Toyota stops shipment of 10 diesel models, including Hilux, Fortuner – output tests used non-standard ECUs

It’s one thing after another. In the wake of Daihatsu’s safety test scandal comes news of irregularities that occurred during certification testing of a number of Toyota diesel engines. This has come to light following an investigation carried out by a special investigation committee.

In a statement, the automaker said that Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO), which it had commissioned to develop diesel engines for automobiles, reported to it that the investigation uncovered irregularities during the horsepower output testing for the certification of three diesel engine models TICO had been commissioned to build.

The investigation found that during certification testing, the horsepower output performance of these engines was measured using ECUs with software that differed from that used for mass production, so that results could measure to make values appear smoother with less variation.

Toyota said that 10 vehicle models are using the affected engines – which are the 1GD, 2GD and F33A – globally, including six in Japan. The 2.8 litre 1GD is used on the Land Cruiser Prado from August 2020 (since discontinued), the HiAce/GranAce/Bongo Brawny from 2017 and the Hino Dyna/Dutro from May 2021, as well as the Thai-made Hilux and Thai and Indonesian-made Fortuner from May 2020.

As for the 2.4 litre 2GD, the said engine can be found on Thai-assembled Hilux and Indian-built Innova units from May 2020. Finally, the 3.3 litre V6 F33A series oil burners are units equipping the Land Cruiser 300 and LX 500d models built by subsidiary Toyota Auto Body.

Toyota said that based on the results of the investigation, TICO has decided to temporarily suspend shipments of the affected engines, and that it has also decided to temporarily suspend shipments of vehicles equipped with the affected engines.

As for engines already in service, the company said that it has re-verified the mass-produced products manufactured at the TICO plant and confirmed that the affected engines and vehicles meet engine performance output standards, and that there is no need for customers to stop using the affected engines or vehicles.

The automaker said that going forward, it will provide detailed explanations to the authorities and promptly proceed with appropriate measures, including conducting testing in the presence of witnesses, should there be need to do so.

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