diesel rattle in D4D Prado

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Yeahaa! I just got a call from the Toyota service department that my 4 injectors have arrived and my car is booked in for the replacement on the 18th. They have reserved a loan car for me on the 18th and possibly 19th depending on how the work goes.

Can't wait to get this injector swap done as my engine is sounding worse than when they first put the second hand injector in 5 weeks ago.

[masso Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close masso]

Thats right Mav, I am buildng a list of questions to ask at the time of collection. I have only been fielding calls from the Service Advisor lass.. who CERTAINLY aint a techo... so I will wait till the call comes to collect car. Then I will arrive with the list of questions and ask them at the time, writing down the answers they give to each one... (which i bet will bring the senior service dude running to the counter) . I then propose to take those answers and confirm them back to the dealership by email, and a copy to Toyota Australia, to put the matter well and truly on record. You never know, this could eventuate into a class action, as once that warranty runs out, all these "fixes "are gunna be mighty expensive~! If they HAVNT replaced all the injectors then precisely those questions regarding tolerances etc will be included in the list... cause the real crux of the matter...is WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? Until they tell me that... then WHAT HAVE THEY SOLVED BY REPLACING INJECTORS?

If you have vertigo and fall over and break your leg....then is fixing the broken bone in the leg going to cure the vertigo?

[clifton Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close clifton]

Beautifull words there Masso :!:

[Flyman Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Flyman]

How widespread is this problem

Hi everyone, my first post although I've been following this thread for some time. I am about to buy a new Prado GX TD but these problems some of you are having make me think it might be best to stay with petrol (I am replacing a 1997 petrol Prado). A dealer here in Brisbane told me they have seen this problem in about 3% of TDs. I have 2 questions for this forum. Does this sound like a realistic assessment of the frequency of this problem? And second, for those of you who are having problems, if you had your time over again, with the benefit of hindsight, would you still buy a TD? Many thanks in advance for your comments.

Jon

[masso Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close masso]

Let me say Jon, that prior to this incident I was one of the best advertisements for D4D engines. It's quiet, powerful, and frugal. And I came to a Prado from a VY HSV tweeaked 300Kw Clubsport!

Frankly, if they FIX it, then all is ok, if they dont.. we will probably end up in court. You hear lots and lots of stories about the incidence rate. Its higher with the members of this forum, as we actually are INTERESTED in our cars. One of the Techos at my dealer on taking him for one of the many drives to verify the problem.. said he has seen lots of them go through the service section that rattle like hell, but the owners never mention it!

Bottom line, I dont think its a reason NOT to buy, as Toyota WILL find a fix, (athough they have to find the PROBLEM first!) ... as after the bugger is warm... its an EXCELLENT vehicle...

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: How widespread is this problem

And second, for those of you who are having problems, if you had your time over again, with the benefit of hindsight, would you still buy a TD? Many thanks in advance for your comments.

Jon

Quite simply the answer from me would be NO. It is great if you have a reliable source of clean fuel but if your travelling around the outback of Australia there is every possibilty of getting a tank of crap and there goes the injectors.

In hindsight I would have been better off buying a petrol with the option of converting to LPG down the track should fuel prices surge again, which they will do.

[rhs58 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close rhs58]

I'd be interested to hear if there's any D4D's with Dtronic, DPChip etc troubled by this problem?

[Up The Creek Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Up The Creek]

Re: How widespread is this problem

And second, for those of you who are having problems, if you had your time over again, with the benefit of hindsight, would you still buy a TD? Many thanks in advance for your comments.

Jon

Quite simply the answer from me would be NO. It is great if you have a reliable source of clean fuel but if your travelling around the outback of Australia there is every possibilty of getting a tank of crap and there goes the injectors.

In hindsight I would have been better off buying a petrol with the option of converting to LPG down the track should fuel prices surge again, which they will do.

Similar sentiments to you.

I came from a Kia Sorrento (Petrol) that was chowing down 13.5L / 100km, city or Highway, no matter how easy I was on the pedal. Plus the rear boot was not big enough for what I needed.

The D4D, at the time, was a no brainer. Mid to high 9L / 100km in the city. That coupled with Diesel Servo Price being even with Petrol and Diesel longetivity (being what it is) made it an easy choice.

Now with Diesel being around $0.35 more expensive than petrol and with eventual more refinement needed from Diesel (makin it Euro XX compliant & further reducing Sulphur) I can only see the gap widening.

Thow in the issues with Diesel injectors and I'm starting to lean towards petrol with LPG tank. That initself brings up issues, price increase when Excise kicks in on LPG, remote availability & fuel delivery problems, motor becoming finnicky like a lady at that time of the month.

I just hope the whole thing gets sorted out. I'd be pretty Peeved off if 6 months after warranty expires, my injectors and / or pump and / or engine goes. I don't have a spare $5K - $20K lying around to fix it. I was hoping this vehicle would see me out for 10 - 12 years, racking up around 240,000 - 350,000 km.

Leaves a sour taste in my mouth for sure

[mjforder Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mjforder]

Mav - do you have to drive to Adelaide to get the injector's fitted or can they be done in Alice?

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Mav - do you have to drive to Adelaide to get the injector's fitted or can they be done in Alice?

In Adelaide, there is no way I am going to let "They who's name must not be spoken" touch my car. :wink:

The advice from the tech doing the job is that he would be loathed to send the injectors to someone with no experience in how to do them properly.

[mjforder Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mjforder]

Mav - who picks up the fuel bill each time?!?!?!

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Mav - who picks up the fuel bill each time?!?!?!

Muggins me does.

[mjforder Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mjforder]

might be interesting to ask the dealer for a swap-over price for a petrol one?!

Seriously - might be worth getting it in writing from them about their "long term" solution for the issue. I mean, when the car is out of warranty - HM spare injectors will they keep with your name on them for the next 20yrs of free replacement?

[babs Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close babs]

swap over

If Toyota cant fix the problem with D4D, they should trade up everyone to the petrol model with no extra money involved. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

[babs Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close babs]

Noises

Hey guys,

just got the truck back from the 30,000km service. It took a week as the rebuilt engine ( at 14,000km ) had started to leak from the timeing cover and there was S*#t everywhere. Four days to the get parts.....good to see the system working well.

I enquired about the rattle....AGAIN and wouldnt you know it, there is still no official answers for me....but the fix is coming I have been assured.

It is now a race between the warranty running out and the fix coming in.

I will be trying to get someone from toyota to give me a free upgrade to the extended warranty or if that fails it sounds like it will be trade in time soon enough.

Cant risk getting caught having to pay for the continuing mystery noise after the warranty runs out.