The Washington Post wrote that Mitsubishi stated that it will continue to investigate whether information was also altered for its vehicles sold overseas.
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Japanese officials searched the company’s Okazaki manufacturing plant on Wednesday and the transport ministry have ordered them to submit a full report on test manipulation within a week.
Mitsubishi Motors’ offices have been raided by the Japanese authorities today following the vehicle manufacturer’s admission that some of its fuel economy tests data had been falsified. The Mitsubishi models were the ek wagon and eK Space.
Citing unnamed sources, national broadcaster NHK said the issue affected around 600,000 mini-vehicles produced under the Mitsubishi brand, mainly in Japan, including the eK model, as well as a model it produces for Nissan Motor. Mitsubishi confessed that they over-inflated the tires to alter their driving properties and flatten the mileage rates.
The scandal adds to the list of cases involving automakers inflating fuel mileage or providing faulty emissions data.
The problem was found after Nissan pointed out inconsistencies in data, the company said.
Mitsubishi Motors president Tetsuro Aikawa said during a press conference that the wrongdoing was intentional and that it was clear that the falsification was done to make the mileage look better.
Mitsubishi Motors was tarnished by a massive recall coverup of safety defects 15 years ago.
Mitsubishi admitted that they sold about 625,000 minicar models with inflated fuel efficiency rates in Japan.
Between the Mitsubishi- and Nissan-badged versions of the model, close to 1 million vehicles produced since mid-2013 are effected.
News that the carmaker rigged its fuel economy tests which involved hundreds of thousands of cars also affected company shares.
Japan has been hit periodically by such scandals at top-name companies.
Both automakers have made a decision to stop production and sales of the affected cars and to discuss compensation regarding this issue.
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The auto analyst wrote that in addition to the direct costs from the scandal, secondary effects on sales worldwide could become very large.
