Japan's Isuzu to recall over 4,000 trucks: ministry

TOKYO:Japan's Isuzu Motors is to recall over 4,000 trucks due to a natural-gas fuel leak that could result in fires in the cab, the transport ministry said Thursday.

The company would from Friday recall 4,286 natural-gas powered trucks in Japan, in the latest setback for the country's vehicle manufacturing industry, hit by a series of safety issues and recalls.

The ministry said the Isuzu trucks may suffer from a fault that could result in natural gas leaking into the interior of the vehicle and causing a fire.

The company has received 14 complaints in Japan, including a case in which a man suffered minor burns after lighting a cigarette in the passenger's seat.

The recall covers four models, including those marketed under the major Japanese auto brands of Nissan Motor, Mazda Motor and Nissan Diesel, now renamed UD Trucks.

The recall by Isuzu, which is part owned by Toyota Motor Corp., came as the world's largest automaker struggles to salvage its brand image amid a worldwide recall fiasco.

Toyota, already pulling more than eight million cars worldwide over defects linked to more than 30 deaths, faces a new US probe into complaints of steering problems with the Corolla, the world's best-selling car.

Japan's transport ministry also said Italy's Fiat would recall 2,552 units of the Panda small hatchback in Japan due to a defective anti-lock braking system, which could also result in a fire.