Before you buy a used Toyota Land Cruiser (J120).
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.
The essentials.
- 2 documented, sourced faults across its 2 engines.
- That is not much data: if no other faults show up here, it does not mean it has none.
- 1 of them depends on the equipment or the production date: ask what this car has.
- 3 official recalls on record: ask for the chassis number (VIN) and confirm they have been done.
- According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 4.0 V6 (Petrol).
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.
- Period mentioned
- 2003–2009
- Mileage mentioned
- The sheet does not mention a mileage.
Applies if: Weak points of this model from inspections, breakdown statistics and recalls; anything specific to one engine is stated in the sheet.
4.0 V6
Petrol
We have no faults specific to this engine, only those common to every version.
3.0 D-4D
Diesel
- Injector seats and cracked pistons on the 3.0 D-4D (1KD-FTV)Injection / turbo
- Period mentioned
- Approx. 2005–2015
- Mileage mentioned
- The sheet does not mention a mileage.
Which engine has the fewest documented faults?
| Engine | Documented faults | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0 V6PetrolFewest documented | 11 with conditions | 3 |
| 3.0 D-4DDiesel | 21 with conditions | 3 |
According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 4.0 V6 (Petrol).
By fuel type, the one with the fewest documented faults is: Petrol.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 airbag and seat-belt recalls (2003–2024)Airbags and seat belts
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 entryToyota 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 entryToyota fuel-system recalls (2002–2026)Fuel system
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 entryOn 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 2 checked
Injection / turbo
Look out for: Rattle when cold, rough idle, smoke and blow-by; dirty, sludgy oil and, if the oil pickup blocks, serious engine failure.
Ask them to check: Check for blow-by at the oil filler cap, test the injectors (back-leak test) and inspect their seats; clean the pickup screen if the oil is sludgy.
Known weak points
Look out for: Cracks in the dashboard starting on the passenger side and spreading; the rear door skin (carrying the spare wheel) splits along the hinge side; on the V6, real consumption well above the official figure (up to 18 l/100 km against 13.6).
Ask them to check: Look at the dashboard and the door skin near the hinges; on the diesel, check through the sump plug with a probe for carbon on the oil pick-up.
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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