Toyota Discloses Outcome of Probe into Model Authorization Submissions
In a recent development, Toyota Motor Corporation has announced that six cases involving seven models produced since 2014 have been identified, where testing methods differed from national standards. The chairman, Akio Toyoda, stated that the vehicles were mass-produced and sold without going through the correct certification processes.
The investigation, initiated by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on January 26, is ongoing. The certification system, used for mass-producing passenger cars of the same model, was involved in these cases.
The company is working under the guidance of the Ministry to remedy the situation. Miyamoto from the Customer First Promotion Group will now explain the details.
It is important to note that this issue has led to the temporary halt of shipments and sales of three models currently produced in Japan (Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio, and Yaris Cross), effective June 3. The chairman of Toyota Group has extended sincere apologies for this issue.
The certification system in Japan verifies whether a product meets established standards in safety and environment. Vehicles can only be manufactured and sold after meeting certification test standards. However, in these cases, it appears that the testing methods used for seven models, including those that have already ended production since 2014, deviated from national standards.
Despite these issues, all cases confirmed that the vehicles perform according to regulatory requirements, allowing customers to continue using them.
As the investigation continues, it is advisable to check official Toyota communications, national vehicle safety regulators’ bulletins, or detailed recall databases for the most authoritative information.
At this time, no publicly available detailed information indicates specific current remedial actions or regulatory certification problems for multiple Toyota models since 2014. The ongoing investigation involves two companies, Toyota Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor East Japan.
While this issue does not seem to have affected Toyota vehicles sold locally in the Philippines, such as the Land Cruiser LC300 or Fortuner, it is a significant concern for the automotive giant, and Toyota Motor Corporation is working diligently to address the issues and regain customer trust.
The ongoing investigation has uncovered discrepancies in the testing methods used for several Toyota models, involving both industries like transportation and finance, as the company will need to cooperate with regulators to ensure compliance with national standards. Despite the confirmation that the vehicles function within regulatory requirements, these discrepancies have led to a suspension in shipments and sales of some models, such as the Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio, and Yaris Cross.
