Shine Lawyers has filed an application to bring a class action on behalf of Toyota vehicle owners in New Zealand who suffered financial loss due to a defective Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) System.
If you purchased a Toyota Hilux, Fortuner or Prado model manufactured from 1 October 2015, you may be eligible for compensation, and are encouraged to register for this action.
What is the Toyota DPF Action about?
This action aims to determine whether New Zealand Toyota customers who purchased a Hilux, Fortuner or Prado vehicles with a 1GD-FTV or 2GD-FTV diesel engine deserve to be compensated for losses suffered as a result of defective Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Systems. The effects of a faulty DPF include poor fuel efficiency, offensive-smelling exhaust emissions, excessive white smoke and persistent warning notifications.
It is alleged that the Toyota Hilux, Fortuner and Prado vehicles manufactured with a 1GD-FTV or 2GD-FTV diesel engine were not of acceptable quality, and that Toyota NZ engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct in marketing and selling vehicles with faulty DPFs.
If you acquired a Hilux, Fortuner or Prado vehicle* manufactured from 1 October 2015, you may be eligible for financial compensation for the following costs:
- Reduction of value;
- Inspection fees, services and repairs; and
- Lost income in circumstances where the vehicle could not be used for business whilst defects were being fixed.
*Including exchanging, or taking on a lease or on hire-purchase.
Can I join the Toyota DPF Action?
To be a part of this action, you must have acquired a Toyota Hilux, Fortuner, or Prado that was manufactured from 1 October 2015 fitted with a 1GD-FTV engine or 2GD-FTV engine.
If you meet this criteria, you may be entitled to compensation, and you are encouraged to register for the Toyota DPF Action.
How to register for the Toyota DPF Action
To register on a confidential, no-cost, no-obligation basis, please click the button below and fill out the form. If you have any questions, please contact us on 0800 140 004 .
Who is Shine Lawyers’ New Zealand Action team?
Shine Lawyers is a specialist litigation firm predominantly representing plaintiffs. Shine Lawyers’ associated company in Australia is one of the largest class action and plaintiff litigation firms in the Australian market. Vicky Antzoulatos, Joint Head of Class Actions and Hamish Davies, Senior Associate will lead the Toyota DPF Action, with support from the experienced litigators, solicitors and support staff across New Zealand and Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the common Toyota DPF problems?
The effects of a faulty diesel participate system (DPF) in the Hilux, Fortuner and Prado ranges fitted with a 1GD-FTV engine or 2GD-FTV engines include:
- Excessive white smoke
- Poor fuel efficiency
- Foul-smelling exhaust
- DPF notification display on an excessive number of occasions or for an excessive period of time.
Which Toyota models have DPF issues?
The Toyota motor vehicles impacted by the DPF issues have been identified as the Hilux, Fortuner and Prado ranges fitted with a 1GD-FTV engine or 2GD-FTV engine, which were manufactured from 1 October 2015.
How do class actions work?
When large companies or institutions do the wrong thing and people are harmed or suffer loss as a result, an individual can have little to no means of bringing a legal claim. Class actions are an important mechanism within New Zealand’s legal system that allow large groups of people to come together to pursue a claim collectively.
Also known as a representative proceeding, class actions involve filing one legal proceeding on behalf of a large group of people who have suffered the same kind of losses or have similar interests. When a class action is successful, the legal fees and costs to run the class action are deducted from the settlement amount that is approved by the Court.
How long do class actions take to resolve?
It can take up to several years for a class action to resolve. The time taken from case commencement through to resolution and settlement administration depends on the particular case, and the nature of the claim.
Will I have to pay anything if the class action is not successful?
No. Australian litigation funder, Court House Capital is funding this action on a success fee basis, with no out of pocket cost to the plaintiffs. This means that in the event the action is unsuccessful, there will be no out-of-pocket costs to you.
Does it cost anything to join a class action?
Shine Lawyers and Court House Capital are committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background or financial situation, has access to justice. We run our class actions in a way that means you are not exposed to any costs or financial risk, so joining a action will cost you nothing.
How much compensation could I claim?
While it is not possible to accurately estimate how much can be claimed at this stage, we are looking to recover costs incurred by you because of the defective diesel particulate filter system, including:
- Reduction of value for on sale;
- Inspection fees, services and repairs; and
- Lost income in circumstances where the vehicle could not be used for business whilst defects were being fixed.
