Toyota Australia has agreed to a proposed AUD $750 million settlement to resolve two class-action lawsuits over defective diesel particulate filters (DPFs). The settlement remains subject to Federal Court approval.
It covers more than 264,000 HiLux, Prado and Fortuner vehicles sold between 2015 and 2020. The legal action began in 2019 and concerned DPFs that could clog, causing excessive white smoke, poor fuel economy and other issues.
The court had previously found that the vehicles were not of acceptable quality and that Toyota had engaged in misleading conduct in marketing them. Toyota apologized for any inconvenience and said a free technical remedy has been available since 2020.
After legal costs, the final settlement amount will be distributed among eligible vehicle owners.