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Japan carmakers vouch for safety of some Kobe Steel parts

TOKYO — Four Japanese automakers on Thursday said they found no safety issues with aluminum parts supplied by Kobe Steel Ltd, allaying some concerns that falsified quality data on products from the steelmaker had compromised their vehicles. Kobe Steel shares surged after the car makers' statements, but the steelmaker still has to contend with a U.S. Justice Department probe, while checks continue at hundreds of companies involved in complex supply chains spanning the globe. Japan's third-biggest steelmaker admitted earlier this month it falsified specifications on the strength and durability of aluminum, copper and steel products, along with materials for optical disks. The falsifications stretch back for more than 10 years, a senior executive told Reuters this week. Since then, global automakers, aircraft companies and other manufacturers have scrambled to identify potential hazards in their products. Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda said that hoods and other exterior parts used in their cars which were made from aluminum directly supplied by Kobe Steel were safe. Kobe Steel shares ended the day nearly 7 percent higher but are still down by more than a third since it announced the data falsification. Automakers are still making checks on other parts, including those that they received through their parts suppliers. "We confirmed that the materials satisfy applicable statutory standards, and our own internal standard, for key safety and durability requirements for vehicles," Toyota said in a statement. Toyota, one of the world's largest automakers, identified aluminum plates supplied by Kobe Steel for the hoods and rear hatches of Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles. Though outside the automaker's specifications, they were still safe to use. While Subaru and other carmakers said they were still investigating the issue, the announcements by Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda suggest that Kobe Steel's cheating scandal may have a limited impact on product safety."SERIOUS SITUATION" Nonetheless, the company's fate hangs in the balance while checks are being carried out. It must report to Japan's industry ministry by around the end of next week on any safety concerns and provide a more extensive account of the problems a fortnight later. Industry leaders have reached a consensus that Kobe Steel is in a "serious situation," a senior Japanese manufacturing executive told Reuters.

Five automakers now being investigated by NHTSA for airbag woes

It appears that Toyota's renotification to owners of recalled vehicles from last year is just the tip of the iceberg for what could potentially be a much larger industry-wide recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening a preliminary evaluation investigation into roughly 1.1 million vehicles from Chrysler, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota and parts supplier Takata regarding faulty airbag inflators in several models.
NHTSA has received six reports - three directly, two from Takata and one from Toyota - of vehicles with ruptured airbag inflators from 2002-2006, which resulted in three injuries. So far, all six incidents have occurred in high humidity areas like Florida and Puerto Rico. According to Toyota's latest recall announcement, the inflators may have an improper propellant that could cause it to rupture in a crash and the bag to deploy abnormally.
This new investigation follows a previous recall from April 2013 of about 3.4 million vehicles worldwide for the airbag inflators from Takata. As Autoblog reported, Toyota jumpstarted the new situation when it found that the original list of serial numbers for the faulty part was incomplete and discovered more cars in need of replacement. Honda and Nissan told us that they were investigating whether further models would need called in again as well. Mazda told Autoblog: "Regarding the current Takata situation, we're working closely with NHTSA and investigating the situation, but nothing else to report at this time." Chrysler Group responded to us with the statement: "Chrysler Group engineers are conducting the appropriate analysis. The Company will cooperate fully with the National Highway Traffic Administration."

Mazda helps coronavirus fight with free oil changes for all healthcare workers

During the hard times caused by the coronavirus pandemic, automakers are helping any way they can, big or small. Mazda is one of those offering support specifically for the nation's healthcare workers who are risking their own lives in order to save others. Mazda calls it the Essential Car Care Program (ECCP), and it offers free upkeep to any healthcare workers with a car, not just a Mazda. Through the ECCP,  Mazda is offering healthcare workers free oil changes and "enhanced cleaning services." The program begins April 16, 2020, and will run through select participating dealerships. To repeat, this is not only for people who drive Mazdas, it's for anybody working in healthcare. Mazda says it is "available for most makes and models from other manufacturers," excluding exotics, classic cars, off-road vehicles, and vehicles that take more than eight quarts of oil. The offer is available for service on one car per program period. The program, for which Mazda will donate a minimum of $5 million, was inspired by Mazda dealerships that independently offered similar perks to local healthcare workers. Those eligible for free services include anybody who works at the following facilities:   Hospitals, urgent care, surgical centers, birth centers Healthcare providers, doctor offices, medical clinics, medical offices, medical centers, medical facilities, health systems Mental health providers, addiction treatment centers Assisted living, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, hospice homes, adult care homes, home health agencies Public health agencies Medical laboratory and research centers Medical equipment providers Orthopedic and other rehabilitation centers including physical therapy and chiropractic Blood banks Telehealth providers All workers need to do is show proof of occupation, and they're in. In addition to the oil change, the enhanced vehicle cleaning will use EPA-approved cleansers on high-touch interior surfaces, as well as exterior surfaces.  The ECCP runs through May 4, 2020. Read full details on the ECCP fact sheet. Related Video: