Quote:Victoria's EPA received 5,271 reports of excessive smoke from vehicles in 2018-19, an increase of 445 reports from the previous year.
Last year, 339 of those reports were for people driving a Toyota Hilux — the most of any car — although the data does not specify if it was white smoke.
Victoria's EPA did not tell the ABC how many notices it sent, warning drivers to fix their cars.
The NSW EPA received 1,963 reports last financial year, an increase of almost 40 per cent, and issued a record number of 834 notices to drivers with smoky vehicles.
NSW did not break the figures down by car model.
The number of smoky vehicle reports in Queensland almost doubled in the past financial year to 3,169 reports, a 45 per cent increase on the previous year.
Western Australia had 454 reports of smoky vehicles and issued 398 notices to drivers.
In the ACT, there were 38 complaints about smoky vehicles last financial year, up from 21 complaints in the previous year.
There was no data available from South Australia and the Northern Territory, and Tasmania had fewer than 10 reports.
Adelaide driver Mike Stone was given a defect notice by South Australian police in November 2017 for excessive smoke coming out of his Hilux.
He has been back to the Toyota dealership four times to have the issue fixed.
"The first time was after receiving a defect warning from SAPOL [police] after leaving a smoke trail up the southern expressway," he said.
"This so-called fix lasted about five months before heading back to the dealership again."
Mr Stone said his fuel economy fluctuates and his car regularly leaves a big cloud of smoke when he takes off at the lights.
The ABC asked Toyota to comment on the notices sent to drivers, and the issue of emissions.
"We encourage any Toyota owners with questions or concerns about their DPF to contact their closest or preferred Toyota dealer," it said in a statement.
"Alternatively, customers can find out more via a comprehensive DPF FAQ on the Toyota website.
"We are unable to comment on matters before the courts but reiterate our commitment, as always, to helping our customers with any questions or concerns they have about their vehicle."
Excessive diesel emissions 'harmful' to health
Dr Vicki Kotsirilos from Doctors for the Environment said there was "no safe level" for diesel pollutants, and any cars expelling higher than normal emissions were of major concern.
"Diesel emissions are particularly toxic chemicals that are released into the air," Dr Kotsirilos told the ABC.
"When we inhale these chemicals, they can irritate the nasal passages, cause allergies and irritations, they can cause lung disease, trigger asthma in people who have asthma."
Dr Kotsirilos said all vehicle emissions are harmful, but diesel emissions are worse.
"They are a class one carcinogen that can cause lung cancer and can contribute to heart and lung disease," she said.
"Vehicles that rely on diesel, that don't have proper filters, are more likely to emit diesel particulates into the air, and this would contribute to part of the air pollution problem."
Dr Kotsirilos said the emissions are most harmful to people who live, work or attend school or child care near pollution "hotspots" like busy roads or intersections.
Australia has the "Euro 5" vehicle emissions standard, which limits the amount of noxious pollutants cars can emit.
However, Europe and most developed nations have tightened emissions standards to comply with what's called Euro 6, or the more-stringent Euro 6d.
"When the Euro 5 was put in place, the diesel filters were part of that requirement," the ACF's Suzanne Harter said.
"Those filters are required for a really important reason, and that is to protect public health.
"If those filters aren't working as they should, that means that there could be greater health impacts that we would want to accept from those vehicles."
Dozens of drivers have told the ABC the faulty Toyota filters cause excessive smoke and impact fuel efficiency by up to 30 per cent.
That means more particulates are going into the air, and more CO2 is being produced because more fuel is being used.
No progress on vehicle emissions standards
Progress on changing car emissions and efficiency standards in Australia has stalled.
A range of issues are at stake, including the accuracy of emissions testing, which is performed in a laboratory before a car is sold to market.
Bodies such as the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) have argued for real-world testing, which would see cars driven over a 90km loop in a range of conditions to more accurately estimate a car's emissions.
There is no follow-up testing once a car is on the road, even if parts designed to comply with emissions allegedly fail to do the job.
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