- Toyota admitted Monday to improperly obtaining several vehicle certifications in Japan.
- Toyota was found to have false certifications and was asked—along with Honda, Mazda, Suzuki, and Yamaha—to halt deliveries for affected cars in Japan.
- A Toyota spokesperson stressed in an email to Car and Driver that North American vehicles are tested using “different processes and different standards.”
Multiple Japanese automakers are in hot water in Japan right now due to new irregularities found with multiple domestic vehicle certifications, including those for safety tests. Toyota admitted Monday to improperly obtaining vehicle certifications for seven models, including three still in production.
According to Toyota, three of the seven models are still in production—the Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio, and Yaris Cross—while the rest have been discontinued.
“The point of this issue is that the vehicles were mass-produced and sold without going through the correct certification processes,” Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda said at a press conference. “I would like to extend my sincere apologies to our customers, car enthusiasts, and all stakeholders for this issue,” Toyoda continued. “I am truly sorry.”
“Nevertheless, these acts shake the very foundations of the certification system, and as an automobile manufacturer, we believe they are acts that must never be committed,” Toyoda said.
Similar cases of misconduct were reported by Honda, Mazda, Suzuki, and Yamaha, with each automaker asked by the Japanese government to halt deliveries for affected models until the transport ministry can confirm compliance. According to a report by Kyodo News, Japan’s transport ministry said it will conduct on-site investigations at the automakers’ offices while also considers taking administrative action.
A Toyota spokesperson confirmed to Car and Driver that vehicles bound for the North American market are tested using “different processes and different standards.” That means Toyota shouldn’t have to worry about halting deliveries for any products sold in North America any time soon.
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.