https://www.foxbusiness.com/in...-test-irregularities

Published December 30, 2023 12:08pm EST

A Japanese car manufacturer has temporarily shut down production after admitting to decades of fraudulent safety test results.

"We recognize the extreme gravity of these irregularities, their causes, and the recommendations to prevent their recurrence identified during the Independent Third-Party Committee’s investigations," automaker Daihatsu wrote in a statement on the company’s website.

"We will not only review and revise certification application operations, but we will also make sweeping reforms to our corporate culture by making compliance the highest priority to prevent occurrences of similar events in the future," the company said. "We will also make company-wide efforts to regain the trust of our stakeholders."

Daihatsu, a Toyota subsidiary and one of Japan’s oldest combustion engine manufacturers founded in 1907, immediately shut down its factories and suspended all vehicle imports and exports.

The shutdown will impact thousands of auto parts makers and employees in what the Associated Press called a "blow" to local economies.

An independent investigation looked at 64 vehicle models and found 174 counts of irregularities in safety tests and other procedures, according to The Hill. Irregularities included tampering with safety tests, creating false information or fabricating test data in apparently widespread and systemic issues at the company.

Daihatsu halted all shipments while the investigation continued, and Japan’s Transport ministry began on-site inspections that looked into issues in the company dating back to 1989 – around the time that Daihatsu made its push into the U.S. market.

The company failed to make an impact in America as it faced overwhelming competition from rivals, including Toyota, which had a major interest of around 16.8% it bought in 1967. Toyota expanded that interest to 33.4% in 1995 and then an outright controlling interest in 1998.

Daihatsu had a contract to produce small vehicles for Toyota, and some of its cars ended up rebranded as Toyota models and sold in the U.S., even after Daihatsu stopped selling directly to the American market. Such models include the Toyota Cayla, the Toyota Roomy and the Toyota Avanza, among other smaller models.

Subaru also sold some re-badged Daihatsu vehicles, including the latest generation of the Subaru Stella and the Subaru Chiffon.

Daihatsu is Toyota’s unit specializing in small cars and trucks that are popular in Japan. The company assembled some 870,000 vehicles at the four plants in fiscal 2022.

The company declined to say when production may resume, but media reports said production lines will remain closed at least through the end of January, The Associated Press reported.

Toyota North America did not respond to a FOX Business request for comment by time of publication.

I assume those rebranded vehicles are foreign sales because I have not heard of any of them. The Toyota Roomy?

I knew of Daihatsu, but didn't know they were a Toyota subsidiary

Daihatsu used to make a 38hp 3 cyl engine that Hustler used on their top of the line zero turns.

I've seen Daihatsu cars overseas and also worked on some of their medium speed ship propulsion and generator engines. They were....are very good quality engines.

They make those micro-tiny cars that are all over the place in Asia (and Europe?). So you can imagine why it might be tough to meet safety standards, and where they might be tempted to put the finger on the scale. People want safety, but they want their inexpensive 1600 pound glorified golf carts too.

Daihatsu Cuore Specs

For comparison, a 2024 Honda Civic sedan weights 3,000 pounds.

Sounds like their safety ratings were a Charade.

^^^

A Daihatsu model called the Charade was sold briefly in the US in the early 90s. It was (IIRC) a little three-cylinder engined car about the size of the Chevrolet/Geo Metro or the Suzuki-built Chevrolet Sprint.

Wow. Back in 1988-1989 I was working for a new car dealership (I was in the service dept), Pontiac Buick GMC, and the owner/dealer came out one day and announced that he's signed up as a Daihatsu dealer.

We all looked at each other, WTF is a Daihatsu? Never heard of it.

I drove plenty of them, they drove nicely, quietly, and rode smoothly for such a small car.
They were nice, I liked them. And the AC cooled very well. Friend of mine bought one and drove the wheels off it.
.

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
They make those micro-tiny cars that are all over the place in Asia (and Europe?). So you can imagine why it might be tough to meet safety standards, and where they might be tempted to put the finger on the scale. People want safety, but they want their inexpensive 1600 pound glorified golf carts too.

Daihatsu Cuore Specs

For comparison, a 2024 Honda Civic sedan weights 3,000 pounds.

The VW Beetle tipped the scale at 1400-1600 lbs. until about 1970 and the weight increased with the Super Beetle in 1971 to roughly 1800 lbs. Some other feather weights were the Nash Metropolitan, the MG TD and TF sports cars, the Bug Eye Sprite, the Fiat 850 Spyder, the Austin Mini, and a host of other small cars. BTW the early 911S clocked in at a bit under 2300 lbs. in 1968 and produced 166 HP from it's 2.0 litre flat 6.

Anyhow I wouldn't call any of the above cars "Golf Carts". They were simply small economy cars and actually could be a lot of fun to drive.

I had a 1970 Beetle that would do 0-60 in 14.3 seconds and on a tight windy road I could leave contemporary Corvettes in the dust. BTW 1970 introduced the full independent rear suspension, a higher compression 1600 engine and with an open differential they were extremely stable in a 4 wheel power drift.

To be fair, I called them glorified golf carts. And I while very much admire all the cars you mentioned, none of them would have passed a modern safety standard either. Again, without someone's "thumb on the scale". Thus the point of my post.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
I've seen Daihatsu cars overseas and also worked on some of their medium speed ship propulsion and generator engines. They were....are very good quality engines.

I wanna say I have seen some Diahatsu excavation equipment here in the US as well

When I met my then to be wife in SF CA she had a 80 Ford Fiesta 3 door hatch, base model, roll up windows, manual transmission. It was tiny but made getting around the city easy.

Curb Weight 1775lbs no driver
1.6 Liter or 97 cui with a whopping 66 HP
4 speed manual

Drove it back east from CA to OH when we moved, great gas mileage but no speed, well, untill late at night when we switched cars, she took my Supra and I ran the snot out of that Ford, full throttle and about 85 was all I could get out of it... Little fugger made it all the way..

Silver just like this..