Toyota Land Cruiser Diesel Problems

Warranty coverage on all brands is compromised when you move away from standard equipment. You might believe something will enhance a vehicle but, because it is not developed and tested to warranty standards by the manufacturer, they will not give coverage.

The computer is detecting a problem and sending the car into limp home mode, which explains the lack of power when it happens. Turning the ignition off and restarting it resets the computer, so it will drive normally. It's not possible to say what is causing the problem, but it's likely to be a sensor, perhaps the oxygen sensor, or an electrical connection.

Toyota Australia spokesman Stephen Coughlan says a filter change is part of the 40,000km service. He also says the most likely cause of your problem is dirty fuel, which is common in remote areas, and agrees a spare filter is a good precaution for any vehicle tackling a long run in the Outback.

It’s not normal to get black smoke under acceleration, that suggest it’s being over-fuelled and should be looked into. Aftermarket chips can be worthwhile, but they generally take the engine closer to the limit than does the factory chip, so you need to find an installer who can be trusted to do the job well. I wouldn’t do it on your car until the warranty runs out, and then consider it.

You’re buying a high mileage car so be careful to check the condition of the engine and driveline and walk away if there’s any suspicion they’re close to worn out. There’s little difference between the Landcruiser and the Patrol, but avoid the 3.0-litre turbo diesel Patrol as it has engine issues.

I wouldn't be doing the fuel pump and injectors; it doesn't seem likely that that will solve the problem. I would be focusing on the drive side of the vehicle, I reckon it's a vehicle speed related problem, perhaps a wheel bearing.

I’ve done some digging and Toyota has always had 10,000km service intervals, which can be annoying despite value in the capped-price servicing. Company spokesman Mike Breen says if you have a “doctored” service book he would be keen to investigate for you.

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

There are kits available for your Landcruiser. You best bet is to talk to a local diesel engine mechanic to find out the best kit for your application.

The Toyota LandCruiser is one of those vehicles that defies conventional wisdom by being super long-lived. It kind of depends on which model LandCruiser you’re talking about, but if it’s a diesel-engined version, there’s every chance that it still has lots of life left in it at 320,000km.

That presumes, of course, that it has been serviced correctly and has not been used to drag an excavator on a trailer at 110km/h every day of its life. Any vehicle with this many kilometres needs a very careful pre-purchase inspection but, being a LandCruiser, the cost of this inspection is warranted where it may not be on many other makes and models.