Toyota Prado 2004 Problems

The Prado’s GVM is 2850 kg, and it will tow 2500 kg, the maximum GCM is 5350 kg. You could load your caravan up to 2500 kg.

It was a common problem and often reported by owners in years gone by. Take it to a Toyota dealer and have them assess it, and perhaps approach Toyota about repairing it for you. Toyota was reluctant to take action on the problem because they claimed it didn't affect the operation of the airbag. Other than that you could perhaps replace the dash.

It would seem likely that the oil pickup has become blocked, starving the engine of oil. That's a problem with the turbo-diesel engine, caused by fuel leaking past the seal on the fuel injectors and contaminating the oil. The cracked dashboard is also a common problem. If you feel strongly about it you could approach Toyota with a request for a refund of the cost of repairs.

In this case I would be tempted to go for the older car with the fewer kilometres, as long as you were sure the odometer reading is correct.

If you use a Toyota dealer to service your car take it there, if not go direct to Toyota Customer Service on 1800 869 682.

Cracking dashboards have been a problem on Prados of your vintage for a long time, and Toyota was fixing some when the cars were newer. Yours is 10 years old, and from your description of the cracks they have been there for some time now, which makes me wonder why you have left it until now to make your claim. Toyota has in the past assured us that the cracking does not affect the operation of the airbags or compromise safety.

Good news, you can buy the very same tyres to replace your worn-out ones. They are a popular tyre with Toyota owners because they wear so well and Dunlop continues to import them. Buying the same tyres also gives you the chance to cycle your current spare onto the vehicle and fit one of the new tyres to the spare wheel on the back. That way you won't end up with a useless spare that has been baked rock hard in the sun.

The Prado V6 has a chain so there's no requirement to change it regularly as there would be if it had a belt. That's why there is no mention of it in the manual. I wouldn't be too concerned about the radiator hoses, but perhaps inspect them for cracking, splitting or perishing and replace them if you find anything that's concerning.