Major Japanese truck maker Hino Motors and its parent, Toyota Motor, have been slapped with a class action suit in the United States over what is described as "alleged historical misconduct."

Hino says a freight company and three other firms are claiming damages on behalf of those who purchased or leased Hino's trucks from the model years 2004 to 2021.

Hino says it does not know the total amount the plaintiffs are seeking to recover. But it says the complaint states that the aggregate amount concerned exceeds a threshold of 5 million dollars.

Hino has been marred by a scandal involving the falsification of engine data, which is said to date back to at least 2003.
The Japanese government has retracted its certification for some of Hino's trucks due to the rigged emissions and fuel efficiency data.

The company was also forced to suspend production at its truck assembly plants in the US and Canada for 10 months from December 2020, after its engines failed to meet local regulations.

Hino has commented it will take appropriate measures to defend itself after reviewing the plaintiffs' claims.

Toyota expressed regret over the filing of the suit. It said it plans to mount a thorough defense, but declined to comment further.