Toyota Prado Engine Problems

I doubt that you have a turbo problem, but you need to have a mechanic check to be sure. A mechanic would be able to find the cause of your problem and fix it.

There are probably hundreds of reasons for this to occur, starting with the fuel system and including (but not ending with) something to do with the electronics that control modern turbo-diesel engines. Other causes can be clogged EGR valves or faulty injectors. You need to have the vehicle scanned to see if the on-board computer has detected the fault and logged it. But don't rule out something simpler like a fault with the DPF or even a dirty air filter. Either way, black smoke suggests either a problem with the air-fuel mixture or the way it's being burned.

But don't ignore the problem as black smoke from a diesel engine can also mean it's running hot and that can lead to all sorts of problems including internal engine damage. Unlike a petrol engine which will tend to run cooler on a too-rich mixture (too much fuel, not enough air) a diesel running rich can easily run too hot.

It’s clearly not well and needs attention, so take it to a mechanic and find out what is wrong with it. Any number of things could be wrong with it, from a simple as needing a service to being worn out.

Before you buy more parts that may or may not fix the problem, have the vehicle electronically scanned. This is by far the most cost-effective way of finding out what’s wrong and then being able to tackle the actual problem. You could spend weeks and months, not to mention hundreds and thousands of dollars, replacing random parts that have no relationship to what’s causing the engine to refuse to start.

There are literally thousands of reasons for the symptoms you’ve noted, so try to finding the root cause before committing to more replacement bits and pieces.

I don’t believe that what you want is out there, and can only reiterate past advice, buy a Patrol/Pajero/Prado/LandCruiser.

I doubt that you have any comeback on Toyota, but have the engine checked by a Toyota dealer for the cause of the failure and then you will have some idea of the possibility of a claim.

Start by checking the basics that control the fuel and spark, such as the coil, plugs and plug leads on the spark side, and the fuel pump on the fuel side.

Start with the owners manual and familiarise yourself with things like finding and using the jack, changing a tyre, checking the engine oil and coolant in the radiator. I wouldn’t worry too much about making temporary repairs on the trip; there are plenty of mechanics that can help you if you strike trouble. There will also be plenty of other tourists who would be only too happy to help a fellow traveller in trouble. Have your car checked before you leave, so everything is in fine working order when you hit the trail. Make a note of the Toyota dealers along your planned route, and if you are going to remote areas make a note of where you will be able to get fuel, and the mechanics along the way who might be able to help you in an emergency.

The brake master cylinder fitted to your Prado uses an accumulator to ensure that there’s always some brake pressure available to enable the ABS braking to work instantaneously and seamlessly. You should be able to hear the pump running (probably the gurgling sound you’re reporting) from time to time, but not every time you press the brake pedal.

You may need a new master cylinder, but it’s also possible that there’s air in the system and it requires bleeding. There’s a specific procedure for bleeding this type of master cylinder, and it’s not the same as that for a conventional vacuum-boosted master cylinder.

In any case, your information that nobody reconditions these units any longer is incorrect. There’s an operation called Injectronics that can, indeed, recondition and test your existing master cylinder, usually for less than $2000. That, I would suggest, is your best path forward. Check out injectronics.com.au

This is a pretty well known problem with the three-litre turbo-diesel that Toyota was fitting to Prados between 2009 and 2014. The problem began when Toyota redesigned the pistons of the engine to help it achieve Euro 4 emissions standards. Earlier versions of the motor that didn’t comply with Euro 4 did not have the same problem.

The piston cracking most commonly occurs once the engine has covered something like 100,000km or 150,000km. It was also most likely to occur in engines that had been modified to produce more turbo-boost or vehicles that had been used for extended periods of towing heavy loads.

Toyota did issue a service bulletin for the problem and began fitting post-2014 engines with different fuel injectors and a revised piston design. Piston failures in these later engines are rarer but still not entirely unknown. Even though a service bulletin was issued, Toyota did not issue a recall for the affected vehicles.