Toyota Faces Penalties for Emissions Test Tampering

Toyota is in hot water with Japan’s transport ministry over selling vehicles with emissions-cheating diesel engines, potentially leading to revoked engine certifications.

Toyota is currently under scrutiny by Japan’s transport ministry for serious allegations involving the sale of diesel engines that reportedly contained emissions-cheating software. These engines were used in several models, including the Land Cruiser 300 and the Hiace. The ministry is considering revoking the certification for the implicated engines, which would be a significant blow to Toyota.

The issue came to light when Toyota Industries, the division responsible for engine manufacturing within Toyota, confessed to manipulating performance test data for a range of engines, including those used in both automobiles and forklifts. The transport ministry has labeled the misconduct as severe and is contemplating measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

While the exact nature of the penalties Toyota might face remains unclear, the ministry’s initial focus seems to be on the engines used in forklifts. However, the implications could extend to engines used in vans and previous Land Cruiser models. Toyota has already halted shipments of 10 vehicle models due to these «certification irregularities.»

Toyota has acknowledged discovering the discrepancies during internal reviews, particularly in tests related to its forklift engines, which prompted further examination of its diesel engines. The company estimates that around 84,000 vehicles equipped with the questionable engines have been sold since 2020.

In response to the scandal, Toyota is considering a management reshuffle and plans to open up its new testing protocols for government verification. Engines that lose certification due to this issue would need to undergo a reapplication process before they can be produced and sold again.

Toyota’s President has attributed the problem to inadequate communication and understanding within the company. However, it’s important to note that the current scandal will not affect the latest generation of the Land Cruiser being introduced to North American markets.

For more detailed information, you can view the full report on Asia Nikkei and watch the Bloomberg video report for further insights into the situation.