Recall reports keep piling up and lording it over in the pages of automotive publications, and a lot of it has to do with recent landmark settlements wherein carmakers were accused of deliberately hiding information regarding safety issues. Honda has been one of those manufacturers particularly affected by recalls, including the recent Takata airbag issue, and in the light of these recalls and others, the Japanese automaker has hired a new quality head.
Reports suggest that issues with the new Honda Fit are the main reason behind the appointment of a new quality chief. While the new Fit’s release has gone over well in America, that hasn’t been the case in the home market, as a fifth Fit recall is now affecting 1.3-liter I4-powered and hybrid models; the issue at hand is the vehicle’s ignition coil and power control, both of which could force the engine to stall and increase the risk of an accident.
With that as our backdrop, Koichi Fukuo was named yesterday by Honda President Takanobu Ito s the new quality assurance man-in-charge. Fukuo, who serves as the erstwhile head of large vehicle development, will remain at that post, and will also be wearing a third hat as vice president of Research and Development. The new positions will be in effect by November 1, though the added responsibilities may not exactly amount to higher pay. Ito and other Honda executives have decided to take a 20 percent pay cut for the next three months, in a move of solidarity and accountability for the quality issues.
Aside from naming a new person in charge of quality control, Honda will also be implementing changes to R&D. This would result in research on new vehicles being undertaken earlier than usual, and more money being spent on developing new vehicles.