IDENTIFYING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MODELS

The Toyota Landcruiser Prado was first released in 1996.  This model was the 95 series.  They were only released with a petrol engine, either the common 3.4 litre V6 known as the VZJ95 or the 2.7 litre 4 cylinder known as the RZJ95. 

In 2000 the KZJ95 Prado was released.  It was basically the same but with the 1KZ-T 4 cylinder diesel engine.  It was available in both auto and manual version.

The Prado was released in 4 different versions.  The base model was the RV which never had flares over the wheel arches and had the skinny 16x6 steel wheel rims fitted.  The GXL was the next level up and had the flares and a wider 16x7 inch steel or alloy wheel.  The top two luxury models were the TX and then the Grande.  The Grande having leather interior etc.

In 2003 the 120 series Prado was released.  With this model came the release of the 4.0 litre VVTI V6 petrol engine and the 1KZ-TE electronic 4 cylinder diesel engine.  The diesel engine produces 96Kw in standard format and the V6 179Kw.  Both variants were offered with a 5 speed manual or 4 speed automatic transmission.  In 2005 the Prado had a 6 speed manual and 5 speed automatic transmission upgrade for the petrol models.  The diesel retained the 5 speed manual and 4 speed auto transmissions.  In November 2006 the diesel was upgraded to the DOHC 3.0 turbo inter-cooled engine producing 127KW of power and 410Nm of torque.  Also a dramatic improvement in fuel economy down to a claimed 9.6 litres per 100km.

PROBLEMS

To this date the Prado has proven to be a very reliable vehicle in both petrol and diesel models.  The only drama we have come across is the harmonic balancer retaining bolt on the 3.4 litre V6 engine can come loose.  When this happens the front crankshaft gear moves on the locating key-way causing wear.  If left too long the crankshaft groove wears and this means expensive repairs.  The crankshaft has to be either replaced or removed and repaired.

While on the V6 engine, when we have replaced clutches we have found the only problems being the locking nuts on the exhaust system.  The clutch is usually a repair well into the life of any vehicle so with many kilometres under the vehicles belt the corrosion combined with the locking nuts have been challenging to say the least to remove.  Once these are out with no breakages, the rest of the clutch job is no problem.

It is crucial for the timing belts to be replaced on both the diesel and the 3.4 litre engines.  The 4.0 litre engine has returned to the use of a timing chain so no servicing of this item is required.  If the timing belts are not changed at the required interval, major engine damage will result if the belt fails, and it will.  The diesel requires its belt to be replaced at 150 000km and the 3.4 V6 is 100 000 km.

There was a recall on the VZJ95 model for a rear axle inspection and replacement if necessary.  The 120 series has had a recall in 2005 for a crank shaft pulley inspection on the V6 and in 2006 for a brake master cylinder removal and inspection on all models. 

The CD stacker gives problems if not used regularly and is usually replaced under warranty.  If you are intending on tinting your windows check with your supplier first as some tints interfere with the radio reception because the aerial is in the rear side windows.

Dust intrusion on mine and others I have spoken to has been dreadful.  First thing fit a cabin filter, located behind the glove box.  I use an after market brand, Jayair as I think it is of better quality than the toyota one.  I still have bad dust inside to the point where I think it is unacceptable but we have grown used to it. 

Rear diffs will break especially in the 4.0 litre V6 and if you lift a wheel whilst 4 wheel driving.  When that wheel comes back down the torque from that wheel travels back through the driveline and it is usually the teeth on the rear crown wheel which will strip off.  Be careful.

Body cracks inside the front guards just in front of the fire wall and the inner mudguards.  No defined underlying cause but theories such as standard suspension too soft and when it bottoms out to the bump stops, the shock wave stops in the front guards in front of the fire wall.  OME suspension is too stiff and consequently the same thing happens.  Bilstein shocks seem good on both compression and rebound.  Not to stiff but not as soft as OEM suspension.  The cracks appear inside the guards just in front of the second body mount.  A good spot to inspect first if you are looking at buying.  If there is cracks walk away as they are expensive to have repaired properly.  If a second battery has been fitted and the vehicle has done off road work, chances are the mounting points are or have been cracked.  I have just welded mine up after 18 months and 43 000 km.  Pathetic I know but these are just built to softly.

Fuel economy on the diesel is not what I expected and as bad as 15 litres per 100 combined.  I have found to be very light on the right foot, have no roof rack and keep the speed under 100 km/h and you can get down in the 12's.  Frustrating but its a fact.  The best I have got is 12.6 litres per 100 from Sydney to Fraser Island with a roof rack and roof bag.  I kept it under 100km/h all the way.  Around town now with no roof rack and standard tyres I am averaging 13.4 litres per 100.  Not the best but it is what it is.

ARB BULL BAR OWNERS - If you have an ARB bull bar fitted I suggest you do some research with your supplier.  Some are helpful and others are not so.  The early bull bars were fitted with 10mm shorter crush tubes inside the front body mount to so called reduce the wobble.  This has now been revised and the standard length crush tubes are now fitted.  It was assumed the inside front guards crack due to these but this is not proven.  Mine was fitted with the shorter crush tubes and instead of pulling everything down tight the nut ran out of thread and the front body mounts were loose causing an annoying rattle.  When I went to remove them moisture had got in and they had seized up.  It took me 5 hours to remove them with perseverance and cutting with a grinder.  I fitted new body mount bolts and I also fitted a large flat shock washer above the upper body mount to give the mounting a bit more to bite down on.  Bull bar wobble is dramatically reduced and the annoying rattle is gone.  To check which crush tubes you have fitted, get under the vehicle in front of the front wheel.  Look up to the front of the chassis where the front body mount is.  If the lower rubber mount is crushed up and alot shorter than the upper mount you have the shorter crush tubes.  Go and see ARB.  If both upper and lower mounts look about the same length and the upper ridges of the lower mount aren't crushed up, you are OK.

DASH PROBLEMS

The 95 series Prado has dash mounting problems, although we haven't experienced one yet.  We have heard of reports where the dash has actually fallen off over rough roads.  Toyota dealers have been known to be constantly tightening dash mountings up to rectify the squeaks and rattles.

My 120 Prado had a constant dash squeak, like two rubber components rubbing together, over the corrugated roads.  It wasn't very loud but definitely noticeable.  Since returning home I haven't noticed it coming back.

WARRANTY

The Prado is not known to have too many problems requiring warranty repairs.  The leather steering wheels have been known to be replaced due to wear.  The standard warranty on these vehicles is 3 years/100 000 km however they do opt for an extended warranty up to 5 years/150 000 km.  You do have to pay for the extended warranty and it has to be renewed before the standard warranty expires, and is a good option.

ENGINE MODIFICATIONS

The 1KZ-TE engine has plenty of low down torque but tends to run out of puff in free way conditions.  It is quite thirsty compared to what I expected it to be.  There are a few after market devices which are a piggy back system which remaps the fuel delivery giving a wider torque range.  I have driven a Nissan Patrol with and without one and they do make a significant difference.  Devices such as Safari D-Tronic and Tune-It systems are readily available fitted for around the $1500.00 mark.  Even though they make the vehicle pull better, I would think there would be a warranty issue if something was to go wrong.  Whether to fit one or not is up to the individual.  For the record I don't have one fitted to mine and what the future holds I can't say as yet.

RECALLS

The early 120 series petrol engine model was recalled for an inspection of the front crankshaft retaining bolt.  From memory the inspection was for an oil leak at the seal and a locking set up of the front retaining bolt.  Most should have been done by now.

BODY PROBLEMS

The early 120 series have had a drama with the spare wheel cover, mounted on the rear door, rubbing on the door body panel causing bare metal to show and potentially resulting in rust forming.  Some Toyota dealers have been rectifying this with a sponge product by sticking it to the body panel.  I had the spare wheel off my 120 which is a June 2005 model and the sponge is already fitted.  I would say Toyota have recognised the problem and rectified it.  It would pay to take your spare wheel off and then remove the plastic tray on the bottom by removing the three 10mm head retaining bolts and giving your rear panels a good inspection.

Fitting of the factory alloy bull bar has caused a problem with water ingress into the air intake.  When the factory bull bar is fitted the inner splash guard has to be modified and reports of this constantly coming loose is common.  The fitting of an air snorkel will alleviate the water ingress problem but this is not an option for some.

SUSPENSION MODIFICATIONS

Both models run a live rear axle with coil springs.  Upper and lower locating arms.

Front suspension consists of independent coil spring with upper and lower control arms.  The front shocks are a Macpherson Strut set up or commonly known as a coil over shock set up.  The 120 series has an estimated 25mm longer suspension travel than the earlier 95 series.

The Prado benefits with a suspension lift especially if you are going to do some off road work.  Both models have several manufacturers of after market suspension kits available.  If you are looking for some better off road ability on a standard vehicle go for a set of medium strength lifted springs front and rear.  This will give you approximately 40mm lift in the front and 50mm lift in the rear.  If you have items such as steel bull bars and winches I suggest you go for a heavy duty front spring.  If you carry the regular off road gear in the rear I would go for an air bag helper inside the rear springs.  These are available from both Poly Air and Firestone Coil Rites.

The Standard Toyota shocks are quite a good product and I have left them in mine for the time being.  Reports of the Lovell springs and Bilstein shock set ups are working really well but they are expensive.  For an example my own 120 series, pictured above, had medium Lovell springs fitted front and rear.  I ended up with 40mm lift in the front and 50mm in the rear.  Once I fitted the ARB steel winch bar, winch and dual batteries I was down to only a 10mm lift.  I have since fitted heavy duty front springs and I am back to my 40mm lift.  The rear seems to carry the weight quite well as I am still at 50mm lift and I have fitted rear drawers, fridge, water tank 45litre and camping gear.  I have the Firestone Coil Rites ordered just in case as in my opinion the heavy duty rear springs will make the ride too firm. 

I can now report on the suspension after my Simpson Desert Trip.  The standard Toyota shocks performed well but are a little soft for the extra weight of touring.  They do bounce a little but I never experienced fade or failure during 4500km of dirt road.  The Lovell springs carried the weight with no problems and the air bags weren't required although they did help with body roll and sway whilst crossing sand dunes.    I will be fitting Bilsteins some time in the near future.

I have now fitted Bilstein shocks to the front as the front Lovell springs settled after my 8500km desert trip.  The Bilstein shocks have three height settings for the spring mounting plate for fine height adjustment.  I have set mine in the middle still with the heavy duty springs.  I like the way it now sits, level front to back.  The Bilsteins have given me a slightly firmer ride than the Toyota shocks and I am very happy with it.

TYRE/RIM COMBINATIONS

The 120 series GXL model and up were fitted with a 17x7.5 inch alloy rims with 265/65x17 tyres.  You can also use ROH Trak II rims.  I think the 65 series tyre gives the Prado a very firm ride on average bitumen roads.  I have experimented in lowering front tyre pressures to improve the ride but this increased tyre wear on the edges.  The GX base model 120 has 17x6 steel rims fitted with 225/70x17 tyres.

Although not recommended you can get the earlier 95 series 16 inch wheel onto the later 120 series Prado.  I have fitted 16x7 inch steel rims to the rear with no problems.  I had to file down the casting marks on the front callipers to fit these wheels onto the front.  I have put 265/75x16 Goodyear Wrangler MTR tyres on these rims.  I do notice that on full lock the tyre just rubs the mudflaps on the front slightly.  I expect this to not cause any problems.  I wouldn't go any bigger as the 265/75x16's are readily available and quite reasonably priced compared to the 17 inch tyres.  The ride has improved but the speedo is out slightly.  The speedo reads slower than what you are going so always compensate for this.

LINKS

Further links can be found at http://www.lcool.org/technical/120_series/120_series_technical.html or  http://www.lcool.org/technical/technical.html

CONCLUSION

The 120 series Prado is an extremely comfortable and quiet vehicle to drive.  With a few suspension upgrades it becomes a very capable off road or touring vehicle.  With 180 litres of fuel capacity and the economy of the diesel engine over the petrol, it is quite an attractive option as the price difference between the petrol and diesel is minimal.  The diesel is a little thirsty over extended periods.  16.1 litres per 100km over an 8000km Simpson Desert trip.  The 4.0 VVTI V6 is a modern up-to-date vehicle which produces plenty of power.  The diesel engine is getting a little long in the tooth and is under powered compared to its competitors but is tried, tested and proven.  With the size of the fuel tanks the way they are, the spare wheel has to be carried on the rear door and as a touring vehicle this leaves no room for a second spare.  Speaking from experience going down from an 80 series Landcruiser to the Prado, I have found you have to pack a little more wisely but the second spare is impossible for me to carry.  The roof carrying capacity is down to 100 kg compared to the Landcruiser's 150 kg.  Apart from this, it is a bit lightly built and does suffer from body cracks but is highly recommended and a capable 4wd which is  competitively priced.  Wives have often stated that it is an easy car to drive around town and to park in the local shopping centre.  Rear visibility is not the best because of the rear mounted spare but excellent large side mirrors makes rear vision acceptable.

Last updated 22/04/2007 21:53.

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Note:-  All comments are our opinions only and have been a result of our experience through our workshop repairs, testing and our customers comments and failures.