Free Buyer’s Guide
2020 Toyota LandCruiser Prado
A simple guide for buyers with no car knowledge. Do most of the work from home, on the phone. Only go and see the 4WD if you like what you hear. The decision is always yours.
The free guide is below. The full guide is made for this car after you pay.
Most complete
Want the full step-by-step plan for this 2020 Toyota LandCruiser Prado?
The full guide is made for this exact car. It runs to up to 40 pages, with drawings, so you know where to look and what each answer means.
- Drawings of the car, the engine bay and where oil and coolant leaks show up
- A step-by-step walk around, start-up and test drive, with a Yes or No for every check
- A colour on every No that says how serious it is, and a rough repair budget at the end
- Your name, odometer reading and VIN printed on it, if you give them
Which 2020 LandCruiser Prado is it?
Toyota sold the 2020 Prado with a diesel engine only. The engine changed in mid-2020, so ask for the build date.
Ask the seller: "Is it petrol or diesel?"
2.8L turbo diesel 1GD-FTV
Engine code 1GD-FTV · 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic
- Four cylinders, 2.8 litres, with a turbo
- Dual range 4x4: a low setting for rough tracks
- Power figures differ between listings. Check the compliance plate.
Safety rating
- All variants built from August 2013, including updated models built from August 2017. Tested in 2011.5 stars (35.11 out of 37)
As published by ANCAP. Older ratings, tested to easier standards than today’s.
The big-money items
You can’t see inside these parts, but you can ask about them.
Diesel particulate filter (DPF) 2.8L TURBO DIESEL
$$$ (over $2,000)The DPF is a filter in the exhaust that traps soot. A court found it was not designed to work in all normal conditions.
Ask: "Can I see any DPF service or software update records?"
Timing chain 2.8L TURBO DIESEL
$$$ (over $2,000)A chain keeps the engine's moving parts in step. A few sources mention a rattle on early engines.
Ask: "Has the timing chain ever been worked on? Is there an invoice?"
EGR cooler 2.8L TURBO DIESEL
$$ ($500 to $2,000)This part cools exhaust gas that is sent back into the engine. One source says it can leak on this engine.
Ask: "Has the EGR cooler ever been checked or replaced?"
Common-rail fuel inlet pipe 2.8L TURBO DIESEL
$$ ($500 to $2,000)The common rail is the shared high-pressure fuel line. A 2019 recall was listed for a loose fuel inlet pipe. It may not apply to this vehicle.
Ask: "Were all recalls on this VIN done?"
Want to check these yourself?
The full guide shows where each of these parts is on this car and how to check it safely, with a Yes or No for every check.
Get the full guide · $29Regular maintenance
Look for these on the service invoices.
- Engine oil
Keeps the engine moving parts slippery and clean.
As shown in the logbook
- Fuel filter (diesel)
Catches dirt before it reaches the engine.
As shown in the logbook
- Brake fluid
The liquid that makes the brakes work. It wears out over time.
Every 2 years (our guide)
- Coolant
Keeps the engine from getting too hot.
As shown in the logbook
- Gearbox, diff and transfer oils
Oil in the gearbox and the 4WD parts that send power to the wheels.
As shown in the logbook
- Air filter
Stops dust getting into the engine.
As shown in the logbook
- Tyres
The only part of the vehicle touching the road.
Replace at 6 years old, even with good tread (our guide). Alignment every 10,000 to 15,000 km (our guide)
- Battery
Starts the engine and runs the electrics.
Most last about 3 to 5 years
Questions to ask on this LandCruiser Prado
These are for this model. The full list of questions, with tick boxes, is in the PDF.
"Is it petrol or diesel?"
Good answer: Diesel. The compliance plate and logbook say the same.
Why: Toyota sold the 2020 Prado with a diesel engine only.
"Has the DPF had a software update, and does it have the DPF button?"
Good answer: Yes, with paperwork from a workshop or dealer.
Why: The DPF traps soot. The button helps burn it off.
"Has the timing chain ever been worked on?"
Good answer: No work needed, or an invoice that shows what was done.
Why: A few sources mention a chain rattle on early engines.
Words you might see on an invoice
- DPF regen
- The filter burns off the soot it has trapped.
- ECU reflash
- A software update to the engine computer.
- EGR
- A part that sends some exhaust gas back into the engine. Soot can build up in it.
- Timing chain / tensioner
- The chain that keeps the engine's moving parts in step, and the part that keeps it tight.
- Common rail
- The shared high-pressure fuel line that feeds the injectors.
- 1GD-FTV
- The maker's code for the 2.8 litre diesel engine.
Two quick checks at home
All you need is the VIN.
- Recalls: toyota.com.au/toyota-recalls
- Recalls: vehiclerecalls.gov.au
- Money owing: ppsr.gov.au (small fee; check again on the day you pay)
Good to know
- A separate class action makes claims about "defeat devices" in some diesel Toyotas, including the 1GD-FTV engine.
Free guide or the full guide?
Both are for the exact car you are looking at. Here is what each one holds.
| What it holds | Free guide | Full guide · $29 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | About 12 pages | Up to 40 pages |
| The engines sold that year, with their codes | Yes | Yes |
| The big-money items, with the question to ask | Yes | Yes, and where each part is and how to check it safely |
| Questions to ask the seller on the phone | Yes | Yes |
| Service history | What to look for on the invoices | A table for the odometer reading, with the jobs that should be done by now |
| Drawings of the car, the engine bay and the leaks | No | Yes |
| Step-by-step walk around, start-up and test drive | No | Yes, with a Yes or No for every check |
| How serious each problem is | A simple scorecard | A colour on every No, and a rough repair budget |
| Your name, odometer reading and VIN printed on it | No | Yes, if you give them |
| A PDF to print or open on your phone | Yes | Yes |
A look inside the full guide
Four real pages from a full guide for a 2015 Toyota HiLux. We blur most of each page on purpose, so it cannot be copied. Your own guide is clear, and made for your car.
Your car drawn see-through, with the key parts marked
The engine bay, with numbered pins
A Yes or No for every check, with a colour on each No
A rough repair budget from what you tick
General information only, not an inspection of any vehicle. “Our guide” means our recommendation, not a legal rule. Costs are a rough guide. Information current at October 2026: always check the VIN yourself.