TOKYO (Reuters) – Toyota Motor (NYSE:) Corp affiliate Daihatsu rigged a part of the door in side-collision security checks carried out for some 88,000 small vehicles made and offered beneath the Toyota model, the businesses mentioned on Friday.

They mentioned the door trim on the affected automobiles had been modified with a “notch” to minimise the danger in testing that the door inside may break with a pointy edge and trigger harm to an occupant when the facet airbag deployed in an accident.

The modification for testing was not a part of the manufacturing car, the businesses mentioned.

Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda mentioned the businesses have been investigating how the side-panel of Yaris and different fashions had been modified for the aim of side-crash security testing and apologised for what he referred to as an “unacceptable” violation of client belief.

Toyota mentioned it had not acquired any report of an accident or harm associated to the rigged side-crash check.

“We’ll proceed with an in depth investigation from right here on, however promise to decisively perceive what occurred on the web site, examine the true intentions and sincerely work to stop a recurrence,” Toyoda informed reporters.

“We will want a while to do this,” he mentioned.

Daihatsu mentioned it had found the rigged security check after a whistleblower report. It mentioned it had reported the problem to security regulatory businesses and stopped cargo of affected fashions.

The affected fashions embrace Toyota Yaris Ativs made in Thailand from final August, and Perodua Axias manufactured in Malaysia ranging from February.

Of the 88,000-plus automobiles, some 76,000 have been Yaris Ativs primarily sure for Thailand, Mexico and Gulf Cooperation Council international locations, Daihatsu mentioned. About 11,800 affected automobiles have been Perodua Axias destined for Malaysia.

The Gulf Cooperation Council contains Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

Daihatsu mentioned it could run new security checks within the presence of regulators and make sure the protection of the fashions earlier than resuming shipments.

Toyoda, who was Toyota president in 2010 when a string of recollects prompted U.S. investigations, mentioned he wished all Toyota workers and people at associates to grasp that “making higher vehicles” required a dedication to talk out about issues.

“We will not run away from this or conceal,” he mentioned, including that the corporate wanted to “make a brand new begin”.