Toyota Faces Penalties Over Diesel Engine Misconduct In Japan

Alleged misconduct involving emissions-cheating diesel engines has Toyota in hot water with Japan's transport ministry. These engines were reportedly used for models such as the Land Cruiser 300 and the Hiace. The ministry is deliberating various penalties, such as possibly withdrawing certificates for those engines.

Toyota Industries, a unit of the company’s engine-making division, admitted to adjusting test data relating to performance in numerous vehicle and forklift engine models. It was discovered that this wrongdoing was so severe; consequently, it will be ensured that it does not occur again.

The exact penalties remain uncertain, but the ministry is now concerned about the forklift engines. This led to Toyota suspending shipments of ten automobile models due to certification irregularities. The company detected the problem during its own tests of forklifts.

Cars with questionable motors have been sold since 2020, amounting to approximately 84,000 units. In addition, the carmaker plans on restructuring management and having the government oversee new testing regulations. For any engines that lost approval, they would need re-approval before production and sale.

According to a news report, President Akio Toyoda blamed inadequate communication and understanding on the part of his employees as being behind this mess. However, this scandal is not expected to affect the latest generation of Land Cruiser, which is currently making its way into North American markets.