Mitsubishi Motors hid defect complaints for 23 years — then apologised badly

In August 2000, Mitsubishi Motors admitted it had systematically hidden customer defect complaints from Japan's transport ministry since 1977. The company kept two sets of records: complaints reported to regulators, and a secret internal file known as 'H' that stayed hidden. In 2000 alone, Mitsubishi had disclosed only four defects; the real number was 30.

President Katsuhiko Kawasoe denied the cover-up for a month before reversing course and apologising. The company recalled roughly one million vehicles. By 2004, a second investigation found 26 more hidden defects across 17 models including the Galant and Lancer, triggering another recall of 810,000 vehicles — three-quarters needing company-paid repairs.

The 2004 revelation proved the 2000 apology had not changed the culture. Mitsubishi faced possible criminal charges, and its credibility as a manufacturer was shattered. The case became Japan's textbook example of how a cover-up compounds the original failure.