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Top issues
12 known problems · 2 high
high
Oil filter housing spout failure
4.5L 1VD-FTV (V8 turbo diesel)
high
Oil pick-up plastic strainer
4.5L 1VD-FTV (V8 turbo diesel)
medium
Cracked exhaust manifold (turbocharged conversions)
4.2L 1HZ (NA diesel I6)
Recalls
1 on recordREC-001303
2020-05-12
Defect: Vegetation can accumulate around the underbody and exhaust system when driving in dry vegetation; if not cleared per maintenance instructions, DPF periodic regeneration heat may ignite it.
Hazard: Fire risk from ignited vegetation.
Remedy: Toyota dealer fits modified exhaust heat shields and enables a DPF manual-regeneration customisation mode.
Affected: 22,971 units, LandCruiser 70 Series (VDJ76/78/79) 2016-2020
Official notice: www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au · details checked 2026-09-30
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Generations
Price (AUD)
$25k-$110k
Body styles
Single Cab, Dual Cab, Troop Carrier (78)
Drivetrain
4WD part-time
Origin
Japan
Built in
Japan
Overview
Cab-chassis workhorse. Solid axles front and rear, leaf rear suspension, manual-only transmission. 1HZ I6 NA diesel (1999 to early 2007) was mechanical injection, then replaced by the 1VD-FTV V8 single-turbo diesel from March 2007 through to the end of V8 production in late 2024. Holds resale better than any other Toyota — cult-following ute among graziers, miners and overlanders. The V8 was Toyota's only V8 diesel and was discontinued globally end of 2024 (replaced by a 2.8L 1GD-FTV variant from 2025).
Engines & variants
4.2L 1HZ (NA diesel I6)
Engine
Mechanical NA diesel I6
Engine code
Config
I6
Displacement
4.2L
Power
96kW
Torque
285Nm
Drivetrain
4WD part-time
0–100
~17s
Economy
~13-15 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
3500kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
5MT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Gear-driven, no service required
Pros
- Mechanical injection - virtually nothing to fail
- 1HZ runs forever - 700k+ km is common
- Solid axles, leaf rear, true workhorse
- 3500kg towing rating
- Massive resale - holds value insanely
- Aftermarket support better than anything else
Cons
- Painfully slow - 96kW NA
- Thirsty
- No safety features
- Expensive even very high km
- Hard manual gearbox
Known problems
low
1HZ injector pump timing (very high km)
1HZ rarely fails but injection pump can drift on very high km units.
Fix: Pump re-time by diesel specialist. Inland Australia has dozens of these specialists.
low
Glow plug failure
Glow plugs fail individually - hard cold starts.
Fix: Replace as a set. Easy DIY.
low
Front swivel hub seals
Same as Patrol - swivel hub oil leaks.
Fix: Reseal kit. Weekend job.
medium
Cracked exhaust manifold (turbocharged conversions)
Aftermarket turbo conversions stress the cast iron exhaust manifold which can crack.
Fix: Upgraded manifold. Worth doing pre-emptively if buying a turbocharged 1HZ.
4.5L 1VD-FTV (V8 turbo diesel)
Engine
V8 common-rail TD
Engine code
Config
V8
Displacement
4.5L
Power
151kW
Torque
430-440Nm
Drivetrain
4WD part-time
0–100
~13s
Economy
~11-14 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
3500kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
5MT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Chain-driven, inspect from 250,000km+
Pros
- V8 diesel character
- Solid axles, single turbo (simpler than 200 series)
- Genuinely unbreakable when maintained
- Best resale of any 4WD in Australia
- Strong torque, effortless towing
- Cult following, immense aftermarket
Cons
- Expensive even with high km
- Manual only (5-speed)
- Oil filter housing issues (see problems)
- Toyota stopped V8 production end of 2024
Known problems
high
Oil filter housing spout failure
Cartridge oil filter cap has a center spout that can break off. If unnoticed during oil change, the new filter is unsupported and gets sucked into the oil pump - restricting oil flow and destroying the engine.
Fix: ALWAYS check the spout when changing oil filter. Replace cap if showing wear. Cheap insurance.
high
Oil pick-up plastic strainer
Internal plastic strainer on oil pickup can break and travel into the oil pump - severely restricting oil flow.
Fix: Replace pickup at major service. Pre-emptive job that prevents catastrophic damage.
medium
Injector failure (fuel contamination)
Piezoelectric injectors fail with poor diesel quality - especially in remote areas.
Fix: Fit a quality secondary fuel filter (Racor or similar). Mandatory for outback duty.
medium
High oil consumption (early units)
Pre-2010 1VD-FTVs had a vacuum pump that caused excessive oil consumption.
Fix: Updated vacuum pump fixes it. Verify replacement done on pre-2010 examples.
medium
Starter motor (deep water crossings)
Starter located low in the engine bay - prone to water damage on deep crossings.
Fix: Snorkel + waterproof starter cover. Common upgrade.