Toyota Motor, Honda Motor and other top Japanese automakers said on Monday that internal investigations found they had falsified vehicle testing on dozens of models. over the past decade.
Toyota said it failed to collect proper data when conducting pedestrian and passenger safety tests for three models, including its popular Yaris Cross sports-utility vehicle. Honda and Mazda Motor said they identified problems related to testing of several models.
Automakers asked by the Japanese government to launch investigations said the test failures would not affect the performance or safety of their vehicles and customers could continue to use them normally. Still, Toyota said it would temporarily halt shipments of its three affected models produced in Japan. Mazda said it would suspend sales of two models in Japan.
The testing problems highlighted by Toyota, Honda and Mazda on Monday were conducted in Japan to meet Japanese government certification standards. The vehicles in question were sold in Japan.
Suzuki Motor and Yamaha Motor also said on Monday they had found inadequate testing in the past.
The revelations by Toyota and other companies add to a growing number of testing and certification problems facing Japanese automakers in recent months – issues that industry players worry could hurt consumers' perceptions of the quality of Japanese cars.
In December, an internal investigation at Toyota's subsidiary, Daihatsu Motor, revealed that most of its vehicles had not passed proper collision-safety testing. The following month, another Toyota unit suspended all its engine shipments after an investigation revealed that it had made improper crash tests. False figures Regarding the power of the engine.
Japan's transport ministry in January instructed 85 companies, including car and parts makers, to investigate any problems that arise during their testing procedures.
“Since vehicle safety and performance are not affected, this latest disclosure is not of great significance to the relevant companies,” said Satoru Aoyama, senior director at Fitch Ratings.
But, Mr. Aoyama said, “there has long been a perception about the superior manufacturing and quality of Japanese products, and with these fraud cases coming to light repeatedly, perceptions are beginning to change.”
In addition to the problems Toyota found in the three current models, it also found flaws in crash tests and other tests of the four models it discontinued.
In response to earlier revelations of data fraud and testing problems at Toyota and affiliated companies, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda had said he would take responsibility for rebuilding the group.
At a briefing on Monday, Mr. Toyoda bowed and apologized to customers.
“These acts shake the foundations of the verification system,” Mr. Toyoda said. “This should never have been done.”
Mr. Toyoda said he is working with Toyota group companies to identify problems in internal certification processes and work structures, and has personally made several trips to visit their work sites. “We will make concrete improvements,” he said.
Japan's transport ministry said it would inspect Toyota headquarters on Tuesday to investigate the latest revelations.