@Toyota: Model Certification Revoked for Daihatsu Vehicles

It was announced today that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) revoked the model certifications of three vehicles produced by Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (Daihatsu). The affected models are the Toyota TOWN ACE TRUCK (models: 5BF-S403U, 5BF-S413U), Daihatsu Gran Max, and Mazda BONGO. The TOWN ACE TRUCK, which Daihatsu produces for Toyota, is a vehicle that has been used for daily transportation and can be customized to suit the customer’s needs and preferences, such as by arranging the truck bed, making it a one-of-a-kind vehicle that has been well received.
We would like to express our sincere apologies for the inconvenience and concern this revocation will cause to all stakeholders, including customers who have been waiting for customization, suppliers, and dealers.

When model certification testing is conducted, fully developed vehicles and parts for mass production should be used so that customers can drive their vehicles with peace of mind. However, the airbags of the affected vehicles were tested without the use of mass-produced parts. We recognize that the severe measure of revocation was taken in light of the fact that the preconditions for certification testing were not followed.

We have confirmed that the revocation will affect only new vehicles which have been shipped and sold. In addition, Daihatsu has conducted technical verification and safety confirmation and confirmed that the affected models meet safety performance standards. Therefore, customers who are already driving such vehicles can continue to use them without any problem, and there will be no direct impact on vehicle inspections.

Together with Daihatsu, we will continue to sincerely address the concerns of our customers, suppliers, dealers, and all related parties. We will also take the revocation order from MLIT seriously and will work toward the revitalization and reform of Daihatsu.