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Kayaba, Sumitomo to pay millions for price-fixing in US

Kayaba Industry Co, which does business in the US as suspension parts maker KYB, and Sumitomo Electric Industries are facing payments in the millions to settle price-fixing cases about the components that they make. As part of the Department of Justice's ongoing crackdown of price fixing in the auto industry, KYB agreed to pay $62 million and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to set the cost of shock absorbers from the mid '90s through 2012. The company allegedly worked with co-conspirators to keep the cost of the parts high, and those components then made it into vehicles from Honda, Kawasaki, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, and Toyota. "Any collusive agreement among competitors to restrict price competition undercuts our free enterprise system and violates the law," said Carter M. Stewart, US Attorney of the Southern District of Ohio, in the DoJ's announcement. Over the past few years, the DoJ has brought cases against 37 parts suppliers and 55 executives, leading to over $2.6 billion in fines. The investigations haven't always been so successful – some of the Japanese execs fled from the US to avoid prosecution. Critics allege that price fixing is simply how business is done. According to Automotive News, Sumitomo Electric Industries is also facing a $50 million settlement in a civil lawsuit that's related to price fixing of parts like wiring harnesses and heater control panels. The plaintiffs include owners and dealers that purchased vehicles with these parts. The company asserts that the violations are from before 2010, and it now has different process in place to avoid further violations. KYB Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay $62 Million Criminal Fine for Fixing Price of Shock Absorbers Kayaba Industry Co. Ltd., dba KYB Corporation (KYB) has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $62 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix the price of shock absorbers installed in cars and motorcycles sold to U.S. consumers. According to charges filed today, KYB conspired from the mid-1990s until 2012 to fix the prices of shock absorbers sold to Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (manufacturer of Subaru vehicles), Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Nissan Motor Company Ltd., Suzuki Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor Company, including their subsidiaries in the United States.

Suzuki calls in 26,000 Daewoo-built Veronas for overheating lights

Suzuki is recalling yet another Daewoo-built model due to possible problems with the daytime running light module in the instrument panel. This time it covers about 25,899 units of the Suzuki Verona from the 2004 through 2006 model years that need fixing. Like the repair campaign of the Forenza and Reno in May, it's possible for the part to overheat, melt and potentially cause a fire.
According to the Chronology of Principal Events section in the defect notice submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this recall was actually a direct result of the Forenza/Reno campaign. After finding the problem in those vehicles, General Motors Korea started investigating for more affected models and discovered that the Verona was also at risk. However, the report says that no cases of melting or fires have been found in the Verona.
Obviously, Suzuki will be notifying affected owners and will replace the DRL module free of charge. Scroll down to read the recall request or check out the full defect notice in PDF format, here.

Five-door forbidden fruit: Suzuki Jimny gets bigger

If you’ve always wanted a Suzuki Jimny, but import laws and its small two-door body style held you back, thereÂ’s some good news. No, you cannot import a new one to the United States. Sorry to burst that bubble. The good news is that Suzuki just announced a five-door Jimny for people needing more space, at least if they live in India. The third-generation Jimny landed in 2018 and has remained a three-door since, making this a significant development for off-road fans and people upset with Suzuki for not selling it in the United States. Maruti Suzuki holds massive market share in India, so itÂ’s not surprising to see the automaker coming out with new Jimny variants. The pint-sized SUV measures more than a foot longer than its three-door counterpart but still carries the modelÂ’s signature upright boxy shape and modest accommodations. A 1.5-liter engine making 105 horsepower comes paired with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic and four-wheel drive. Though small, the Jimny five-door manages serious off-roading with a 36-degree approach angle, a 50-degree departure angle, and a 24-degree breakover angle. The SUV rides on 15-inch wheels and three-link rigid axle suspension with coil springs. It also features an old-school ladder frame, which helps deliver that impressive off-road ability, but likely impacts on-road comfort. Jimny buyers get a surprising number of niceties, including a 9-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. ThereÂ’s also a rearview camera and a premium stereo option. The top Alpha trim level adds push-button start, cruise control, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. We donÂ’t have pricing details for the five-door Jimny, but the three-door variant starts at around $24,000 in other markets, such as Mexico. Suzuki will build the Jimny at its facility in Gurugram, India. Orders are open now, with deliveries planned to start in May. The automaker said it would soon expand the five-door to other markets, including Latin America and Australia.