Scandal-hit Daihatsu Motor Co. said Wednesday it is considering a recall of two mini-vehicles found with a door defect, potentially affecting about 320,000 units.
The announcement comes a day after Japan's transport ministry instructed Daihatsu to consider recalling the Cast model sold under the Daihatsu brand and the Pixis Joy sold under the marque of its parent Toyota Motor Corp. in the wake of a revelation that the company had rigged safety tests for most of its models.
Daihatsu said last month that the models may not meet safety standards as their doors could become locked and hard to open from the outside in the event of an accident.
The recall, if it goes ahead, would deal another blow to the automaker, which was forced to stop all vehicle shipments at home and abroad last month over the safety inspection scandal.
It also subsequently suspended all vehicle production but resumed operations in Indonesia and Malaysia after several days, citing approval from local authorities.
The small-car maker said Wednesday it does not know when it can resume domestic production, adding that the outlook after the current suspension through January is uncertain.
Toyota will review Daihatsu's business operations and consider a reshuffle of its management, Toyota President Koji Sato told reporters Tuesday.
The transport ministry, which has been inspecting operations at Daihatsu, said Tuesday it would revoke certifications necessary for mass production for three models built by the automaker, adding it found 14 cases of misconduct in addition to the ones already made public.
