U.S.
prosecutors probe Takata Corp over statements: WSJ
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[October 23, 2014]
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. federal
prosecutors are trying to determine whether Japanese auto parts maker
Takata Corp misled U.S. regulators about the number of defective
air bags it sold to automakers, including Toyota Motor Corp and Honda
Motor Co Ltd <7267.T>, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
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Word of the investigation follows a notice on Tuesday from the U.S.
auto regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
which increased the number of cars potentially affected by defective
air bags made by Takata to at least 7.8 million, up from the roughly
4.74 million it announced a day earlier.
The NHTSA is conducting its own investigation of whether Takata air
bag inflators made between 2000 and 2007 were improperly sealed.
Bags inflating with too much force potentially could spray metal
shrapnel at occupants. They have been linked to four deaths and
resulted in several lawsuits.
The probe has focused on inflators recovered from cars being
recalled for repairs in hot and humid regions such as Florida.
Takata is cooperating with that investigation along with 10
automakers.
The NHTSA has urged owners of certain Toyota, Honda, Mazda Motor
Corp, BMW AG, Nissan Motor Co Ltd, Mitsubishi Motors Corp, Subaru Co
Ltd, Chrysler, Ford Motor Co and General Motors Co vehicles to
replace air bags as soon as possible.
More than 16 million vehicles globally have been recalled since 2008
because of defective Takata air bags.
Reuters previously reported that manufacturing problems with
Takata's air bags go beyond what the Tokyo-based company disclosed
to the NHTSA about why the devices were at risk of exploding with
dangerous force, citing internal company documents.
According to Wednesday's article in The Wall Street Journal, the
investigation by the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern
District of New York is in very early stages. The company has not
been accused of any wrongdoing.
A spokeswoman from the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan declined
to comment.
A spokesman for Honda said the company was not aware of the
investigation.
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Spokespeople for Takata and Ford could not immediately be reached
for comment.
A BMW spokesman declined to comment on the possibility, adding that
the German automaker is focused on carrying out the recall as fast
as possible.
Spokespeople for Toyota and Chrysler said they had no information on
a possible federal investigation of Takata.
Spokesmen for Mazda and Mitsubishi said their companies had not been
contacted by the U.S. Department of Justice and could not confirm
the report.
A Nissan spokesman said the automaker had no knowledge of such an
investigation and declined further comment.
Spokespeople from Subaru and GM declined to comment.
(Reporting by Emily Flitter; Additional reporting by Ben Kalyman;
Editing by Andre Grenon, Sandra Maler and Leslie Adler)
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