Suzuki admits using irregular fuel consumption tests in 16 models

Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor admitted on Wednesday that it used irregular fuel consumption tests in 16 models, but said this method did not affect the final fuel economy data of the vehicles.

Following an internal investigation after another Japanese carmaker, Mitsubishi Motor, admitted in April to manipulating fuel consumption data, a report was presented by the company’s president, Toshihiro Suzuki, at a press conference, convened by Japan’s Transport Ministry.

However, unlike Mitsubishi, the irregularities detected by Suzuki do not affect the fuel consumption data of the vehicles or involve any manipulation of parameters in the fuel efficiency tests, the president said.

Suzuki used fuel consumption testing methods that did not fully comply with Japanese regulations regarding aerodynamic resistance, which affects around 2.1 million vehicles sold in Japan since 2010.

The company said there have been no problems in other markets as exported cars undergo tests according to the regulations of the country they are exported to.

The irregularities affect eight models of minivehicles and another eight of vehicles of a different type.

Following the Mitsubishi scandal, the Transport Ministry asked all domestic automakers to conduct internal investigations to detect other such possible cases.

After it became known that Suzuki was going to present a report on alleged irregularities, company shares at the Tokyo Stock Exchange plunged by as much as 15 percent.