Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. will recall 31,924 Fuso Fighter trucks Thursday because 14 of them have been involved in fires in 11 prefectures since 2001, it told the transport ministry Thursday.
The recall applies to Fuso Fighter trucks built between February 1999 and August 2005.
A shortage of cooling water or a rise in its temperature while the trucks are running may lead to the deformation of resin components in the engine, where leaking oil could touch them and ignite, according to the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry.
The ministry has been looking into the matter with the National Traffic Safety and Environment Laboratory and Mitsubishi Fuso since 2007.
The truck maker has decided to take safety measures even though the link between the fires and potential design flaws has yet to be conclusively established.
The company will fix the trucks by fitting their engines with sensors that will cut off the flow of fuel as soon as the sensors detect overheating.
The first fire involving a Fuso Fighter truck occurred in July 2001, and one to four similar mishaps have taken place annually since 2006. No injuries have been reported so far.