Daihatsu, alongside its parent company Toyota, has suspended the sale and shipment of several car models worldwide including in Malaysia (via the Perodua and Toyota brands), following the results of a recent third-party investigation on its safety certification procedures.
According to a global press release, the investigation found new irregularities in 174 items within 25 test categories, and involves 64 models and three engines of vehicles, including 22 models and one engine being sold under the Toyota brand.
This latest fiasco is separate from the door lining and side collision test irregularities found in previous investigations in April and May respectively. In response to the new findings, Daihatsu and Toyota decided today to temporarily suspend shipments of all Daihatsu-developed models currently in production, both in Japan and overseas.
For the Malaysia market, these models include the Perodua Axia, Bezza, Ativa, Aruz, Alza, Myvi, as well as the Toyota Rush, Vios, and Yaris.
Daihatsu says in the press release that the company has been conducting individual in-house technical verifications and vehicle testing for these vehicles to ensure their safety and environmental performance meet legal standards, in response to the findings.
The company emphasises that the performance standards on these cars specified by regulations have all been met, with the validity of the verification results and process confirmed by TUV Rheinland Japan, a third-party certification organisation.
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The current issue mostly stems from procedural errors, which the company says it intends to rectify with a review of its certification operations, as well as a “fundamental reform” within the company, including reviewing its management and business operations, as well as its organisational structure and human resource developments.
Perodua and UMW Toyota Malaysia are expected to issue a statement regarding the latest test irregularities, which we will be updating as we have them.
