Why Toyota halted deliveries of Innova, Hilux and Fortuner

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has resumed deliveries for the Innova, Fortuner and the Hilux diesel variants. The global body suspended the shipments of some models including the Hilux truck and Land Cruiser 300 SUV after finding irregularities in certification tests for diesel engines developed by its affiliate, Toyota Industries.

Earlier in January, Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) received a report from the special investigation committee (chaired by Hiroshi Inoue) that was commissioned to investigate potential irregularities of certification regulations related to inappropriate domestic emissions certification of engines for forklifts and construction machinery. Toyota had commissioned TICO to develop diesel engines for automobiles.

The issue in hand was caused by a software glitch. The power band curve of an engine which shows the power to weight the range of operating speeds under which the engine or motor is able to output the most power contains minor peaks in between. This is because the power from the engine does not remain constant at every given point.

However, the software that Toyota was using had smoothed out the peaks. While it did not affect the end test result, nonetheless it can be termed as faulty because of an unnatural power band curve.

The Toyota president had stated that there was a lack of communication with Toyota Motor and not enough coordination about testing processes and procedures that should have been followed.

Toyota clarified that the engine horsepower performance was measured using ECUs with different software from mass production, which aimed to deliver smoother and less varied results. A subsequent re-verification test on the mass-produced vehicles affirmed compliance with performance standards. Hence, there was no need to discontinue the use of the affected vehicles.

In view of the issue TICO had decided to temporarily suspend shipments of the affected engines. Toyota has also decided to temporarily suspend shipments of vehicles equipped with the affected engines. 10 vehicle models are using the affected engines globally which includes the Fortuner, Innova and the Hilux along with LAND CRUISER 300 and Lexux LX500d.

Toyota’s diesel engines affected by the issue included the 2.4-litre, 2.8-litre and 3.3-litre V6. The 2.4-litre four-cylinder 2GD diesel engine powers the Toyota Innova Crysta, whereas the 2.8-litre four-cylinder 1GD series diesel is seen on the Fortuner and Hilux models. The 3.3-litre F33A V6 diesel powers the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 and Lexus LX 500d. Dealers also tell us the waiting period remains largely the same on the company's model range averaging a few weeks, depending on the model.

As the tests have been re-verified now, Toyota has resumed the deliveries of these models. TKM has stated that it has re-confirmed that the diesel engines meet the stipulated Indian regulations. Consequently, the dispatch of Innova Crysta, Fortuner, and Hilux has resumed following a brief temporary suspension. "We regret the inconvenience to our esteemed customers. As a customer-centric organisation, we continue to remain committed to delivering the highest quality and safest products," the company stated.

Dejavu for Toyota

This is not the first time Toyota has faced issues with its diesel engines. In March 2023, the company encountered problems in the Australian and New Zealand markets, where diesel engine-equipped vehicles experienced issues with the diesel particulate filter (DPF) assembly. This resulted in clogged or blocked filters, leading to emission of foul-smelling white smoke and increased fuel consumption.

Affected vehicles included those fitted with the 2.4-litre ‘2GD-FTV’ or 2.8-litre ‘1GD-FTV’ turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, with a total of 264,170 vehicles affected across the HiLux, Fortuner, and LandCruiser Prado model ranges. Toyota implemented solutions such as fitting a DPF burnoff button to the 2.8-litre diesel engine and substantial engine upgrades in mid-2020 to address these issues.

As Toyota Kirloskar Motor resumes deliveries of affected models in India, the company reaffirms its commitment to delivering high-quality and safe products to its customers.