Toyota LandCruiser Prado common problems: what to check before you buy
Credov's researched list of the 7 faults the Toyota LandCruiser Prado is known for (2009–2015), 7 of them serious or costly. Each one says what to look for when you check the car, so you can spot it before you buy. Not every car has these faults: they are the ones worth checking on this model.
Known problems on the Toyota LandCruiser Prado
Copper injector seat washers leak, sludge blocks
Costly if missed
2005–2009 · 1KD-FTV · diesel · Engine
What to look for: Cold start (ideally after the car has been parked nose-down overnight).
Why it matters: A blocked pickup starves the engine of oil and can take out the turbo and bearings, ending in a seized engine (owners have found part-blocked pickups as early as 19,000 km after a seal leak). Toyota moved to revised injectors with aluminium seats from about August 2007. The usual fix is new seat washers or updated injectors, plus dropping the sump and cleaning the pickup.
What to look for: Start from cold with the window down and listen for a hard diesel knock or clatter that fades as it warms.
Why it matters: Symptoms are a loud knock with the windows down, worst when cold, rough or hunting idle, rough running under light load, more smoke and worse economy. A worn injector also over-fuels its cylinder, which is the usual trigger for the cracked or holed pistons these engines are known for, so it is not something to leave. The fix is a set of new or exchange injectors coded to the engine;
What to look for: Listen for a knock that persists when warm, black smoke and low power on the drive.
Why it matters: Over-fuelling from a worn injector, heavy towing, sustained hard load and chip tuning raise the risk. Failure shows as a sudden heavy knock, black smoke, power loss, a three-cylinder shake and heavy blow-by, and usually means a replacement engine. Left unrepaired this grows into a major repair bill.
What to look for: Past 150,000 km with no proof, price it.
Why it matters: A failed belt causes heavy internal damage. Many 150s with 1KD are now at or past this point. Left unrepaired this grows into a major repair bill.
2015–2024 · 1GD-FTV · diesel · Exhaust and emissions
What to look for: Look for a DPF warning light and white smoke or a strong raw-diesel smell at idle and after the drive.
Why it matters: Incomplete regenerations can also wash diesel into the sump and raise the oil level. Toyota added a manual regeneration switch on cars built from about June 2018, then a more effective update in mid-2020, and replaced many DPFs. Short-trip town use makes it worse. A failed DPF is expensive to replace outside any warranty. Left unrepaired this grows into a major repair bill.
What to look for: Lie beside the car with a torch and look at the cylinders at the end of the front and rear anti-roll bars.
Why it matters: As it loses fluid the car rolls more in corners and lane changes, clunks over small bumps, may lean to one side and shows a KDSS warning (codes C1851/C1852 for low pressure). The fix is a new cylinder plus bleeding and levelling, roughly NZ$1,500-5,000 depending on the part. Left unrepaired this grows into a major repair bill.
What to look for: Lift any dash cover and look for cracks over the instrument cluster and passenger airbag.
Why it matters: A crack running through the airbag door is more than cosmetic, because it can affect how the airbag opens; any Toyota assistance for earlier builds has long ended, so a replacement dash pad is now the buyer's cost.
Got a question about a Toyota LandCruiser Prado? Ask Credov: a noise, a warning light, a part or how to fix it.
Also check on every car
On top of the faults above, every Credov inspection covers the basics: fuel smell, leaks or filler rust, engine oil leaks, power steering fluid leak, drive belt cracks or squeal, rust underneath: chassis and mounts, engine mounts, engine oil level and colour, coolant level, colour and leaks, head gasket failure signs, cold start: rattle, knock or smoke, rough or hunting idle, engine running hot on gauge, gearbox or diff oil leak, swapped gearbox without lvv and more.
Researched by Credov from manufacturer recalls and service bulletins, owner reports and workshop sources. Repair prices are typical ranges, not quotes. See also fault codes and repair costs.