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Toyota Tarago 1996 Problems

Are you having problems with your 1996 Toyota Tarago? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest 1996 Toyota Tarago issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the 1996 Toyota Tarago in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Used Toyota Tarago review: 1990-2015

However the first Taragos were nothing more than delivery vans with extra seats, side windows and a bit of added trim. Toyota decided to make a complete change in direction and from 1990 the Tarago was a pure people mover with all that means in the way of added comfort and safety features. 

Though so-called 'Egg-shaped' 1990s Taragos are getting on in years they are tough creatures and with proper maintenance and driving many are still going strong. However, unless you're an expert, make sure to get a professional inspection as major repairs can ruin your budget.

A weak point of the 1990 to 1999 Tarago is that all rear occupants have to get in and out of a single side door. The all-new Tarago of May 2000 had passenger doors on both sides, as has every model since. A new design was launched in March 2006 and continues to this day with upgrades in February 2009 and July 2012 to keep it up to date.

The Tarago is spacious, with a virtually flat floor throughout. Seating is provided for seven or eight, depending on whether the centre row has twin individual seats or a three-place bench. Boot space is reasonable even with all the seats being used – and very large if the rear seats are folded. 

Comfort is generally good, though rough roads may cause the ride to deteriorate. Handling is good, for a people mover, and it's safe in the way it understeers to push itself back into line if the driver makes a mistake.

The Tarago has good resale value so you will pay top dollar for a good one. Hopefully, the extra price when you buy is is still there when it's time to trade it in. Having it serviced by a Toyota dealer will aid resale price.

Performance from the four-cylinder, 2.4-litre engine is likely adequate for most drivers, though the Tarago will struggle on hills if it's carrying a big load. Have family and/or friends come along for your test drive to add a bit of weight to the equation.

A powerful 3.5-litre V6 engine option for the upmarket Taragos was introduced in 2007. The V6 engine comes with a six-speed automatic and naturally has far more performance so makes a great country tourer with the family on board. 

Toyota offers the option of a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic transmission on the four-cylinder versions, with the auto being by far the more popular. The facelifted 2012 model year saw the introduction of an efficient CVT automatic

Most 1990 to 2000 Taragos have rear-wheel drive, but some had the option of extra grip by way of four-wheel drive. These latter weren't aimed at off-road users, but at providing greater safety on icy and/or unmade roads. As they are heavier they lose some performance and have higher fuel consumption. Not many were sold.

From 2000 onwards front-wheel-drive was used to improve space efficiency.

Quite a few grey imports have been brought downunder. Look for names Previa or Estima on the badges as the Tarago name was exclusive to Australia. Then again, the badges may have been updated to Tarago… 

Toyota's spare parts network is one of the largest in Australia and has operated efficiently for decades. Because of Toyota's strength in country areas, even in the far-distant bush, availability is excellent. If you do have troubles there are likely to be mechanics with plenty of experience, official or unofficial, on Toyotas.

Parts prices are about average for this type of vehicle. Some body parts on the 1990 to 2000 Tarago can be pretty expensive due to their size and complexity. 

The 'Egg' Toyota Taragos are getting on in years so getting parts is starting to become a problem. Specialist recyclers are a handy source of parts for older models.

Toyota Taragos have been a longtime favourite as hotel shuttle buses, airport transfer vehicles and taxis. These may have done some hard work, though to compensate for this they are usually serviced by the book, so ask to see the service records.

Insurance on the Tarago can be slightly more expensive than average but not outrageously so. Shop around for the best deal, but be sure to understand exactly what you are getting for your money.

You may also care to look at the Toyota Spacia, a smaller people mover with quite a few similarities to the Tarago. Unlike the Tarago the Spacia was seldom used commercially.

Check the condition of the seats, carpet and trim carefully for signs of heavy-duty usage as it may have been a shuttle bus in its early years. 

The engine should start easily. Ideally get to it when it's stone cold in the morning.

A puff of smoke from the exhaust when a cold engine first kicks over may indicate wear.

Wear may also show up as smoke from the exhaust when the engine is accelerated hard after it's been idling for a while.

The gearbox or automatic transmission should be precise and smooth in operation, with no crunching from a manual gearbox on fast downchanges.

We have come across more than one Tarago 4WD that has obviously spent time at the beach. Hmm...

Look for rust in the lower areas of the body and in the floor of the cabin and luggage area, though it's certainly not a common occurrence. Vehicles badly repaired after a crash may suffer from rust.

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Used Toyota Tarago review: 1990-2013

Toyota Tarago has been sold in Australia in large numbers since the 1980s. Early versions were nothing more than delivery vans with extra seats, side windows and a bit of added trim. From 1990, Tarago was a pure people mover with all that means in the way of comfort and safety. These are the models being surveyed here.

The Tarago is spacious, with a virtually flat floor throughout. Moving about inside isn't all that easy due to the relatively low roof however, Tarago is hardly alone in this.

Seating is provided for seven or eight, depending on whether the centre row has twin individual seats or a three-place bench. 

A real weak point of the 1990 to 1999 Tarago is that all rear occupants have to get in and out of a single side door. The all-new model of 2000 had passenger doors on both sides, as has every model since. 

Boot space is reasonable even with all the seats being used – and very large if the rear seat is folded out of the way. It's not possible to carry large amounts of luggage for seven or eight people if they are all travelling in the vehicle, but again this the norm in most people movers.

Comfort is generally good, though rough roads with a fair load on board may cause the ride to deteriorate. Handling is good – for a people mover, that is – and it's safe in the way the vehicle understeers to push itself back into line if the driver makes a mistake.

Tarago has good resale value so you will pay top dollar for a good one. Hopefully, the extra price when you buy is is still there with it become time to trade it in. 

Performance from the four-cylinder, 2.4-litre engine is adequate for most drivers, though the Tarago will struggle on hills if it's carrying a big load. 

Toyota offers the option of a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic transmission on the four-cylinder versions, with the auto being by far the more popular. Manual gearboxes could be hard to get out of when it comes time to trade or resell. The 2012 model year saw the introduction of a far more efficient CVT automatic transmission. 

A 3.5-litre V6 engine option for the Tarago was introduced in 2007, it wasn't all that popular at the time as it was relatively expensive, but sales have improved in recent years. The V6 engine comes with a six-speed automatic as the engine's torque, when compared to the four-cylinder, means it doesn't need a CVT. Having said that, one may be in the pipeline.

Most Taragos have rear-wheel drive, but some early models offered the option of extra grip by way of four-wheel drive. These latter weren't aimed at off-road users, but at providing greater safety on icy and/or unmade roads. As they are heavier they lose some performance and have higher fuel consumption.

Toyota's spare parts network is one of the largest in Australia and has operated efficiently for decades. Parts prices are about average for this type of vehicle. Some body parts on the 1990 to 2000 Tarago can be pretty expensive due to their size and complexity. 

We haven't heard any complaints about availability of parts on early models, but they are getting on in years so problems may surface soon. Recyclers are a handy source of parts for older cars.

Toyota Taragos have been a longtime favourite with commercial operators, as hotel shuttle buses and airport transfer vehicles. These may have done some hard work, though to compensate for this they are usually serviced by the book. Ask to see the service records.

Insurance on the Tarago can be slightly more expensive than average but not outrageously so. Shop around for the best deal, but be sure to understand exactly what you are getting for your money.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Check the condition of the seats, carpet and trim carefully for signs of heavy-duty usage, particularly in the back if you suspect you're looking at a onetime shuttle bus. 

Make sure the engine starts easily. Ideally get to it when it's stone cold in the morning, and look for a puff of smoke from the exhaust when it first kicks over.

Engine wear may also show up smoke from the exhaust pipe when the engine is accelerated hard after it's been idling for a while.

The gearbox or automatic transmission should be precise and smooth in operation, with no crunching from a manual gearbox on fast downchanges.

We have come across more than one Tarago 4WD that has obviously spent time at the beach. Beware...

Look for rust in the lower areas of the body and in the floor of the cabin and luggage area, though it's certainly not a common occurrence. Vehicles badly repaired after a crash may suffer from rust.

HOW MUCH?

Expect to pay from $2000 to $4000 for a 1990 Toyota Tarago RV; $4000 to $7000 for a 1995 GLi; $9000 to $14,000 for a 2000 Ultima; $11,000 to $17,000 for a 2006 GLX; $15,000 to $22,000 for a 2008 GLi V6; $21,000 to $29,000 for a 2008 Ultima V6; $25,000 to $33,000 for 2012 GLi V6; $35,000 to $47,000 for a 2013 GLX V6; and $42,000 to $56,000 for a 2013 Ultima V6. 

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Used Toyota Tarago review: 1990-1996

Before Toyota released the space age Tarago in 1990, peoplemovers were fairly crude devices based on commercial vans. The Tarago was the first purpose-built vehicle for those people who had a tribe to transport, one that had many of the attributes of a regular family sedan.

Today’s buyer has a number of capable peoplemovers to choose from, all decent vehicles to drive and with the safety needed to protect the family. Back when the Tarago was new the choice was limited.

The smooth bubble-shaped Tarago arrived on the local market in 1990, replacing a model that was based on a Toyota van with all of the dodgy dynamics that were the norm in vans of that time.

The new series was purpose designed for the task of transporting people, which meant it came with few of the compromises that vehicles adapted from other models inevitably have.

Where the van-based peoplemovers were tall vehicles with a high centre of gravity, narrow track and a layout suited to carrying a payload, the Tarago had widely spaced wheels —one at each corner — and passengers sat low down and inside the track so they had a much lower centre of gravity. All that meant greater safety and stability, better dynamics, and much more comfort.

To help get the centre of gravity down Toyota laid the fuel-injected 2.4-litre double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine flat under the floor. Access for checking the engine’s vitals was through the bonnet.

Peak power was 102 kW at 5000 revs, torque is tops at 208 Nm.

Toyota offered a choice of five-speed manual gearbox or electronically controlled four-speed auto trans, with a column shift and drive through the rear wheels. There was also the choice of a four-wheel drive model.

Inside, there was comfortable and flexible seating for eight. Access to the rear seats was through a kerbside sliding door, or a rear lift-up hatch.

At launch there was a choice of base GLi, four-wheel drive RV or luxury GLX models. GLi came with power steering, AM/FM cassette sound, tachometer, and central locking.

The GLX also had four-wheel discs, alloy wheels, a roof spoiler, front driving lamps, power windows and velour trim.

An upgrade in 1994 added cruise control, remote central locking and ABS to the list of GLX standard features.

The Tarago’s body generally remains tight and taut in the long term, but look for bumps and scrapes that suggest neglect. Rear hatch struts can lose their lift after a while, but they’re easily re-gassed if needed.

Inside the Tarago had hard wearing trim and well made plastics so there’s little that goes wrong with them, but age will always take its toll so anticipate wear on high traffic affected items like seats.

The Tarago’s 2.4-litre engine was designed for low maintenance, important when the engine is laid flat under the floor and access is through the short bonnet.

To keep maintenance to a minimum the engine has a timing chain instead of a belt that would need changing on a regular basis.

It does, however, have long life spark plugs, which cost plenty when you do need to have them changed. Unfortunately it is such an awkward and time consuming job that many mechanics simply don’t do it.

Some owners report a mysterious overheating problem they say they can’t explain, but others claim they’ve found the problem is due to a broken baffle in the radiator that affects coolant flow.

Check the engine’s vital fluids to make sure they’re fresh and clean, a sign they’ve been regularly checked and changed as necessary.

A verifiable service record is a comfort when buying a used Tarago.

Moving away from the old van layout meant much improved crash performance of peoplemovers, and the Tarago led the way with a reasonable crumple zone ahead of the cabin that was able to absorb much of the energy that is generated in a crash.

The GLX got a standard driver’s side airbag in 1993, which makes it the pick of the early models.

Anne Dwyer and her family bought a 1992 Tarago eight years ago. It had done 90,000 km when bought and now has done 260,0000 km with no sign of trouble. Anne says she it has made transporting her family of five much easier. It is easy to get in to and out of, and there is plenty of room left for sporting gear, shopping, luggage or whatever needs to be transported.

John Eliezer brought a 1990 Tarago GLX for his wife, and rates it one of his best ever buys. It is used mostly as a driver-only vehicle, but is fantastic when the family moves about together and is very popular for school car pool runs. John’s plan was to keep it for four years and update it when the lease ran out, but it behaved and felt like new on its fourth birthday so it stayed and to date has stayed taut. Apart from normal service items it has had two starter motors and three sets of rear door struts.

Craig Power has owned a number of Taragos. With four kids of his own, and a steady stream of their friends, the Tarago was perfect family transport. The seating could be quickly reconfigured to take less passengers and more luggage as needed. His 1991 car did 100,000 km on LPG without a problem. In his view, the Tarago is fantastic transport for a large family.

Lindsay Taylor has a family of five and owns two Taragos, one of which is a 1993 Ultima purchased in 2004 and now has 196,500 km on the clock. Lindsay rates peoplemovers as the best format for transporting a family of five or more in comfort. Overall, he says the fuel consumption is quite reasonable at 12 L/100 km around town and about 10 L/100 km on a trip. Even though it is almost 12 years old it still compares favourably with more recent vehicles when it comes to driving position and passenger comfort.

• comfortable transport for the large family on the move

• safe and secure handling

• reliable drive train

• relatively modest performance from four-cylinder engine

• breakthrough design for people movers

Safe, solid and reliable transport for the large or extended family with plenty of room left for whatever they need to take with them.

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Tarago conversion

THE Tarago can be converted to LPG, and many have been. You would probably have to use an old technology system for a vehicle that old because I'm told no one has yet developed an injection kit for that model. There's nothing wrong with the old systems if installed and set up correctly. A gas-injection system is less prone to backfiring because it doesn't flood the intake manifold, but the old systems do the job well if properly installed and set up.

Used Toyota Tarago review: 1990-1996

Before Toyota released the space-age Tarago in 1990, people movers were fairly crude devices based on commercial vans. For the first time there was a purpose-built van for families with the attributes of a regular family sedan.

Model watch

The smooth bubble-shaped Tarago had widely spaced wheels, one at each corner, and passengers sat low down and inside the track so they had a much lower centre of gravity. All that meant greater safety and stability, better dynamics, and much more comfort.

To help get the centre of gravity down Toyota laid the fuel-injected 2.4-litre double overhead camshaft four cylinder engine flat under the floor. Access for checking the engine's vitals was through the bonnet.

Peak power was 102kW at 5000 revs, torque is tops at 208Nm. Toyota offered a choice of five-speed manual gearbox or electronically-controlled four-speed auto transmission, with a column shift and drive was through the rear wheels. There was also the choice of a four-wheel drive model.

Inside there was comfortable seating for eight. Access to the rear seats was through a kerbside sliding door, or the rear lift-up hatch. At launch there was a choice of base GLi, four-wheel drive RV or luxury GLX models. GLi came with power steering, AM/FM cassette, tachometer, and central locking.

The GLX also had four-wheel discs, alloy wheels, a roof spoiler, front driving lamps, power windows and velour trim. An upgrade in 1994 added cruise control, remote central locking and ABS to GLX standard features.

In the shop

The Tarago's body generally remains tight and taut in the long term, but look for bumps and scrapes that suggest neglect. Rear hatch struts can lose their lift after a while.

To keep maintenance to a minimum the 2.4 litre engine has a timing chain instead of a belt that would need changing on a regular basis. It does, however, have long-life spark plugs which cost plenty when you do need to have them changed. Unfortunately it is such an awkward time consuming job that many mechanics simply don't do it.

Check the engine's vital fluids to make sure they're fresh and clean, a sign they've been regularly checked and changed as necessary.

Crunch time

The Tarago led the way with a reasonable crumple zone ahead of the cabin. The GLX got a standard driver's side airbag in 1993.

Owner's view

Anne Dwyer and her family bought a 1992 Tarago eight years ago. It had done 90,000km when bought and now has done 260,0000km with no sign of trouble. Anne says she it has made moving her family of five much easier.

John Eliezer brought a 1990 Tarago GLX for his wife, and rates it as one of his best ever buys. It is used mostly as a driver-only vehicle but is fantastic when the family moves about together and is very popular for school car pool runs. It has had two starter motors and three sets of rear door struts.

Craig Power has owned a few Taragos. His 1991 car did 100,000km on LPG without hassle.

Rating

15/20 Safe, solid and reliable for the large or extended family with plenty of room left for whatever they need to take with them.

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Complete guide to Toyota Tarago 1996
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