eBusiness Weekly
.Toyota designed the Hilux as a compact pickup truck between 1968 to 2004, and from 2004, it became a mid-size pickup truck.
Known for its durability and reliability, the Toyota Hilux has enjoyed massive worldwide popularity for decades.
However, even giants have their weaknesses; hence, in this article, we’ll be talking about some of the Toyota Hilux’s most common problems.
1. Problems With the Turbo
There have been several complaints about the Toyota Hilux’s turbo. The complaints border on palpable absence of power and unpleasant dark smoke emerging from the exhaust.
Some owners also claimed to hear a strange noise from the turbo, which is also sinister. Turbo issues eventually result in complete loss of boost pressure, which is why they require immediate attention.
Possible Causes and Solutions
Below are some of the reasons for the Hilux’s problems and solutions:
Lack of Proper Lubrication
Every car needs engine oil and lubricants, especially for the moving parts, as it helps ward off corrosion and keep them in smooth conditions.
The turbo also needs a regular flow of clean oil to keep it perfectly functional.
When the turbo lacks oil or is supplied with poor-quality oil, contaminants will almost certainly show up and cause serious damage.
Defective Seals
There are some seals between the compressor and the engine, and if they wear out, the oil will leak all the way into the exhaust. Consequently, this will place an unusual burden on the turbo to increase the air pressure.
Eventually, it will reduce the boost delivered by the turbocharger.
Strange Objects
The compressor and the turbine are two of the turbo’s fundamental components. Unfortunately, both of these components have inlets that may provide entry for objects like dirt, small stones, leaves, and the likes.
If this happens, it will reduce the turbo’s efficiency, as the objects often damage the compressor’s wheels and turbine’s blades.
The best preventive measure against this is having the air filter serviced and changed regularly.
Worn Out Turbo
Turbochargers are often expected to last as long as 150,000 miles. However, they may wear out earlier than that, depending on your driving habits and the quality of the turbo. Here, the way to go is to replace the pipe.
What to Do
Not every turbo problem will require pipe replacement; some might just need proper lubricants or air filter replacement. This is why we’d advise that you check in with an auto technician for the best course of action.
2. Truck Having Difficulty Starting
One of the Toyota Hilux’s most common problems is misfiring and starting problems. The often suspected reason for this is a problem with the fuel injectors.
The problem is most common with Toyota Hilux variants that run on common rail diesel engines. Other possible symptoms include strong fuel odor, fuel leak, vibrating engine, and check engine light coming on, amongst others.
Possible Causes and Solutions
Below are possible causes and solutions to the starting problems:
Faulty Fuel Injection System
The fuel injection system is crucial to the smooth running of a diesel engine. It helps supply fuel to the injectors and also makes adjustments to fuel quantity and timing.
Fuel injectors facilitate optimal fuel efficiency and keep emissions cleaner.
Most fuel injectors will last for about 100,000 miles. However, they are vulnerable to clogging and may wear out. Clogged or worn out fuel injectors may lead to engine misfiring or difficult starting.
The solution to this is cleaning the fuel injector or replacing it with a new one.
Defective Glow Plugs
Glow plugs warm up the engine cylinder to facilitate effective fuel combustion. On cold mornings when starting proves tricky, they help in warming the engine cylinders.
So, if the glow plugs become bad or faulty, it could hinder the engine’s performance and lead to misfiring and hard starting.
What to Do
As we have seen earlier, hard starting or misfiring problems are likely problems with your fuel injectors or glow plugs. However, we advise reporting the issue to your dealer or a trusted auto expert to pinpoint the issue and find a lasting solution.
3. Oil Leak From the Crank Seal
The Toyota Hilux has faced myriads of criticisms bordering on oil leaks from the vehicle’s crank seal.
Thankfully, the oil leaks are easily noticeable because they often form puddles underneath the truck.
This problem often signifies a fault with the crank seal, which should be attended to as soon as possible before it worsens.
Possible Causes and Solutions
Below are some of the reasons your crank seal has been leaking oil:
Harsh Weather
The crank seal is made of rubber, and its elasticity makes it vulnerable to excessive temperatures. Eventually, the crank seal would shrink and give out completely, leading to an oil leak.
High Mileage
If you have completed over 100,000 miles with your truck, it is normal that your crank seal gives out. The best course of action is to have the crank seal replaced.
Faulty Installation
A lot of owners complain about the crank seal leaking a short while after getting a replacement. If this happens, don’t be in a hurry to replace the component again. It is likely a problem with the installation.
Installing the crank seal is not as easy as it may seem and it’s better handled by professionals.
What to Do
If you suspect your Hilux has a faulty crank seal, we advise letting a professional check it out for you.
Taking matters into your own hands may be very risky as crank seals are delicate components and are best handled by experts.
4. Difficulty Going Into the 5th Gear
A good number of Toyota Hilux owners have also complained about unusual difficulty going into the fifth gear. This portends a problem with the manual transmission and should be attended to immediately.
Possible Causes and Solutions
Here are potential causes and solutions for this issue:
Bad Synchronizer Ring
The synchronizer ring is crucial to the transmission system as it helps you engage the gear. It’s the reason you can engage your gears and expect them to respond accordingly.
If you have difficulty going into any of the gears, there is a good chance the problem is with the synchronizer ring.
Faulty Gear
Most manual transmissions have gear 1 to gear 5. Each gear has something like a double tooth, which receives the synchro’s engagement with the hub sleeves. However, if these teeth get damaged or worn out, it becomes difficult to use the gear.
Bad Hub Gear
The hub gear is responsible for engagement between two different gears. For example, there is a hub gear between the 4th gear and the 5th gear. If the hub gear is damaged or worn out, it could cause problems for the transmission.
What to Do
If you have issues with the 5th gear on your Toyota Hilux or any of the gears, it’d be better to get it across to a trusted technician.
General Pros and Cons
Below are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the Toyota Hilux:
Pros
Here are some of the selling points of the Hilux:
Excellent Off-road Performance
The Toyota Hilux is an all-terrain cruiser with a type of ruggedness many of its competitors can only dream of. There is a double-wishbone system right at the front and a rigid axle at the back that helps it survive the grimmest of roads.
There is also a Hilux variant known as the 4×4, which comes with a differential lock and auto connect differential. These features will give the Toyota Hilux incredibly smooth traction on difficult terrain.
Diverse Variants
We can’t all have the same taste, and this is true even when the subject is pickup trucks. Thankfully, Toyota took this into consideration by giving you 13 Hilux variants to choose from. There are cab and chassis models, the 4×4 for major off-roaders, 4×2, automatic, manual, etc.
Splendid City Driving
While the Toyota Hilux is a beast in off-road conditions, it is perfect for city drives as well. It is endowed with a suspension system that provides just the right amount of stability needed on city roads.
Hilux owners also enjoy great steering that gives you incredible precision and allows you to maneuver the busiest of roads.
Entertaining and Warm Interior
The Toyota Hilux also boasts a user-friendly interior system that is simple and uncomplicated to control. That includes an eight-inch touchscreen display, Apple Car Play, Android Auto, Bluetooth, USB ports, and six banging speakers.
Top Safety Features
The Toyota Hilux comes with a variety of top-tier safety features that are designed to aid safe driving.
The features include standard SRS airbags, Anti-Lock Brakes, vehicle stability control, hill start assist control, downhill assist control, etc.
Massive Towing Capacity
Pickups are almost always expected to tow and the Toyota Hilux is born ready for any towing services you may require.
It offers a 1 ton (2204 pounds) payload and a 3.5 tonne (7716 pounds) towing capacity, making it a massive load-lugging beast.
Cons
Problems With the Turbo
Truck Has Difficulty Starting
Oil Leak From the Crank Seal
Difficulty Going Into the 5th Gear
