“Mitsubishi’s admission that it cheated on Japanese fuel-economy tests does not include vehicles sold in the United States so far, but clearly USA investigators will be scrutinizing the company”, said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst for Autotrader. An industry expert says the unapproved tests may have been used on more than the four stated models, noting Mitsubishi has a “history of covering up faults”.
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The auto safety regulators in the United States are asking for more information where as the Japanese counterparts have already raided a research and development facilities of the vehicle maker.
Mitsubishi said on Tuesday it used appropriate testing methods on vehicles sold in the United States, and had no indications of data manipulation in vehicles sold in other overseas markets.
Mitsubishi released two diagrams explaining how road tests were manipulated.
Now 15 years later, the company admits to giving its cars “exaggerated fuel ratings” since 1991.
“We should have switched, but it turns out we didn’t,”executive vice-president Ryugo Nakao said of the rule change 25 years ago”.
Mileage fraud breaks Japan’s fuel efficiency laws and possible penalties were unclear due to the uncertainties about the outcome of an investigation, the transport ministry said.
He added: “Judging by what the investigations have shown so far, it seems there was pressure”.
Japanese automakers are required to conduct driving tests for fuel economy and to measure driving resistance, such as friction between tires and the road, as well as aerodynamic drag.
Around 625,000 units of the eK Wagon, eK Space as well as the Dayz and Dayz Roox supplied to Nissan Motor Co. are affected. “I can not say sorry however assist”.
Mitsubishi Motors said today (April 26) it has been improperly testing the fuel economy of its vehicles since 1991.
The four mini auto models – eK wagon and eK Space, and Dayz and Dayz Roox – were created by Mitsubishi for Nissan. It said it wanted an explanation by May 11.
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Japan is periodically shaken by scandals at top-name companies, including electronics company Toshiba, which had doctored accounting books for years, and medical equipment company Olympus, which acknowledged it had covered up massive losses.
