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Toyota Land Cruiser 1997 Problems

Are you having problems with your 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Used Toyota Land Cruiser review: 1990-2011

Toyota's LandCruiser is a genuine 4WD, not just a people mover dressed up to look tough, but which is nothing more than a car underneath that supposedly rugged body. 

Highly capable off-road, the big LandCruiser is a longtime favourite with those on the land, in the mines or wanting a hard working tow vehicle.

Cruiser has seating for up to eight people, though it is best if the occupants of the rearmost, fold-down seats aren't over large. With all passenger seats in place luggage room becomes relatively restricted. 

Toyota LandCruiser is unashamedly a large vehicle and can be a real handful at times in tight suburban running, particularly in undercover carparks. It’s not only the size of the LandCruiser, but also its large turning circle, that can cause hassles. It has been improved over the years.

But try one for yourself if you've never experienced the potential parking hassles. Despite this, quite a few are used as family wagons, thanks to the spacious cabin and big luggage area. 

The LandCruiser has been around for years, but really took off in the sales race with the introduction of the 80-Series in 1990. It was replaced in March 1998 by the 100-Series then the 200-Series arrived in November 2007.

LandCruiser 200 is a major evolution of the 100 Series rather than a completely new model. Its styling is slightly softer than that of the 100, but its genuine 4WD capability remains under that smoother skin.

The LandCruiser 70-Series workhorse and LandCruiser Prado share little in common with the 80, 100 and 200, so will be the subject of separate articles. The added refinement and comfort of the 80-Series compared with its truck-like ancestors made it easier to live with, but even the 80 is getting on in years now so be sure of its condition before handing over the folding stuff. 

The LandCruiser is relatively simple for the inexperienced owner to take into the bush. Naturally with all the usual provisos of preparation and driver knowledge that apply to all who drive in off-road conditions. Interestingly, the LandCruiser 100-Series reverted to part-time 4WD in its more basic models. 

Most engines on used LandCruisers are straight sixes, though V8s became more common in later years. The petrol unit was originally a somewhat ancient 4.0-litre six-cylinder unit that was thirsty and not particularly quick.

A 4.5-litre, twin-cam, multi valve engine was installed in the topline models late in 1992 and subsequently spread to the rest of the petrol range. It’s a modern unit with tremendous torque and impressive smoothness. 

A petrol V8 of 4.7-litre capacity, as used in the Lexus LX470, was offered as an option in the LandCruiser 100-Series from 1998 until 2000. It's quite thirsty, but beautifully smooth and torquey.

Later developments of that 4.7-litre V8 engine were used in the LandCruiser 200, with the latest being a 4.6-litre unit introduced early in 2012. A petrol V8 with 5.7 litres is also on offer in the LC200. 

Diesel sixes are relatively common on older 80-Series and came with displacements of 4.0 and 4.2 litres. From 1990 the 4.2 litre diesel used a single overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder. 

In 1995 it received a four-valve cylinder head, though it still had a single camshaft. Much better is the 4.5-litre V8 turbo-diesel used in the LC200 – it's reasonably economical, smooth and provides plenty of grunt. The turbo-diesel V8s are big grunt powerplants, making them particularly suited to heavy-duty towing.

Five-speed manual gearboxes are offered in some LandCruisers, but most later models use automatic transmissions, with four speeds in the 80 series. 

There are five forward speeds in the 100 series, and either five or six ratios in the LC200 depending on the model. 

The LandCruiser has plenty of underbonnet and under-vehicle space so the knowledgeable home mechanic can do a lot of their own repairs. 

There are Toyota dealers in all areas of Australia, thanks to the company arguably having the most widespread of all networks.

Servicing and spare parts are generally reasonably priced, though some parts cost a lot more than they should. Remember that these are heavy-duty, commercially-oriented vehicles so even things like tyres can cost considerably more than they do for a passenger car. 

Insurance is unlikely to cause real hassles as the working nature of the vehicle means most companies have favourable experiences with the vehicle, letting them keep prices relatively low.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

LandCruisers that have had severe off-road use – and plenty have – will probably have underbody, door-sill and bumper corner damage. Even those which have only had gentle use away from sealed roads are likely to have scratches in the paint on the doors.

Look for dust in the cabin and boot. This may be caused by windows-down driving, but could also mean leaks around the door seals. Maybe even a twisted chassis due to off-road damage and/or a crash.

Be wary of the engine’s condition if it has done harsh off-road driving and/or heavy-duty towing. Engines are generally long lasting but watch for a smoking exhaust when the engine is under load that may indicate it is near the end of its life. An oil light that’s slow to go out when the engine is started is another indication of engine wear. 

Manual gearboxes on older models are relatively heavy, even when new. The 100 Series and 200 Series are better than the older units. Crunching during downchanges to second and first gears is usually the first sign of problems. Transfer boxes are often stiff in operation even when they are working correctly. Be wary of one that’s too tight as they can be expensive to repair.

Check for signs of salty sand as it can cause real rust troubles. Look for rust in the floor, especially if the Cruiser has had a lot of beach use. Have a professional inspector follow up your initial examination as a hard used example could cost big bucks to be put back together again.

CAR BUYING TIP

While we usually think of off-road use being tough on 4WDs, life in the suburbs with a mob of rough kids beating up the back area isn’t all that easy either.

 

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Used Toyota Land Cruiser 70-Series review: 1984-2017

The 70-Series is a seriously rough and tough vehicle that will cope with the roughest conditions in the country, but it's really out of its depth in town.  It is a big and cumbersome vehicle that needs to be driven with a large amount of common sense in traffic.  But if you want a reliable vehicle for the round-Australia dream drive that won't cost you an arm and a leg, then it's worth considering.

MODEL WATCH

The 70-Series is one of the last uncivilised Landcruisers. That's not to put it down. It was simply designed to work hard.  Built on a ladder frame, the 70-Series came in a range of models in short and long wheelbases with ute, hardtop and troop carrier body styles.

Back when four-wheel-drives were driven by men in hard hats, blue singlets and Blundstone boots, Toyota's Landcruiser was the king.  Underneath it had solid axles slung from leaf springs front and back. It was great for going bush, with plenty of ground clearance and good articulation, but it made for a hard ride.

Toyota offered a choice of petrol and diesel engines. The 4.0-litre overhead valve six-cylinder petrol engine boasted 111kW and 284Nm, and the 4.0-litre overhead valve diesel six had 72kW and 229Nm.

A five-speed manual gearbox was standard, with high ratio two-wheel-drive, plus low ratio four-wheel drive able to be selected via a transfer case. The front hubs had to be locked manually.

The 70-Series Landcruiser didn't have many creature comforts. The seats were trimmed in a hard-wearing cloth, the plastics were simple and basic, and the floor was covered in vinyl mats.

IN THE SHOP

THE first and most important thing to understand is that the Landcruiser is often used by serious offroaders.  Though it is perhaps the toughest vehicle around, it needs proper and regular maintenance to help it survive.  It won't survive if it isn't serviced, so it's important to see a service record. If there isn't one, get a check by an acknowledged specialist.

Rust is a problem. The most common places to see rust are around the windscreen and the side windows, but you might also see it around the roof where it joins the body sides.

It's also important to check underneath. Running for hours on dirt roads can be like sandblasting the underbody, stripping the paint and protection right back to the bare metal, which can then rust.

Caring owners will have moved things such as diff breathers higher to minimise the chances of water entry in river crossings, but even then it's almost impossible to eliminate it.

The 70-Series is generally a hardy vehicle and little goes wrong with its engines, gearboxes and diffs if they're regularly serviced.  Some petrol-engined Landcruisers have been converted to LPG, but be wary of them because they add load to the cooling system.

A regular problem that Dragan Vasic of All Terrain 4x4 has seen is failure of the seal on the transfer case input shaft.  Replacing the seal can be an expensive exercise, but there's a less expensive fix which is often employed and doesn't involved stripping the transfer case.

Vasic recommends repacking the front axle bearings every 40,000km minimum, earlier if you're regularly driving through water, and replacing the swivel hub seals and gaskets as well.

Window regulators are a common failure, but the cause is usually found in the window channels which are often pinched, making it hard to crank the glass up and down.

OWNER'S VIEW

NICK Bywater bought his 1985 70-Series Troop Carrier three years ago to do just that.  As a scout leader, he uses it to transport the boys and their gear as well as go on the occasional serious four-wheel-drive adventure. He knew of the 70-Series' reputation for toughness and reliability in rough and rugged conditions.

A check by All Terrain 4x4 identified a few minor problems that needed attention, but it was otherwise in quite good condition.  It has clocked 327,000km and shows no sign of tiring.

CRUNCH TIME

SAFETY wasn't a high priority for the designers. Their brief was to design a vehicle to stand up in the harshest conditions on earth. Safety simply was not critical.  Mass and a rigid chassis are the keys to the old Landcruiser's safety performance.

THE BOTTOM LINE

ROUGH but reliable wagon. The 70-Series is generally a hardy vehicle and little goes wrong with its engines, gearboxes and diffs if they are regularly serviced.

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