Toyota Blade: common faults & what to check

Which Toyota Blade 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

2006–2012E1502006–2012E1502.4 petrolPetrolDocumented issues9 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Mytho88 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

2006–2012E1502006–2012E1503.5 V6 petrolPetrolDocumented issues7 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Mytho88 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

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 Blade

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

• Serious issue

  Check oil level against service records and ask for top-up frequency.

  See why

  2AZ-FE Excessive Oil Consumption and Head Bolt Thread Pullout

  The 2AZ-FE 2.4-litre four-cylinder fitted to AZE154/AZE156 Blades suffers from two interrelated structural defects: piston ring flutter caused by excessively narrow ring-land tolerances that allow the rings to rotate and lose seating pressure, leading to oil being drawn into the combustion chamber and burned; and head bolt thread pullout from the aluminium block, where repeated thermal cycling fatigues the threads in the soft alloy and the bolts lose clamping torque, causing coolant ingress and head gasket failure. Toyota issued Technical Service Bulletin TC002-07 and later extended the powertrain warranty on this engine in several markets specifically for oil consumption, and Helicoil thread repair of the block is the accepted remediation once bolts pull. Oil consumption rates of one litre per 1,000 km or worse are commonly recorded in affected engines.

  What you would notice

  • Blue or grey smoke from exhaust, especially on deceleration or after extended idle
  • Oil level dropping significantly between scheduled services without visible external leaks
  • Fouled or oil-wet spark plugs on inspection
  • Coolant consumption or milky residue under oil filler cap indicating head gasket breach
  • Overheating events linked to coolant loss after head bolt pullout

  Typically $900–$9,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Visually inspect the dust boot for cracking, splitting, or grease leakage.

  See why

  Front Lower Control Arm Ball Joint Wear

  The front lower control arm ball joints on the Blade/Auris E150 platform deteriorate with age and mileage, a pattern consistent across this generation of Toyota compact vehicles. The rubber dust boot cracks and allows moisture and road contamination to reach the joint, accelerating internal wear of the ball stud and socket, eventually producing excessive play. A worn ball joint is a critical safety failure as it can allow the wheel to separate from the suspension under load.

  What you would notice

  • Clunking or knocking from the front suspension over bumps or during low-speed turning manoeuvres
  • Vague or imprecise steering feel with the wheel pulling to one side under braking
  • Uneven or accelerated tyre wear on the front axle
  • Visible cracked or missing dust boot on the lower ball joint

  Typically $350–$900 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Pull the dipstick cold before the test drive - a low or dirty reading on a car being sold is a bad sign.

  See why

  Excessive oil consumption from carboned piston rings (2.4 2AZ-FE)

  The 2AZ-FE 2.4 in the standard Blade is the same engine Toyota admitted burns oil in: the factory piston oil-control rings carbon up and stick, sometimes from as little as 100,000 km, and the engine starts drinking a litre of oil every 1,000-2,000 km. In the US this triggered a 2014 class action and an extended warranty (ZE7), but JDM Blades were never covered and any goodwill programs have long expired. Left unchecked it fouls spark plugs, kills the catalytic converter and can run the sump dry between services, seizing the engine. The proper fix is new pistons and rings, which at NZ labour rates often costs more than a good low-km used engine.

  What you would notice

  • Oil level drops noticeably between services with no visible leak
  • Blue-grey smoke from the exhaust on start-up or hard acceleration
  • Oil pressure warning light flickering on long motorway trips
  • Rough idle or misfire from oil-fouled spark plugs

  Typically $2,500–$5,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Start the engine from cold and listen immediately for a metallic rattle from the front of the engine lasting more than one to two seconds.

  See why

  2AZ-FE and 3GR-FSE Timing Chain Tensioner Cold-Start Rattle

  Both the 2AZ-FE and 3GR-FSE engines fitted to the Blade can exhibit a pronounced metallic rattle for several seconds on cold start, caused by oil draining back from the hydraulic timing chain tensioner during extended rest periods. The tensioner relies on residual oil pressure to maintain chain tension; when oil drains past worn check valves or seals, the tensioner collapses overnight and the slack chain rattles against the guide rail until oil pressure is restored. Prolonged operation in this condition accelerates chain, guide, and tensioner wear and can ultimately result in chain jump or snapped chain.

  What you would notice

  • Distinct metallic rattling noise from the front of the engine on cold start, clearing within a few seconds as oil pressure builds
  • Noise worsening over time or persisting for longer periods as tensioner wear progresses
  • Check Engine light with variable valve timing fault codes in severe cases where chain has jumped a tooth

  Typically $500–$2,200 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Inspect rubber bush outer faces for splitting, cracking, and separation from the metal sleeve.

  See why

  Rear Multi-Link Suspension Bush Collapse

  The Blade's independent rear multi-link suspension relies on multiple rubber-bonded bushes to locate the trailing arms, lateral links, and toe control links. On vehicles of this age the original rubber compound deteriorates and delaminates from the metal inserts, allowing the rear subframe links to move outside their designed geometry. Collapsed rear bushes cause rear-end instability, toe-angle deviation, and uneven rear tyre wear, and the condition can cause the rear to step out unpredictably under hard cornering. Full rear bush replacement using OEM or polyurethane replacements is the correct remediation.

  What you would notice

  • Rear tyre wear on the inner or outer edge inconsistent with the vehicle's alignment history
  • Rear-end wander or instability, particularly on highway lane changes or under hard cornering
  • Clunking or thudding from the rear suspension over broken surfaces or speed humps
  • Most recent wheel alignment showing rear toe or camber outside specification

  Typically $600–$1,800 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Cold-start the engine and listen for chain rattle from the top-front of the engine.

  See why

  2GR-FE Secondary Timing Chain Tensioner Wear

  The 3.5L 2GR-FE V6 engine fitted to the Blade Master G uses a secondary timing chain system whose tensioner weakens with age and infrequent oil changes. This is a documented issue across Toyota and Lexus vehicles sharing the 2GR-FE platform including the Kluger and Camry V6. NZ mechanics report this on imported Blade 3.5 models, with cold-start chain rattle that intensifies as the chain stretches further if unaddressed.

  What you would notice

  • Rattling noise from the front of the engine on cold start
  • Rattle that persists for more than a few seconds before oil pressure builds
  • Timing-related fault codes in advanced cases

  Typically $1,800–$3,500 to put right.

Toyota Blade service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Toyota Blade. 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 Toyota Blade’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Timing Chain Replacement Cost
• CVT Gearbox Repair Cost

Other Toyota models