Toyota Stops Shipment of 10 Diesel Models – Hilux, Fortuner, and More

Toyota has stopped the shipment of 10 diesel models due to new irregularities found in their certification testing.

In the wake of Daihatsu’s safety test scandal that shocked the global automotive industry, it appears that there’s more safety testing irregularities found, this time by sister brand Toyota.

As discovered by a further investigation by an independent special committee, they have found new irregularities occurred during the certification testing of several Toyota diesel powertrains. As a result, Toyota is forced to halt the shipment of 10 diesel models affected by these irregularities.

An official statement by Toyota reads that Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO), a subsidiary that has been commissioned to develop diesel engines for Toyota models, has discovered several new irregularities during the power output testing for the certification of three diesel engines developed by TICO. The investigation found that during the testing, the output for these diesel engines was measured using ECUs with tampered software, making the values look more uniform with less variation.

Among the 10 models affected by the latest irregularities, covering three diesel powertrain units

Said engines are coded as 1GD, 2GD, and F33A, with all three of them being used by no less than 10 current Toyota models. Included among the list of models affected are the Thai-made Hilux which uses both the 2.8-litre 1GD and 2.4-litre 2GD engines, Indonesian-made Fortuner 4x4 SUV, Indian-built Innova MPV, and the Hiace panel van.

Besides Toyota models, these irregularities also affected several other brands, like the Lexus LX 500d which uses the same 3.3-litre V6 F33A engine as the Toyota Land Cruiser 300, as well as the Hino Dutro light commercial truck, which uses the 1GD unit instead.

Based on this new discovery, Toyota has decided to temporarily suspend the shipment for both the 10 models affected and the affected engine units. The Japanese marque, however, did not reveal how long this temporary suspension will last, but we can expect it’ll take several weeks or even months, depending on the severity of these irregularities.

As for the engines already in service, Toyota said that there’s no need for a product recall for those vehicles, as the automaker has re-verified the mass-produced products manufactured at the TICO plant, confirming that the affected engines and vehicles have met the required engine performance output standards.

Moving forward, Toyota will continue to work closely with relevant authorities in affected markets by providing detailed explanations regarding these new irregularities while promptly proceeding with appropriate measures, including conducting testing in the presence of witnesses if required. The automaker will also help rebuild TICO by reviewing the situation thoroughly to ensure both the safety and quality of their products.