LDV T60: common faults & what to check

Which LDV T60 are you looking at?

2 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Diesel

2 variants documented

2017–now2017–nowGeneration2.0 twin-turbo dieselDieselDocumented issues5 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

2017–now2017–nowGeneration2.8 turbo-dieselDieselDocumented issues7 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this LDV T60

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a LDV T60 before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Crawl underneath with a torch: check chassis rails, spring hangers, tray mounting points and seam welds for scaly rust, not just surface film.

  See why

  Premature rust and corrosion — subject of ACCC Federal Court action

  The ACCC took LDV's Australian distributor (Ateco) to the Federal Court in 2025, alleging T60s have a propensity to rust or corrode within five years of manufacture; LDV received over 5,000 rust/corrosion complaints on T60 and G10 models between 2018 and 2024. The ACCC also alleges the 10-year anti-corrosion warranty advertised in 2019–2020 was misleading. The NZ distributor has acknowledged the corrosion concern and moved newer models to a 7-year/200,000 km warranty, but older utes carry the shorter 5-year/130,000 km cover and many are now outside it.

  What you would notice

  • Rust bubbles on tailgate, wellside seams, door bottoms and roof gutters
  • Corrosion on chassis rails, tray mounts, underbody welds
  • Rust around windscreen surround
  • Paint blistering on panel edges

  Typically $500–$6,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Inspect plastic injector leak-off return rail and all fitting connections for cracking, staining, or fuel seeping.

  See why

  VM Motori 2.8D Injector Return Fuel Rail Cracking

  The VM Motori 2.8-litre diesel engine in the LDV T60 has a plastic injector return fuel rail (leak-off line) that develops cracks at the injection point fittings under thermal cycling. Fuel weeps externally from the cracked rail, creating a fire risk and causing fuel pressure loss that results in hard starting or rough running. Documented extensively across AU LDV owner forums and by independent diesel workshops. Replacement with a revised rail is the accepted fix.

  What you would notice

  • Diesel smell from engine bay, particularly after a run at operating temperature
  • Visible fuel wetness or brown staining on top of engine near injectors
  • Hard cold starts or rough idle
  • Fuel pressure fault codes or injector balance codes stored in ECU

  Typically $400–$1,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Ask the seller to cold-start the ute while you watch the dash: note any DPF or water-in-fuel lights during the bulb check that stay on.

  See why

  DPF blockage and water-in-fuel warnings on early 2.8 diesels

  First-generation (2017–2019) 2.8-litre T60s are the most prone to DPF problems: urban-driven and short-trip utes clog the filter, triggering power loss and limp mode. Owners also commonly report water-in-fuel filter warnings — sometimes appearing with the DPF light after refuelling — pointing to fuel contamination sensitivity that then restricts the exhaust. A forced regeneration or filter drain is cheap, but a saturated DPF on an out-of-warranty T60 is a big bill, and LDV-specific DPFs are not a common aftermarket item in NZ.

  What you would notice

  • DPF warning light
  • Water-in-fuel / fuel filter warning
  • Power loss or limp mode, especially after refuelling
  • Increased fuel consumption
  • Frequent regeneration smells

  Typically $200–$5,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Inspect the whole body in daylight, panel by panel.

  See why

  Premature body rust and paint failure — subject of ACCC Federal Court action

  In April 2025 the ACCC took LDV Automotive Australia to the Federal Court, alleging T60 and G10 vehicles built from about April 2019 to November 2024 had a propensity to develop rust or corrosion within their first five years, and that LDV received more than 5,000 rust complaints between January 2018 and November 2024 while still advertising the utes as durable and tough. The ACCC also alleges the 10-year anti-corrosion warranty advertised in 2019-2020 was misleading. Owners describe paint bubbling and rust spots appearing on multiple panels on near-new vehicles, slow warranty responses, and in the worst reported case a ute written off over rust. The eT60 electric model was excluded from the ACCC action.

  What you would notice

  • Paint bubbling or blistering on panels only a few years old
  • Brown rust spots breaking through paint on the roof, pillars, bonnet or tray
  • Rust bleeding from panel seams, spot welds and under door seals
  • Evidence of respray — masking lines, overspray on rubbers, mismatched panel colour

  Typically $400–$4,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Check for stored DPF, EGR, or exhaust back-pressure sensor fault codes.

  See why

  DPF Blockage in Urban or Short-Trip Duty Cycles

  The LDV T60 DPF blocks prematurely when used predominantly in urban or short-trip driving, as exhaust temperatures in these conditions are insufficient to complete passive regeneration. Active regeneration is frequently interrupted before completion when the vehicle is switched off in traffic, leading to progressive DPF loading, power loss, and limp mode activation. Documented by NZ and AU T60 owners using the vehicle as a mixed-use ute with significant urban driving.

  What you would notice

  • DPF warning light illuminated on instrument cluster
  • Significant power loss and entry into limp mode
  • Excessive exhaust smoke during failed or interrupted regeneration attempts
  • Increased fuel consumption during active regeneration cycles

  Typically $700–$2,800 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Look at the ground where the ute normally parks and under the vehicle for red-brown fluid — engine oil is black, transmission fluid is red to brown.

  See why

  Automatic transmission fluid loss and shudder — leaks from breather and plugs, loss of drive

  CarsGuide's advice column states this make and model has a reputation for leaking automatic transmission fluid through breather outlets or plugs that should seal but don't, and the first sign is often the box refusing to take a gear or losing forward drive entirely — several owner cases (2019 through 2023 builds) describe a puddle under the ute followed by no drive. Separately, owners report a shudder when taking off and pulling up, gear hunting on light throttle, and gearboxes replaced under warranty. It applies to both the 6-speed auto behind the 2.8 and the ZF-based 8-speed behind the 2.0 bi-turbo. Driving on with low fluid finishes the transmission, so a cheap leak becomes a full replacement if ignored.

  What you would notice

  • Red-brown fluid spots where the ute is parked
  • Delay or flare when selecting Drive or Reverse
  • Shudder or shunt when taking off and when coming to a stop
  • Hunting between gears at light throttle
  • Sudden loss of forward drive

  Typically $400–$7,000 to put right.

LDV T60 service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the LDV T60. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the LDV T60’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• DPF Repair and Replacement Cost
• Diesel Injector Replacement Cost

Buying guides that cover the LDV T60

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