Mitsubishi to inspect Strada Triton for loose bolts

PT Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian Motors (KTB) will launch in mid-June an inspection campaign for its Mitsubishi Strada Triton pick-up vehicles to tighten loose bolts in the vehicle’s front suspensions.

“The inspection campaign has been decided by our principals Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, who asked us to conduct a filed fix campaign,” KTB marketing director Rizwan Ilhamsyah told reporters on Thursday evening.

“It is only minor inspection work where our technicians will release the bolts before tightening them”.

However, he said, it could lead to serious problems if the bolts were not tightened. He said the affected bolts were located on the front, left and right upper-arm ball joint for Strada Triton manufactured between February 2007 and January 2009. The vehicle was launched in Indonesia in May 2007.

Earlier last week, Mitsubishi also recalled some 42,500 Strada Tritons in Australia for similar problems affecting vehicles produced between October 2006 and January 2009.

“We were told to conduct inspection campaign by our principal after [recalls in] Australia,” Rizwan said.
“So far we haven’t received any customer complaints”.

Rizwan said there were about 11,000 Strada Tritons produced in the affected period out of a total of about 14,700 vehicles having been sold in Indonesia until April.

“About 70 percent are fleet purchases for mining companies in remote areas. We may have to visit mining sites to conduct inspections,” he said.

“Those living in urban areas, we will ask them to visit our dealers to be checked”.

First published on The Jakarta Post on Tuesday, June. 8, 2010