Toyota Aurion: common faults & what to check

Which Toyota Aurion 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.

Petrol

2 variants documented

2006–2012XV402006–2012XV403.5 V6 petrolPetrolDocumented issues6 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Original uploader was Capital photographer (Adam Spence) at en.wikipedia ; edit by OSX . via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

2012–2017XV502012–2017XV503.5 V6 petrolPetrolDocumented issues4 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: OSX via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

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 Toyota Aurion

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 Toyota Aurion before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Costly issue

  Pull dipstick and check oil level against service records to calculate consumption rate.

  See why

  2GR-FE 3.5 V6 Excessive Oil Consumption

  The 2GR-FE 3.5-litre V6 engine is documented to consume oil excessively due to worn or sticking piston rings allowing oil to bypass into the combustion chamber. Toyota Australia issued multiple technical service bulletins acknowledging the defect. Consumption rates of 1 litre per 1,000 km are reported. Prolonged burning of oil fouls spark plugs, destroys catalytic converters, and can cause engine damage if the owner does not top up between services.

  What you would notice

  • Oil level drops more than 1 litre between 5,000 km services
  • Blue or grey smoke from exhaust on cold start or hard acceleration
  • Oil-fouled spark plugs on inspection
  • Catalytic converter rattling or failure

  Typically $2,500–$7,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Test it properly and give it time, because a failing system often works for the first few minutes.

  See why

  Air conditioning failure — compressor, evaporator or a leaking line

  Faulty air conditioning is a commonly reported Aurion fault, and it turns up in three places: the compressor itself, the evaporator inside the dashboard, and the lines and seals that carry the refrigerant between them. The cost gap between them is enormous, which is the whole reason to work out which one you are looking at before you buy. A leaking line or a re-gas is a modest job. A compressor is a real bill. An evaporator means the dashboard comes out, which is mostly labour and is the one that turns a nice car into a regrettable one. A seller who says "it just needs a re-gas" may be right, but a system that has needed re-gassing more than once is leaking somewhere, and refrigerant does not evaporate on its own.

  What you would notice

  • Air conditioning blowing cool but not cold, or only cold at speed
  • No cold air at all when the system is switched on
  • Rattle, squeal or grinding from the engine when the air conditioning is engaged
  • Cold air that fades away after a few minutes of driving
  • Damp or musty smell from the vents, or fogging that will not clear

  Typically $300–$3,200 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Look through the front wheels before you drive it.

  See why

  Warped front brake rotors and heavy pad wear

  Warped rotors and worn-out pads are among the most frequently reported faults on the Aurion, which is not surprising on a heavy front-wheel-drive car with a strong V6 pushing it along. It shows as a pulsing or shudder through the brake pedal and the steering wheel as you slow down, a pedal that feels soft, and in the worst cases a grinding noise that means the pads are gone and the rotor is being cut. Nothing here is dangerous to find and all of it is normal wear rather than a design defect — but it is a real cost that arrives immediately after purchase, it is often quietly present on a car being sold, and it is one of the easiest things in this report to check for yourself before you make an offer.

  What you would notice

  • Pulsing or shudder through the brake pedal when slowing from speed
  • Steering wheel shaking under braking
  • Grinding or scraping noise when the brakes are applied
  • Soft or spongy pedal, or a pedal that travels further than expected
  • Squealing that does not clear after the first few stops

  Typically $400–$1,500 to put right.

• Worth checking

  On the test drive, accelerate gently through the gears and hold a light throttle at 60-80 km/h feeling for a fine shudder.

  See why

  6-speed auto harsh shifts / torque-converter shudder

  Both Aurion generations use a 6-speed auto (U660E) that can develop a shudder or harsh, flaring shifts as fluid ages — often felt as a light vibration around 60-80 km/h under gentle throttle. A fluid service catches many cases early; neglected transmissions can need a converter or rebuild.

  What you would notice

  • Shudder or vibration at light throttle around 60-80 km/h
  • Harsh or delayed gear changes
  • Flare (revs rise) between shifts

  Typically $250–$4,000 to put right.

• Common issue

  Press a fingertip on the top of the dashboard in a sunny spot — a healthy one is firm, a failing one feels tacky or leaves a mark.

  See why

  Sticky / melting dashboard (XV40)

  The pre-facelift XV40 Aurion (and its Camry twin) can suffer a dashboard top that goes soft, shiny and sticky, gives off a chemical smell and can create dangerous windscreen glare in the sun. It's caused by the adhesive under the dash surface breaking down in heat and humidity. Toyota ran a warranty enhancement in some markets, but that has generally expired now, so on a used car it becomes the buyer's problem.

  What you would notice

  • Sticky or shiny dash top
  • Strong glare/reflection in the windscreen
  • Chemical smell inside on hot days

  Typically $200–$2,500 to put right.

Toyota Aurion service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Toyota Aurion. 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.

Buying guides that cover the Toyota Aurion

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