Japan’s fourth-largest automaker Mitsubishi Motors will recall about 250,000 vehicles in Japan over engine oil leaks, the Transport Ministry said yesterday.
The recall will cover seven small models, such as the family-sized eK Wagon, as well as two models produced for the Nissan Motor brand, the Otti and Clipper.
A total of 247,663 units will be recalled, according to the ministry.
Mitsubishi said a faulty engine part could trigger an oil leakage and light up the oil pressure gauge on the dashboard.
“Continued use may cause parts inside the engine to burn and the vehicle may cease to operate,” Mitsubishi said.
The recall covers vehicles produced from November 2003 through to August 2005, the company said.
Japan’s top automakers have seen hundreds of thousands of recalls in recent months but none more affected than Toyota, the world’s biggest, which has pulled around 12 million units over the past year.
Last week Toyota announced a recall of almost 136,000 compact cars in Japan and Europe to fix a steering problem, the latest in a series of issues that have tarnished its once-stellar reputation.
The company’s recall crisis prompted US congressional investigations as Toyota was hit with a record $16.4 million fine to settle claims it had hidden accelerator pedal defects blamed for dozens of deaths.
In October it announced a global safety recall of about 1.5 million vehicles to fix a brake fluid leak that it warned can gradually diminish braking performance.
Analysts say Toyota has become more aggressive in catching possible defects as part of a campaign to improve its consumer image, but warn that continued frequent recalls continue to damage its branding as a quality carmaker.
In October Nissan Motor said it was recalling more than 2.1 million cars globally due to a faulty engine control system, in one of its biggest ever single recalls.
However, Japan’s automakers continue to show improved earnings despite the challenges that have been compounded in recent months by a strong yen, which makes them less competitive than rivals with cheaper domestic currencies.