Skip to content
KickTyres
MajorCommonEngine

Toyota Hilux: 1KD-FTV Timing Chain Tensioner Wear & Cold Rattle

1KD-FTV Timing Chain Tensioner Wear & Cold Rattle is a common engine fault on the Toyota Hilux on the 2005–2015 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $900 to $2,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 59 documented faults on the Toyota Hilux.

Vehicle
Toyota Hilux
Engine
1KD-FTV
Years
2005–2015
Fuel
diesel
System
Engine

This page covers the Toyota Hilux as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Toyota Hilux faults59 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

At higher mileages, typically above 150,000 km, the hydraulic timing chain tensioner on the 1KD-FTV engine loses its ability to maintain adequate chain tension, allowing the chain to slap against the timing cover on cold starts. The rattle is most pronounced on initial start-up and diminishes within 10-30 seconds as oil pressure builds. Continued operation with a worn tensioner risks accelerated chain and guide wear, and in severe cases timing chain skip causing catastrophic engine damage.

What you would notice

  • Loud metallic rattling or clattering from the front of the engine on cold start
  • Noise reduces or disappears within 10-30 seconds as oil pressure builds
  • Rattle more pronounced in cold weather or after extended cold soak
  • Possible check engine light or timing-related fault codes in severe cases

How to check it

Where to look. Front of engine — timing chain cover and hydraulic tensioner, 1KD-FTV 3.0L diesel

Arrange to cold-start the engine and listen immediately for metallic rattling from the timing cover at the front of the engine. Note duration before the noise quietens. Longer rattle duration indicates greater tensioner wear. Request the seller does not warm the engine before your inspection.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$900 to $2,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the vehicle ever been noted to rattle on cold starts?”
  • “When was the timing chain tensioner last inspected or replaced?”
  • “What is the current odometer reading and is there a full service history?”

Now check the Toyota Hilux you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Toyota Hilux buyer questions

Is 1kd-ftv timing chain tensioner wear & cold rattle serious on a Toyota Hilux?

We rate it major and common on the Toyota Hilux. At higher mileages, typically above 150,000 km, the hydraulic timing chain tensioner on the 1KD-FTV engine loses its ability to maintain adequate chain tension, allowing the chain to slap against the timing cover on cold starts. The rattle is most pronounced on initial start-up and diminishes within 10-30 seconds as oil pressure builds. Continued operation with a worn tensioner risks accelerated chain and guide wear, and in severe cases timing chain skip causing catastrophic engine damage.

How much does it cost to fix on a Toyota Hilux?

$900 to $2,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Toyota Hilux years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2005–2015 Toyota Hilux. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Arrange to cold-start the engine and listen immediately for metallic rattling from the timing cover at the front of the engine. Note duration before the noise quietens. Longer rattle duration indicates greater tensioner wear. Request the seller does not warm the engine before your inspection. Look here: Front of engine — timing chain cover and hydraulic tensioner, 1KD-FTV 3.0L diesel