The internal investigations ordered by the Japanese ministry of transportation have revealed that Suzuki, Mazda and Yamaha Motors used fake emissions data. All three automakers responded to the findings and admitted that falsified information and inappropriate practices were actually used to test their new automobiles.
Suzuki Motors was the biggest culprit using dishonest testing procedures for a long time period which dates back to June 2012. Inspectors found out that the fourth-largest automobile manufacturer in Japan had tested 50% of the 12,819 vehicles in total through inappropriate procedures over these years.
Suzuki Motors reiterates by claiming that their vehicle’s actual emissions release has no problems, therefore recalls aren’t necessary. In a press conference, the President of Suzuki Motors regretted the findings and promised to ensure best practices for testing to avoid any recurrence.
Reports reveal Mazda Motors also tested 72 cars through improper practices that date back to November 2014 while Yamaha was found to have used such procedures for 7 vehicles since January 2016.
The fake emissions data usage by Suzuki, Mazda and Yamaha suggests a clear violation of testing standards that are also meant to combat environmental pollution. These investigations are the result of similar findings for Nissan Motor Co. earlier and the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal in 2015 that revealed 4,000 European vehicle models exceeding EU defined emissions levels.