CriticalVery commonEngine

Toyota Land Cruiser 200: 1VD-FTV timing chain elongation & cam timing drift

1VD-FTV timing chain elongation & cam timing drift is a very common engine fault on the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 on the 2007–2021 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $4,500 to $8,000 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 32 documented faults on the Toyota Land Cruiser 200.

Vehicle: Toyota Land Cruiser 200
Only on: Bi-Turbo / twin-turbo
Engine: 1VD-FTV
Years: 2007–2021
Fuel: diesel
Gearbox: auto
System: Engine

This page covers the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 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 Land Cruiser 200 faults32 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

What goes wrong

The 1VD-FTV 4.5L twin-turbo V8 diesel is well documented for timing chain stretch at high mileage, typically evident beyond 150,000 km. Elongated chains cause cold-start rattle on the driver-side front of the engine that dissipates after oil pressure builds. As stretch progresses, cam timing drift triggers MIL codes P0016/P0017/P0018/P0019 (cam-crank correlation faults) and retarded timing reduces power and economy. Left unaddressed, a jumped chain can cause catastrophic valve-to-piston contact. The fault is identical in mechanism to the well-documented LC70 V8 diesel chain issue. Toyota NZ and AU dealers report this as one of the most frequent 1VD-FTV repairs on high-odometer examples.

What you would notice

Metallic rattling from front of engine on cold start, clearing within 30-60 seconds
MIL codes P0016, P0017, P0018 or P0019 stored
Reduced power output and fuel economy
Rough idle following cold start
Engine management light illuminated

How to check it

Where to look. Front of engine, timing chain cover — driver-side bank primary chain and secondary chains both at risk

Cold-start the engine from fully cold and listen at the front-left of the engine bay for a pronounced chain rattle before oil pressure builds. Scan for cam-crank correlation DTCs. Ask for full service history and odometer. At 150,000+ km, treat as a budgeted repair if no evidence of recent chain replacement.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$4,500 to $8,000 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 timing chain kit ever been replaced, and do you have workshop receipts?”
“Has the engine ever shown a check engine light related to cam or crank sensor codes?”
“When was the last full service and what was the mileage?”

Now check the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 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 Land Cruiser 200 buyer questions

Is 1vd-ftv timing chain elongation & cam timing drift serious on a Toyota Land Cruiser 200?

We rate it critical and very common on the Toyota Land Cruiser 200. The 1VD-FTV 4.5L twin-turbo V8 diesel is well documented for timing chain stretch at high mileage, typically evident beyond 150,000 km. Elongated chains cause cold-start rattle on the driver-side front of the engine that dissipates after oil pressure builds. As stretch progresses, cam timing drift triggers MIL codes P0016/P0017/P0018/P0019 (cam-crank correlation faults) and retarded timing reduces power and economy. Left unaddressed, a jumped chain can cause catastrophic valve-to-piston contact. The fault is identical in mechanism to the well-documented LC70 V8 diesel chain issue. Toyota NZ and AU dealers report this as one of the most frequent 1VD-FTV repairs on high-odometer examples.

How much does it cost to fix on a Toyota Land Cruiser 200?

$4,500 to $8,000 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 Land Cruiser 200 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2007–2021 Toyota Land Cruiser 200. 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.