Toyota HQ inspected over improper vehicle quality certification

TOKYO (Kyodo) — The transport ministry inspected Toyota Motor Corp.’s headquarters in Aichi Prefecture on Tuesday, a day after the company admitted to improperly obtaining vehicle quality certifications in a setback for the carmaker that has risen to the world’s No. 1 spot on its reputation for product reliability.

Government inspectors are expected to examine whether the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism should instruct the carmaker to issue recalls through the probe.

Toyota said Monday that seven models were given improper “type designation” for mass production, affecting 1.7 million vehicles produced from 2014 to April this year.

The Japanese auto sector has been plagued by instances of misconduct, with similar incidents reported by Honda Motor Co., Mazda Motor Corp., Suzuki Motor Corp. and Yamaha Motor Co.

For the Toyota group, the latest revelation follows data fraud cases found within the past year at its small-car manufacturing unit Daihatsu Motor Co. and affiliate Toyota Industries Corp., tarnishing its reputation for quality.

Among the five companies, the ministry conducted an on-site inspection only at Toyota’s head office on Tuesday, a ministry official said.

Of the seven Toyota models, shipments of the Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio and Yaris Cross, currently available on the market, were suspended.

At a press conference on Tuesday, transport minister Tetsuo Saito said the safety irregularities were “extremely regrettable” but that the overall impact on the Japanese economy may be limited due to the low volume of production of the affected models.

The companies plan to compensate by ramping up production for unaffected models, the minister said.

Industry minister Ken Saito said his ministry will investigate the scandal’s broader impact, adding that financial support for parts makers may be necessary.

Toyota submitted incorrect data and rigged engine output in tests, while Mazda purposely rewrote engine-controlling software. Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha Motor reported falsified test results, among other wrongdoings, the companies said.

The latest issues were discovered after the transport ministry instructed 85 automakers and parts suppliers to investigate whether certifications were acquired properly following a series of similar scandals that hit Toyota group firms in 2022 and later.

No other misconduct has been found beyond what has been reported by the five companies so far, the ministry said.

“I’m shocked to hear about the misconduct at the headquarters as there has been a series of such cases at our group firms,” a Toyota employee said. “I hope we will make changes for the better.”