Toyota plant raided in cheating probe

TOKYO — Japanese transport officials raided the plant of a Toyota group company on Tuesday to investigate cheating on engine testing, as the company said it kept its status as the world's top automaker last year.

Hours after the probe began at Toyota Industries' plant in Hekinan in Aichi Prefecture, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda vowed to steer the company out of scandal and ensure the Japanese automaker sticks to "making good cars".

The testing scandal came at a time of otherwise stellar performance for Toyota, which makes the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models. The group's global vehicle sales for last year were a record 11.2 million units, up 7 percent from the previous year and topping German automotive Volkswagen AG's global sales of 9.2 million vehicles.

Reporters were called late on Monday to Toyota's Tokyo office, where its CEO Koji Sato apologized for the latest mess.

False results were found for certification testing and other sampling inspections for engines that claimed the products met standards when they actually did not, Toyota said.

Skirting of required tests surfaced last year at Daihatsu Motor, which makes small cars and is 100 percent owned by Toyota. That cheating, which came to light because of a whistleblower, spanned decades.

The latest problem affects models including Land Cruiser and Hilux sport utility vehicles sold in Japan, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, but not in North America.

However, Toyota Motor said on Monday it is urging the owners of 50,000 older US vehicles to get immediate recall repairs because an air bag inflator could explode and potentially kill motorists.

It said the "Do Not Drive" advisory covers some 2003-04 model year Corolla, 2003-04 Corolla Matrix and 2004-05 RAV4s with Takata air bag inflators. Since 2009, more than 30 deaths worldwide are linked to Takata air bag inflators that can explode, unleashing metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks.

Agencies - Xinhua