Toyota may have to compensate customers for a faulty exhaust filter

In a federal court hearing on April 7, Judge Michael Lee found that Toytoa customers purchased defective models and as a result, the value of these vehicles decreased by up to 17.5% compared to the previous year. average retail price.

Customers file a class action lawsuit filed in federal court in 2019. The lawsuit concerns more than 264,000 Hilux, Fortuner and Prado units sold in the new car market between October 2015 and April 2020. The lawyers say that if every car owner were to claim damages, the total amount Toyota would have to pay would be about $1.5 billion.

Some drivers may be able to claim more because they even have to take time off work to get their car repaired, or their car consumes more fuel due to a fault.

The exhaust filter (diesel particulate filter (DPF) on some models of diesel engine vehicles, if faulty, will not work effectively, causing loss of engine performance, increasing fuel consumption and causing foul-smelling smoke. from the exhaust pipe. Some drivers say it costs them up to $70 a week due to rising fuel costs.

The petitioner also stated that Toyota Australia had known about the error since 2016, and caused misunderstandings because the cars “failed to have the durability, reliability, quality, comfort and convenience. as advertised, and the oil filters on faulty vehicles are not durable, reliable and of poor quality.”

The exhaust filter is responsible for capturing soot particles from the exhaust of a diesel engine and then burning it to ash. Over time, accumulated ash can clog the filter, so it needs to be cleaned, restored or replaced periodically.

Toyota representative said that the company is carefully considering the court’s judgment.

In 2019, Toyota sold a total of 205,766 vehicles in the Australian market, topping the chart among car manufacturers doing business here. In 2020 and 2021, the Japanese automaker is continuously the champion.

America – England (according to ABC News)