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Before you buy a used Toyota iQ.

2009–2015 · Petrol / Diesel · 2 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

Toyota iQ, real photo of this generation
Vauxford · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 2 of its engines.

1.0 / 1.33 VVT-i

Petrol

  • Water pump and clutch on the 1.0 VVT-i (1KR-FE)Cooling
    Period mentioned
    Approx. 2005–2011
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.

    Applies if: Only the 1.0 VVT-i three-cylinder (1KR-FE).

  • Oil consumption on the 1.33 Dual VVT-i (1NR-FE)Engine
    Period mentioned
    Approx. 2008–2013
    Mileage mentioned
    What the sheet says: The oil level drops between services (more than half a litre per 1,000 km and up to a litre or more), usually from 150,000–200,000 km; bluish smoke.

    Applies if: Only the 1.33 Dual VVT-i (1NR-FE).

1.4 D-4D

Diesel

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Toyota iQ
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
1.0 / 1.33 VVT-iPetrol33 with conditions3
1.4 D-4DDieselFewest documented21 with conditions3

According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 1.4 D-4D (Diesel).

By fuel type, the one with the fewest documented faults is: Diesel.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official Toyota dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
Toyota brake recalls (2000–2025)Brakes

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

View full entry
Toyota steering recalls (2004–2018)Steering

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

View full entry
Toyota engine, transmission and software recalls (2002–2026)Powertrain and engine management

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

View full entry

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 4 checked

Injection / turbo

  • Look out for: Hard starting, rough idle, smoke and loss of power; noise or vibration from the flywheel when starting and releasing the clutch; oil consumption.

    Ask them to check: Read the codes, run an injector back-leak test and check the EGR. Listen to the flywheel at idle with the clutch released. Measure oil consumption.

Brakes

  • Look out for: Vibration in the steering wheel and the pedal when braking, even gently and at any speed, often shortly after wheels, pads or discs were changed.

    Ask them to check: Ask the garage to loosen and re-tighten the nuts with a torque wrench, to the manual's torque and in a star pattern, and to measure whether the discs have been left warped; if so, they will need skimming or replacing.

Cooling

  • Look out for: Coolant loss with coloured residue next to the pump and rising temperature; a clutch that slips or squeals and hard gear changes earlier than normal.

    Ask them to check: Look for dried coolant residue under the pump and watch the level. Test the clutch pulling away on a hill; if it is replaced, ask for the improved version.

Engine

  • Look out for: The oil level drops between services (more than half a litre per 1,000 km and up to a litre or more), usually from 150,000–200,000 km; bluish smoke.

    Ask them to check: Check the history for oil top-ups or replaced pistons; measure consumption between two changes and check the spark plugs.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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