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CriticalCommonEngine

Toyota Kluger: 2GR-FKS 3.5 V6 Secondary Timing Chain Rattle and Stretch

2GR-FKS 3.5 V6 Secondary Timing Chain Rattle and Stretch is a common engine fault on the Toyota Kluger on the 2013–2020 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $2,800 to $7,500 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 13 documented faults on the Toyota Kluger.

Vehicle
Toyota Kluger
Engine
2GR-FKS
Years
2013–2020
Fuel
petrol
Gearbox
auto
System
Engine

This page covers the Toyota Kluger 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 Kluger faults13 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

The 2GR-FKS 3.5-litre V6 in GSU50 Kluger models is prone to secondary (head-to-cam) timing chain rattle and elongation, typically emerging after 100,000 km or following extended oil change intervals. The primary chain is more robust, but the secondary chains that drive each bank's cam phaser sprockets wear, producing a cold-start metallic rattle that dissipates as oil pressure builds. Advanced wear causes cam timing errors and misfires. Toyota Kluger-specific forums in Australia document this as one of the most common major failures on this generation.

What you would notice

  • Metallic rattling on cold start from engine top end, clears within 5–20 seconds
  • Check engine light with P0011, P0012, P0016 or P0017 cam timing DTCs
  • Rough idle when cold
  • Oil pressure warning if chain has stretched significantly
  • Slight ticking under sustained high load

How to check it

Where to look. V6 engine valve cover area — secondary timing chains on each cylinder head (both banks)

  1. Cold-start the engine immediately after sitting overnight — listen for metallic chain rattle from the top of the engine.

  2. Scan for cam timing and VVT-related DTCs.

  3. Check oil change history and oil specification; 0W-20 synthetic is required and extended intervals accelerate chain wear.

  4. Remove oil filler cap and inspect for sludge.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$2,800 to $7,500 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 there ever been an engine rattle on cold start?”
  • “Has the vehicle always been serviced with the correct 0W-20 synthetic oil?”
  • “Has any timing chain or VVT work been carried out?”

Now check the Toyota Kluger 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 Kluger buyer questions

Is 2gr-fks 3.5 v6 secondary timing chain rattle and stretch serious on a Toyota Kluger?

We rate it critical and common on the Toyota Kluger. The 2GR-FKS 3.5-litre V6 in GSU50 Kluger models is prone to secondary (head-to-cam) timing chain rattle and elongation, typically emerging after 100,000 km or following extended oil change intervals. The primary chain is more robust, but the secondary chains that drive each bank's cam phaser sprockets wear, producing a cold-start metallic rattle that dissipates as oil pressure builds. Advanced wear causes cam timing errors and misfires. Toyota Kluger-specific forums in Australia document this as one of the most common major failures on this generation.

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

$2,800 to $7,500 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 Kluger years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2013–2020 Toyota Kluger. 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?

Cold-start the engine immediately after sitting overnight — listen for metallic chain rattle from the top of the engine. Scan for cam timing and VVT-related DTCs. Check oil change history and oil specification; 0W-20 synthetic is required and extended intervals accelerate chain wear. Remove oil filler cap and inspect for sludge. Look here: V6 engine valve cover area — secondary timing chains on each cylinder head (both banks)