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Toyota, Nissan to recall 6.5mil cars globally

Toyota Motor Corp and smaller rival Nissan said yesterday they were recalling some 6.5 million vehicles globally to replace potentially faulty air-bag inflators, the latest in a series of recalls involving parts made by Takata Corp. UMW Toyota Motor said this includes 97,000 vehicles in the country.

Both automakers said the recalls were for investigative purposes and that no accidents or injuries had been reported.

They did not give further details about the suspected fault but around 25 million cars have been recalled worldwide since 2008 over Takata air bag inflators that have erupted with too much force, spraying shrapnel inside the car.

Meanwhile, Honda Motor Co said today it would recall another 4.8 million cars globally to replace potentially fatal air bag inflators made Takata Corp, already at the centre of one of the

biggest automotive recalls to date.

The recall comes a day after Toyota Motor Corp and Nissan Motor Co said they were taking back some 6.5 million vehicles worldwide after investigations showed the Takata airbag inflators were not properly sealed and so could be damaged by moisture.

Honda has so far borne the brunt of the recalls linked to the Takata air bag inflators, which can erupt with too much force, spraying shrapnel inside the car. Six deaths have so far been linked to the defective air bags, all on cars made by Japan’s third-largest automaker.

Asked about the recall, a Takata spokesperson said a probe into the causes for the air bag defects was ongoing and that the company continued to fully cooperate with the automakers.

Toyota, Japan’s biggest automaker, said it would recall just under 5 million Corolla, Vitz and other models, mostly in Japan and Europe.

Many of the models were built between March 2003 and November 2007, including 1.36 million in Japan.

Nissan Motor Co Ltd said it was recalling about 1.56 million cars globally over the same issue. It did not give further details about the models affected.

Six deaths have so far been linked to the defective Takata airbags, all on cars made by Honda Motor Co, which announced disappointing profit forecasts last week citing high quality-related costs.

Takata faces multiple class action lawsuits in the United States and Canada as well as a US criminal investigation and a regulatory probe.

- Reuters

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