Toyota Suspends Shipments Due to Improper Crash Tests

Toyota has suspended shipments of 56,111 Raize hybrid vehicles produced by Daihatsu Motor Co. and 22,329 Daihatsu Rocky vehicles sold in Japan. The suspension comes after Daihatsu revealed that there had been improper crash tests for these models. The company used results for a pole used to measure impact on the left side for the right. However, both sides had to be tested. Daihatsu, which is wholly owned by Toyota, apologized for the mistake. Toyota has not issued any recalls for the vehicles, but the company is working with Daihatsu to tackle the issue.

This is the latest in a series of embarrassing woes for Toyota. Just last week, the automaker acknowledged a data breach at its online Connected service. The breach spanned a decade, putting drivers’ information on more than 2 million vehicles at risk for leaks. However, no breaches were reported. Last month, a separate crash test problem for Daihatsu models sold abroad was disclosed, affecting 88,123 vehicles. A further review found wrongdoing in the Japan market as well, according to the automakers.

Recall Fiasco in 2009 and 2010

Toyota sells about 10 million vehicles every year and boasts a reputation for pristine quality. However, the company went through a period of announcing recall after recall over several years more than a decade ago. These recalls covered a wide range of defects, including faulty floor mats, sticky gas pedals, and glitches in braking software, affecting millions of vehicles. In 2009 and 2010, Toyota paid $48.8 million in fines in the U.S. for its slow response to the recalls.

Since then, Toyota officials have promised to be quicker and more transparent. The company has renewed its “commitment to manufacturing with integrity,” according to a statement released by the company. “All our group companies, including Toyota, have begun a thorough review to work toward a complete reaffirmation of our governance system. We will work with Daihatsu to tackle this issue.”

The earlier problem affected the Toyota Yaris ATIV sold in Thailand, Mexico, and some Gulf countries, the Perodua Axia sold in Malaysia, and the Toyota Agya in Ecuador. Daihatsu apologized at that time and set up a third-party team to investigate. The company did not issue a recall, noting that the vehicles were safe to drive, but it expressed deep remorse for violating inspection standards.

Toyota has suspended shipments of 78,440 vehicles due to improper crash tests, the latest in a series of embarrassing problems for the automaker. Toyota has not issued any recalls for the vehicles, but the company is working with Daihatsu to tackle the issue. The company has a reputation for pristine quality but went through a recall fiasco in 2009 and 2010 that resulted in $48.8 million in fines in the U.S. Toyota officials have promised to be quicker and more transparent and have renewed their commitment to manufacturing with integrity.