Toyota Prado 2004 Problems

We have had a number or reports of cracking dashes in the Prado like yours, and we have previously contacted Toyota about it. We again contacted the company following your letter and they told us that their engineers had been working on the issue for some time, but without finding a solution. Further, we were told that the company was assessing each report on an individual basis and taking action based on the findings, and it was suggested that you contact them so their engineers can check your car. I think you can read into that that there has been a problem and the company is fixing cars on the quiet if owners approach them about it. We have sent your contact details on to Toyota, so you can expect a call from them.

I WOULD like to be able to confirm that the problem with the 3-litre turbodiesel engine has been fixed, but I can't. My attempts to get Nissan to own up to a fix have been a dismal failure. All it would tell me is it would take care of owners of any Patrol that had an engine problem. Read into that what you will.

The gearbox is sealed in production and it's not meant to be serviced for "life", but what "life" means is anybody's guess. Oil is the lifeblood of an auto transmission and Andrew of AW Automatics is of the old school, which advocates changing the oil every 20,000 km, particularly if the car is being used for towing. On that basis you would be well advised to have it changed.

For starters, don't take no for an answer. Go back to the dealer and ask that they contact Toyota head office with a request that your car be inspected with a view to replacing the dash.

INSTALLERS say that there are no issues with converting the Prado to dual-fuel. There are a number of quality brands available and any will do the job. Most will offer you a gas-injection system, which is easily the best, but it will cost you more. Generally an injection system will set you back $3500 to $4500.

We have asked Toyota for a response on this issue, but so far they haven’t come back to us. Stay tuned, as we will continue to press for an answer.

Yours is the first report of a problem we have received at Cars Guide. We have passed your report on to Toyota for their response, and in the meantime ask Prado owners to contact us if they have had the same problem.