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Suzuki recalls 2m cars in Japan

Suzuki plans to recall around two million vehicles in Japan after admitting it cheated on safety tests, filed false fuel-efficiency reports, and failed to conduct proper inspections.
Posted on 23 April, 2019
Suzuki recalls 2m cars in Japan

Suzuki has announced it is recalling two million vehicles shipped domestically in Japan, citing improper inspections and a series of other faults including false fuel efficiency data.

The recall affects vehicles running for four years or less that have not yet received a routine check-up.

The Japanese car manufacturer has admitted that an internal review had uncovered a host of problems at its factories, including faulty brake checks, falsified fuel-efficiency data, and uncertified staff carrying out final inspections.

The recall is expected to cost the firm around 80 billion yen (NZ$1.07 billion) and also affects parts made by Suzuki for vehicles produced for Nissan, Mazda and Mitsubishi.

President Toshihiro Suzuki says it was likely there was "inappropriate confirmation of conformity to the Japanese vehicle safety standards." 

He pledged executives would take a pay cut as punishment, according to Nikkei.

"We believe that Japanese automakers like Subaru and Suzuki have been trying to squeeze out additional volumes from their factories in Japan, rather than expand production," says Janet Lewis, an analyst at Macquarie Securities, in a research note. "This effort to sweat the assets in Japan appears to have resulted in corners being cut in the inspection process."

Although there haven't been reports of problems with the vehicles that weren't properly inspected, the scandal "is raising questions about the trust in Japanese automotive manufacturing," Lewis adds.

Transport minister Keiichi Ishii says the company needs some "serious soul-searching" over the scandal and it "raises doubts about the firm's regards for compliance and it is extremely regrettable."