KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 20): Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) said it is working on a detailed internal assessment of its cars and operations after its Japanese partner Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd suspended all shipments of its models both in Japan and overseas following an investigation which found "procedural irregularities" in its models and engines.
Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said the matter has even been brought up to Malaysian authorities.
"We are doing a detailed assessment on the matter and are currently in discussion with Malaysian authorities as to the impact of this development on our vehicles," he said in a statement on Wednesday.
"We sincerely apologise to our valued customers and the general public for any alarm this announcement may bring. Our intent is to reach out and assure our valued customers.
"We will share the outcome of this discussion with the public in due course," Zainal Abidin added.
Daihatsu in April 2023 announced that there were “procedural irregularities” when conducting safety tests on its vehicles in Japan. Following the announcement, Daihatsu commissioned a third-party investigative committee consisting of lawyers and technical personnel to further investigate the matter.
On Wednesday, Daihatsu said it received the results of the investigation, confirming that there were in fact 174 new cases in 25 test items, in addition to the door trim irregularity in April and the pole side collision test irregularity in May.
The investigation found irregularities in 64 models and three engines, including those that had already been discontinued. The models included both Daihatsu brand vehicles and models supplied as original equipment manufacturer (OEM) models to Toyota Motor Corp, Mazda Motor Corp, and Subaru Corp.
For instance, at the final stage of the investigation, Daihatsu said that tests on the airbags of Daihatsu Move/Subaru Stella, Daihatsu Cast/Toyota Pixis Joy, and Daihatsu Gran Max/Toyota Town Ace/Mazda Bongo revealed the irregularity that the airbags deployment computer was not the same as that of mass-produced products.
Besides that, it was determined that there is a possibility that the "safety performance related to occupant safety performance (door unlocking)" of the Cast/Pixis Joy in side collision tests does not satisfy the regulations.
"At this time, we are not aware of any information on accidents related to this incident, but we are conducting thorough technical verification and investigating the cause, and will promptly take necessary actions," Daihatsu said.
Furthermore, Daihatsu acknowledged that its management was responsible for treating the safety certification process lightly and for creating an environment where room for such acts existed.
"We recognise the extreme gravity of this situation, which shakes the very foundation of our company as an automobile manufacturer," it said.
Going forward, Daihatsu said it will implement thorough measures to prevent occurrences of similar events in the future, based on the recommendations of the independent third-party investigative committee.
"We will not only review and revise certification operations, but we will also make sweeping reforms to our corporate culture to make compliance the highest priority," it stressed.
Since its establishment, Perodua has partnered with Daihatsu, which holds a 25% stake in the company, whereby the Japanese carmaker provides the designs and main components for Perodua’s cars from the engines to transmissions. Essentially, all Perodua cars have Daihatsu technology.
While all of its cars are derived from models in Daihatsu’s lineup, Perodua has injected more of its design into its cars in recent years.