MajorCommonEngine

Toyota Supra: Intercooler Charge Pipe Failure Under Boost

Intercooler Charge Pipe Failure Under Boost is a common engine fault on the Toyota Supra on the 2019–2024 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $150 to $900 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 23 documented faults on the Toyota Supra.

Vehicle: Toyota Supra
Years: 2019–2024
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Toyota Supra 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 Supra faults23 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph for this fault yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of something else.

What goes wrong

The factory lower intercooler-to-throttle-body charge pipe (also called the hot-side or cold-side boost pipe) uses a rubber coupler or moulded silicone boot that is prone to splitting or blowing off its retaining clamp under sustained high-boost driving. When it fails, the engine loses all boost pressure immediately, causing a severe lean condition and loss of power. The failure is more common on modified or tracked cars but has also been reported on otherwise stock vehicles under repeated hard driving.

What you would notice

Sudden loss of boost pressure during hard acceleration, often accompanied by a loud pop or hiss
Check engine light with charge-air-related fault codes (P0299 — boost pressure below threshold)
Visible split or detached rubber coupler in the engine bay after a boost event
Engine running very lean momentarily then defaulting to limp mode
Oil mist residue around intercooler pipe joints visible on casual inspection

How to check it

Where to look. Front of engine bay, between the front-mounted intercooler and the B58 throttle body; lower charge pipe runs along the bottom of the intake path

Inspect the full length of intercooler piping — both charge pipes and all couplers — for cracks, oil residue (a sign of previous boost leak), soft spots in the rubber, and loose or corroded hose clamps. Squeeze the rubber couplers; a healthy coupler is firm and does not crack. Look for black streaking or oily residue around joints, indicating previous leak events. A boost leak test using a smoke machine is definitive.

What it costs to put right

$150 to $900 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 factory intercooler charge pipe or its couplers ever been replaced or upgraded, and why?”
“Has the car been modified for more boost pressure, which would accelerate pipe coupler failure?”

Now check the Toyota Supra 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 Supra buyer questions

Is intercooler charge pipe failure under boost serious on a Toyota Supra?

We rate it major and common on the Toyota Supra. The factory lower intercooler-to-throttle-body charge pipe (also called the hot-side or cold-side boost pipe) uses a rubber coupler or moulded silicone boot that is prone to splitting or blowing off its retaining clamp under sustained high-boost driving. When it fails, the engine loses all boost pressure immediately, causing a severe lean condition and loss of power. The failure is more common on modified or tracked cars but has also been reported on otherwise stock vehicles under repeated hard driving.

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

$150 to $900 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 Supra years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2019–2024 Toyota Supra. 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.