Tarago XR50 inspection checklist

Look for: XR50 Tarago is caught up in the industry-wide Takata airbag recall - degraded inflators can rupture and fire metal fragments. A genuine safety issue covered by a free recall fix.

Look for: The power sliding side doors (and their motors, cables and sensors) can jam, fail to latch or stop auto-operating with age and heavy family use.

Look for: The water pump and coolant hoses weep with age on both engines; overheating risk if ignored on these heavy-loaded vehicles.

Look for: The 2AZ-FE is well documented for burning oil past worn/deposit-clogged piston rings, sometimes from as low as 70,000km but more commonly 100,000-120,000km. Toyota issued a technical bulletin (2011) for 2006-2011 build engines and ran an overseas Warranty Enhancement Program (2015) that replaced pistons; AU cars were not formally covered, so check oil level religiously.

Look for: The accessory-belt idler/tensioner pulley bearing wears and squeals (often worse with the A/C on); a seized pulley can shred the belt and leave you stranded.

Look for: Like the 2GR-FE in many Toyotas, the rubber section of the VVT-i oil supply line can perish and develop a pinhole leak, dumping oil - in the worst case onto hot exhaust, a documented fire risk.

Look for: The 3.5L's accessory idler pulley bearing wears and squeals (often noticeably with the A/C running); a seizing pulley can throw the belt and, if neglected, has been linked to under-bonnet fires.