Hino caught cheating emissions certification, again

After it was found with ‘wrongdoings’ by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, Hino Motors, Ltd. has again been caught with its hand in the cookie jar.

Based on the report, the commercial truck and diesel engine maker did not comply with the emission performance deterioration endurance tests that were based on the 2016 emission regulations in Japan. These include using insufficient gas measurements as two or more are required and calculating deterioration correction values based on data from a single measurement when these figures need data from multiple measurements.

The concerned power unit is the 4.0-liter diesel engine model ‘N04C (with HC-SCR system) used in Toyota Dyna trucks. Approximately 19,000 units are affected. After the findings were made public, Hino suspended shipments of the 2-ton Toyota Dyna (Cargo and Dump models) and apologized to their clients for any inconvenience caused by the delay in the delivery of their trucks.

Hino is currently working on identifying whether their other engines have exceeded other emission gas regulation values, especially units that have been sold and delivered to customers.

“We consider it an extremely grave matter that further wrongdoings have been found this time through an on-site inspection by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism,” Hino said in a statement.

This issue affects Toyota directly as Hino is an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) supplier and its parent company.

"As the parent company as well as a shareholder of Hino Motors Ltd., we are extremely disappointed that Hino has once again betrayed the expectations and trust of its stakeholders with the revelation of a new round of wrongdoings. Having continued several wrongdoings in the area of engine certification, Hino is now in a situation where it is questioned whether the company will be trusted by its stakeholders. Based on this recognition, we will closely watch whether Hino can be reborn as a company worthy of the trust of its stakeholders," said Akio Toyoda, President and Representative Director of Toyota Motor Corporation.