Toyota Prado: 1KD-FTV Injector Body Cracking — External Fuel Leak

The 1KD-FTV 3.0L diesel injector bodies develop hairline cracks in the steel body where the high-pressure fuel return banjo fitting seats. Fuel seeps externally at high mileage or after heat cycling, pooling on top of the engine. Shared fault pattern with HiLux, Fortuner and Land Cruiser 70/200 series using the same injection hardware. Common at 150,000–250,000 km. Fire risk if fuel contacts hot exhaust.

• Diesel smell inside cabin or under bonnet
• Visible wet fuel stain on top of engine around injector bodies
• Black sooty residue around injector body base
• Fuel consumption increase with no performance change

1. 1

   With engine warm, inspect the top of each injector body with a torch for fuel staining, cracking around the return banjo fitting, or wet sooty buildup.

2. 2

   Check the high-pressure fuel rail for weeping.

3. 3

   Run the engine and watch for fuel misting under the bonnet.

Parts involved: Fuel injector.

$2,200 to $5,500 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.

• “Have the injectors ever been replaced or inspected for cracking?”
• “Any diesel smell noticed inside the cab or under the bonnet?”
• “Does the fuel consumption match Toyota specification?”

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.