Tips for a new owner

[LC150_2022 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close LC150_2022]

Hello, folks! Writing from the northern european country of Estonia.

Bought a brand new Prado (here it is called Land Cruiser 150) in August 2022 and in 9 months have put 4600 km on the clock.

I have previously owned a Land Rover Defender from 2006 TD5 diesel and had it majorly rebuilt, so got some understanding on how important regular service and preemptive maintenance are. The Defender didn't have a DPF though, only an EGR..

My main problem is that I drive about 500 km a month, drive every day with short trips to work and back. The car (or should I call it truck?) has a diesel heater Webasto installed and I warm it up in cold weather before starting. My main concern is with the DPF filter - how can keep it healthy with super short regular trips with a lot of traffic idling. The engine barely gets to operating tenperature most of the days, so I am changing the engine oil and filter every 6 months to keep the engine clean. But not sure if the automatic procedure of DPF regeneration is enough to actually clean the DPF in good condition for years to come. Sorry if this question has been answered before, couldn't navigate that well..

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

A few tips for you:

1. ask your Toyota Dealer to enable "Custom Mode 2" for you so that you can do manually initiated DPF regens whenever you want (DPF needs to be over 28%). You might not need to use this feature but it is a useful tool.
2. Buy a Scanguage III with Prado 150 OBD codes in it. This will display the DPF accumulation % and Temperature (sensor 2 group 1). You will then be able to monitor in real-time the performance of the DPF.

Watching how the DPF behaves as you drive is useful. You will find that the engine needs to be at operating temperature before a DPF burn can proceed (or resume). In (my) winter this can take 6-8Km of driving, and in the mean time the accumulation will grow maybe 2%.
Lots or short trips in winter will be a problem, but the ECU will alert you if it can't do an auto regen and that you should park and press the manual regen button. You will also see the prospect of this scenario on your Scanguage III when the DPF% goes past 100%. Either keep driving (so that the engine can warm up) or pull over and press the regen button.

[ptommo59 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ptommo59]

Hi LC150_2022,

Yours will be a Euro 6 1GD-FTV so no one in AU that hasn't lived in Europe or done specific training will have much knowledge of this configuration and likely issues particularly with the Adblue system combined with EGR & DPF.

If you haven't seen it Toyoyta EU have an owner publications area Toyota-Tech.eu the same as here in Aust that have additional information on these systems and maintenance. A quick search and two which may be of interest. The first is the servicing/maintenence schedule for the Landcruiser 150 the second the definitions and requirements for severe driving conditions.

6696e068e0d6447596e3cb088b347e84.pdf (toyota-tech.eu)

SevereDrivingConditions.pdf (toyota-tech.eu)

If you are concerned about the DPF levels you should be able to monitor the PM Accumulation % and do periodic manual DPF burns using the Techstream/Scantool/Scangauge 2/Torque Pro App or similar

The Scangauge codes that work here for the 150KW Euro 5 are in this link Scangauge X-Gauge Codes for Jul 21+ Models - Toyota Prado How To's, Technical Information & Reviews (pradopoint.com.au).

If you get a Scangauge 3 it can do the monitoring but cannot do the manual burn as the required Custom Command feature was not included in this version.
(Edit: If you can get your dealer to enable Custom Mode 2 as RPP said you will not need the extra manual burn so not an issue and the Scangauge 3 is an easier unit to setup)

[ptommo59 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ptommo59]

This link has some good info on how the 1GD-FTV engine works and various issues over its lifetime and tech updates (Seems to be periodically updated with latest info).

Toyota GD series diesel engines (toyota-club.net)

[LC150_2022 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close LC150_2022]

Guys, thanks a lot for all the advice! Real interesting links! It is a very good idea to get/install a diagnostics monitor, I remember researching about them for Defenders, but never got to actually installing one.

I was surprised to learn that the DPF is built into the engine - I thought by default that it would be inside the exhaust pipe

I will talk to the Toyota dealer. Toyota has started to advertise their warranty program as extending to 10 years, if the car is regularly maintained at the dealer's. For that reason they are having a little bit of a smug expression when asked technical question about keeping the car healthy. Their attitude is that the cars are super tough and if maintained on schedule they should easily out-do the 10-year warranty period without much costs on their part. Yet, there are many people (I think) who use their LCs for short trips in the city and the insufficient cleaning of the DPF can become a problem.

Am I right to say that the GD-FTV engine doesn't have AdBlue at all? Thank again to everybody!

[ptommo59 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ptommo59]

Hi LC150_2022,

The DPF is part of an assembly at the front end of the exhaust system which has the Oxidizing Catalytic Converter, DPF (In EURO 5 configuration) plus from the info in the links an additional SCR (Adblue) injector/catalyst in the EURO 6 version. So it can be considered part of the post turbo charger exhaust system not the engine, although all the monitoring and control functions are done through the Engine related ECUs.

Check your owners manual as Adblue is a registered trade name and it is also called Urea or Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF). The vehicles fitted with the SCR system have an additional 12.1 L DEF/Adblue tank which I believe is located in the engine bay but could be wrong as I couldn't find any pictures or diagrams showing it on a Prado. The service info in the first link has this being filled at each 15,000 km service on 1GD-FTV fitted models from Jun 2015 on so it could be listed in your maintenance logbook

[LC150_2022 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close LC150_2022]

Hello, Ptommo59, thanks a lot for this clarification. I will check in the manual and talk to the dealer as well. Very grateful!

[Halowun Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Halowun]

A few tips for you:

1. ask your Toyota Dealer to enable "Custom Mode 2" for you so that you can do manually initiated DPF regens whenever you want (DPF needs to be over 28%). You might not need to use this feature but it is a useful tool.
2. Buy a Scanguage III with Prado 150 OBD codes in it. This will display the DPF accumulation % and Temperature (sensor 2 group 1). You will then be able to monitor in real-time the performance of the DPF.

Watching how the DPF behaves as you drive is useful. You will find that the engine needs to be at operating temperature before a DPF burn can proceed (or resume). In (my) winter this can take 6-8Km of driving, and in the mean time the accumulation will grow maybe 2%.
Lots or short trips in winter will be a problem, but the ECU will alert you if it can't do an auto regen and that you should park and press papa's pizzeria the manual regen button. You will also see the prospect of this scenario on your Scanguage III when the DPF% goes past 100%. Either keep driving (so that the engine can warm up) or pull over and press the regen button.

oh, Thanks bro. Nice tips

[LC150_2022 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close LC150_2022]

Guys, yesterday I got 5k km on the clock! Tomorrow gonna be the oil and filter service (coincident, booked the service a month ago). I started to monitor the accumultion of the DPF dirt on the dash as advised (thanks for that tip again).

I wanted to ask what is the consensus on the following:

driving in warmer weather with 10-15°C with the A/C off.. what will be generating dirt faster into the DPF - manual gearbox mode with higher revs or driving in auto in the eco range?

Had this idea today, so not enough time to test it. What is the theory side of this? Thanks to everyone who answers!!

[ptommo59 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ptommo59]

Hi LC150_2022,

I think you are over complicating things and should enjoy your Prado and drive normally for your needs.

The issue you have is you rarely get the vehicle warmed up and run long enough to do a complete DPF burn/regeneration.

So as indicated you should if possible get Custom Mode 2 enabled so you can do a complete burn at home whenever it is convenient for you and the DPF% .is approaching 100%.

Otherwise when your near 100% do a longer drive allowing the DPF to start auto regeneration and let this fully complete before you repark the vehicle.

There are a range of factor that will affect how quickly it will get to 100% such as fuel quality, how much fuel you are using, engine oil quality etc. But as long as you do your regular services and put the fuel that comply to Toyotas recommendations you will be OK.

[LC150_2022 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close LC150_2022]

Thanks for the answer, Ptommo59! You are right, I should do that!

It is an interesting point though that it depends on the amount of fuel used. That means driving in eco should clog it less.. but yeah, thanks again!