Carmakers Checking Bogus Aluminum Parts from Kobe Steel

At least seven Japanese carmakers are trying to determine whether the safety of their cars has been compromised by substandard aluminum sheet and castings supplied by Kobe Steel Ltd.

Tokyo-based Kobe admits its four plants in Japan have falsified performance data on aluminum and copper products between at least between September 2016 and August 2017. The doctored data affects 19,300 tons of flat-rolled and extruded aluminum and 19,400 tons of aluminum castings and forgings, according to The Nikkei.

The company says the affected materials, which represent about 4% of its sales, were shipped to 200 companies in the automotive, aerospace, defense and rocket industries.

Reports earlier today say a fifth Kobe plant may have falsified data about iron powder, a materials used to make powdered metal parts.

Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Suzuki, Subaru and Toyota all report they are checking which of their domestically built vehicles may have contained the mislabeled materials. Toyota and Honda say they have used Kobo sheet stock to make hoods and other exterior body panels.