Daihatsu, International News / By Anthony Lim / 29 December 2023 5:35 pm / 30 comments

  

  Daihatsu’s complete production halt following the additional fallout from its safety test scandal is set to hurt the automaker financially. According to a Nikkei Asia news report, it is estimated that the company could suffer over 100 billion yen (RM3.2 billion) in losses stemming from its plant shutdown as well as from providing financial compensation to suppliers.

  The brand hasn’t provided a date as to when domestic production will resume, but earlier news reports indicated that it said the production halt would last at least until the end of January. As for Indonesia and Malaysia, production and shipments have resumed.

  On top of its own lost domestic sales, Daihatsu is due to negotiate with suppliers about compensating them for lost income, and this is expected to be costly. On top of all this, further expenses stemming from investigations and additional safety tests are also set to come into the equation.

  

  For fiscal 2022, the automaker reported a consolidated operating profit of 141.8 billion yen (RM4.6 billion) and a net profit of 102.2 billion yen (RM3.3 billion), but it isn’t looking as rosy now. Should the impact of the scandal push consolidated earnings into the red, it would mark the first such losses the company has faced in 30 years, the report added.

  It looks unlikely to face any cash flow problems right away, because as of the end of March, the company’s liquid assets minus liabilities to be repaid came to just over 500 billion yen (RM16.2 billion). However, production and sales aren’t the only things the company has to worry about, because the scandal – which resurfaced after a safety investigation carried out by an independent panel found issues involving 64 models – has caught the attention of regulators.

  Japan’s transport ministry is conducting its own investigation and has directed Daihatsu to halt shipments until the safety of its vehicles can be verified, a process that might draw out for months. Additionally, the company could face other penalties, including revocation of the certification required for mass production.

   

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• Daihatsu to halt all production in Japan until end-Jan 2024 – Perodua production reported to have resumed

  In Daihatsu, Local News, Perodua / By Anthony Lim / 26 December 2023 11:04 am / 38 comments

  

  An update on the Daihatsu safety testing irregularities issue that came back to light last week. Having first announced last week it was suspending shipments of all vehicles it developed that are currently being produced in Japan as well as overseas markets. The issue arose after a safety investigation carried out by an independent panel found issues involving 64 models, including a number sold under the Toyota brand.

  That decision to halt all shipments was also carried out in Indonesia and Malaysia, but developments have come about on those fronts. Over the weekend, it was reported vehicle shipments had resumed in Indonesia after the company said Indonesian authorities confirmed the safety of the cars and greenlit resumption of shipments.

  Now, there’s also an update about Malaysia, involving Perodua. Reuters reported yesterday that Daihatsu said that production of Perodua vehicles in the Malaysia have resumed after getting regulatory clearance, while Kyodo News also reported the same, although it has not been confirmed if shipments have also resumed.

  There has been no word officially about this from the local perspective as yet, with the last statement from Perodua last week being that it was doing a detailed assessment and discussing with authorities to resolve the matter. However, with Perodua dealers informing us that they have begun receiving shipments again, it looks like things have returned to normal.

  

  As for Japan, it’s set to be a protracted affair, because the automaker has announced that it will keep its domestic production suspended until at least the end of January. The move is not only set to significantly affect it but also its components and parts suppliers, with around 8,000 firms in Japan directly or indirectly supplying products or services to the automaker being impacted by the halt, Kyodo News reports.

  According to sources familiar with the matter, the automaker – having already stopped parts orders – has begun compensation negotiations with its suppliers, and it is also in discussions with its labour union over employees’ wages during the production halt.

  Meanwhile, Reuters reports that the automaker will compensate 423 domestic suppliers with which it has direct business relations. A spokesperson told the news agency that the company will work with its main suppliers to address the fallout and may also help smaller subcontractors that do not receive compensation to access support funds from the industry ministry.

   

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• Indonesia greenlights Daihatsu shipments to resume

  In Cars, Daihatsu, International News / By Paul Tan / 24 December 2023 2:33 pm / 15 comments

  

  The latest episode of Daihatsu’s safety test irregularity situation looks like it could end up shortlived, as there are reports that shipments to Indonesia have resumed.

  According to a report by The Japan Times, Indonesian authorities confirmed the safety of the cars and greenlit resumption of shipments. Daihatsu is the #2 car brand in Indonesia, with Toyota being the #1.

  Locally, both Daihatsu’s partner Perodua as well as Toyota distributor UMW Toyota Motor issued statements that they are doing a detailed assessment on the matter and are discussing with authorities.

  Earlier this week, MBMR shares plunged to a low of RM4.12 from a high of RM4.59 as the market reacted to the news, but seems to be on a path of recovery already, closing the week at RM4.31.

   

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• Daihatsu ‘procedural irregularities’ – UMW Toyota Motor issues statement, working to address the matter

  In Cars, Local News, Toyota / By Anthony Lim / 22 December 2023 1:25 pm / 29 comments

  

  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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• Perodua on Daihatsu’s ‘procedural irregularities’ – doing detailed assessment, discussing with authorities

  In Cars, Local News, Perodua / By Danny Tan / 20 December 2023 6:12 pm / 43 comments

  

  Earlier today, Daihatsu announced that it will temporarily suspend shipments of all vehicles it developed that are currently being produced in Japan and overseas markets. This comes after the automaker submitted a report by an independent panel to Japanese authorities.

  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.

  UPDATE: UMW Toyota Motor has also issued a statement regarding the matter. Read the story here.

  In today’s press release (translated from Japanese), DMC said, “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 are 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 model list also had several Perodua cars, namely the first- and second-generation Axia, Aruz, second-generation Alza, Ativa, Myvi and Bezza. Toyota models listed were the Rush, Yaris, Vios and Veloz.

  Now, Perodua has released a statement by president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad on the matter, and it is reproduced verbatim below.

  Pursuant to Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.’s (DMC) announcement today on the suspension of its models due to its “procedural irregularities”.

  Perodua’s statement is issued as a response to the third-party committee’s report on the “procedural irregularities” done by DMC when conducting safety tests on vehicles for various OEMs issued earlier today.

  The third-party committee report, confirmed by DMC said: “these verifications and tests confirmed that all 174 irregularities pointed out by the third-party committee satisfied the standards set by laws and regulations”.

  We are doing a detailed assessment on the matter and are currently in discussion with Malaysian authorities as to the impact of this development to our vehicles.

  As background, on 28th April 2023, DMC announced of “procedural irregularities” when conducting safety tests on vehicles in Japan. Following that announcement, DMC has established a third-party investigative committee consisting of lawyers and technical personnel.

  We sincerely apologise to our valued customers and the general public for any alarm this announcement may bring. Our intent is to reach out and assure our valued customers.

  We will share the outcome of this discussion with the public in due course.

  Basically, P2 highlights that the 174 irregularities pointed out by the third-party committee satisfied the standards set by laws and regulations. The company is doing a detailed assessment on the matter and is currently in discussion with Malaysian authorities, and will share the outcome later.

   

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• Perodua Myvi, Bezza, Toyota shipments affected in latest Daihatsu safety test irregularities case update?

  In Cars, Daihatsu, International News / By Gerard Lye / 20 December 2023 1:39 pm / 50 comments

  

  Daihatsu announced today that it will temporarily suspend shipments of all vehicles it developed that are currently being produced in Japan as well as overseas markets. This comes 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).

  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

  Later in May, Daihatsu announced it had found irregularities in the certification procedures for the side impact collision tests involving the hybrid versions of the Daihatsu Rocky and Toyota Raize. With the aforementioned report now out, the company says it has found even more irregularities in its certification applications.

  

  In an official press release (translated from Japanese), the company said, “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 are 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.

  A list of said models accompanying the release included several Perodua cars, namely the first-generation Axia, second-generation Axia, Aruz, second-generation Alza, Ativa, Myvi and Bezza. Toyota models listed of relevance to our market are the Rush, Vios and Veloz.

  

  The root cause of the fraud, according to the independent panel, was “a management problem that promoted short-term development without taking measures to deal with the fraud,” read the release.

  It continues: “The background to this fraud is that the management team did not fully grasp the actual situation on the ground, and only responded on an ad hoc basis. We believe that the burden has been overlooked and we have left an environment where workers are unable to speak up when they have a problem.”

  “We deeply apologise for betraying the trust of our customers and other stakeholders, and for causing them great inconvenience and concern,” Daihatsu said in its release.

  It went on to say, “going forward, based on the recommendations of the third-party committee, we will take thorough measures to prevent recurrence, and will not only review our certification operations, but also work on fundamental reforms to our corporate culture that prioritise compliance awareness.”

   

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• Daihatsu crash test issue – Miros to assess new Perodua Axia, even without complaints from owners

  In Cars, Local News, Perodua / By Mick Chan / 2 May 2023 10:18 am / 35 comments

  

  In light of the admission of wrongdoing by Daihatsu in crash safety tests done for four models, the Malaysian Institute for Road Safety Research (Miros) will be conducting assessments of the latest-generation Perodua Axia even though there have been no complaints about crash safety received from vehicle owners, the institute told Free Malaysia Today.

  “We haven’t received any complaints, but we’ll look into Perodua’s claims,” Miros chairman Wong Shaw Voon told Free Malaysia Today. This follows a statement from Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad that its vehicles continue to be safe to drive, and deliveries of the new Perodua Axia will continue and no recall will be issued.

  Similarly, UMW Toyota Motor announced that sales of the 2023 Toyota Vios will continue, and there will also be no recall issued for the Vios as there are no issues with safety standards and quality of the vehicle.

  

  “For customers who have booked a Toyota Vios or are interested in purchasing it, we would like to assure you that the model complies with all safety regulations, and there is no compromise to the quality of the vehicles,” said UMWT president Datuk Ravindran K.

  “As we receive news of this procedural irregularity by Daihatsu, we immediately contacted these bodies to determine if the safety standard of the Perodua Axia was compromised. We were assured that despite the revelation by Daihatsu, the UN-R95 certification given to the Perodua Axia is intact,” Zainal said.

  Toyota’s admission of wrongdoing involved the 2023 Perodua Axia, Toyota Vios (Yaris Ativ in Thailand and other markets), Toyota Agya and one yet-to-be-launched model. More than 88,000 units of the affected models have been sold in Malaysia.

   

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• 2023 Toyota Vios sales to continue despite Daihatsu crash test issue – UMWT says no need for halt or recall

  In Cars, Local News, Toyota / By Anthony Lim / 1 May 2023 3:10 pm / 68 comments

  

  Following Daihatsu’s admission of “wrongdoings” in particular crash safety tests done for regulatory approval applications involving four models, one of which was the new Toyota Vios, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has issued an official statement on the matter.

  In it, UMWT announced that the sales of the Vios will continue as there are no issues with the safety standards and quality of the vehicle. The company said that subsequent testing has validated that the vehicle meets the UN-R95 certification, and there is no need for the Vios to be recalled. As such, sales of the vehicle will continue without disruption.

  “For customers who have booked a Toyota Vios or are interested in purchasing it, we would like to assure you that the model complies with all safety regulations, and there is no compromise to the quality of the vehicles,” said UMWT president Datuk Ravindran K.

  “We sincerely apologise for any distress caused to our customers and we wish to assure everyone of the safety and quality of our vehicles. Our commitment to our customers’ safety has always been and remains our topmost in our priority,” he added.

  The statement by UMWT – in full, below – follows on that sent out by national automaker Perodua for the new Axia yesterday.

  

   

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• 2023 Perodua Axia deliveries will continue despite Daihatsu crash test issue; no recall as it’s safe – P2

  In Cars, Local News, Perodua / By Gerard Lye / 30 April 2023 8:04 pm / 83 comments

  

  Following Daihatsu’s admission of “wrongdoings” in particular crash safety tests done for regulatory approval applications involving four models, Perodua has issued an official statement on the matter.

  According to Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad, the Malaysian carmaker engaged Daihatsu to carry out safety testing for the new Axia in Japan. This was witnessed by relevant authorities and agencies for their respective assessment.

  “As we receive news of this procedural irregularity by Daihatsu, we immediately contacted these bodies to determine if the safety standard of the Perodua Axia was compromised. We were assured that despite the revelation by Daihatsu, the UN-R95 certification given to the Perodua Axia is intact,” Zainal said.

  “This means that the Perodua Axia is safe for driving and no recall will be issued nor will Perodua stop delivery of this new model to our valued customers,” he added.

  “We apologise for any distress caused to our customers on this matter and we wish to assure that the safety information and specification of all our models are verified by professional bodies. We will continue to monitor this situation and will update the public on this matter as it develops. We place our customers safety and comfort above all else and we will continue to do so as part of our practice of ‘Going Beyond’ of what is expected” the statement ended.

  

   

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