The Toyota Fortuner has always been a favorite among car lovers who enjoy tall, muscular SUVs that are spacious, comfortable, and reasonably priced. However, like any other car, this model experiences breakdowns from time to time. But, what problems does Toyota Fortuner have?
According to numerous consumer reports and user feedback, Toyota Fortuner problems include jerky transmission, Fuel Injection pump failure, overheating in the Clutch Disc, Cracked Clutch Disc Friction Material, and Stiff or Hard Clutch.
In an effort to raise the general appeal of the hybrid SUV paradigm, the classic family-sized Toyota Fortuner has five roomy seats and is built to be rugged on the road. When you can address and solve those issues, you can rip the maximum convenience and benefit from this tremendous car. Here we’re going to guide you in this regard.
Toyota Fortuner – A Brief Overview
Launched in 2004, the Toyota Fortuner (referred to as the Toyota SW4) is manufactured by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. Built based on the Hilux pickup truck platform, the model includes 2 rows of seats and is available in either a rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive configuration.
It is part of the Toyota IMV for emerging markets, which includes both the Hilux and the Fortuner. Several engine choices exist depending on the country of sale. Nominal grades are G and G Luxury for rear-wheel drive diesel models, and V for 4 to 4 Diesel models.
What Problems Does Toyota Fortuner Have?
Now it’s time to dig down some of the common problems associated with Toyota Fortuner. Once again, we have to mention that these problems are gathered based on user reports shared on different platforms as well as our experts’ opinions who made thorough inspections.
1. Clutch is Stiff And Hard
Some owners of the Fortuner noted that they experienced a stiff clutch despite having a service history as long as possible after 80 thousand kilometers. Some owners and drivers alike also compared the clutch to that of driving a truck. It is said that such failures may be particularly common in city Fortuners.
They say this may be partially attributed to the inherent rough usage of such vehicles in city centers. Owners driving their Fortuners from the outskirts of the city typically complain about wear on their clutches. While cases of decay are typical in Vegas-bound Fortuners, owners must make it their priority to stay conscious of clutch problems.
Possible Solution:
The Fortuner has a hydraulic clutch cylinder, so should you encounter a stiff clutch, check your vehicle for the clutch master cylinder’s hydraulic line. You will need to bleed the line to remove air (which may be the reason for pushing the pedal all the way to the bottom) or you might have a leak in the cylinder seal, in which case the master cylinder needs to be replaced or repacked.
2. Injector Failure
Some Toyota Fortuner owners with a diesel engine experience white smoke and noise in the heat, and some believe these may be the symptoms of a faulty injector. While it is true that most burn or white smoke is a common problem with injectors, remember that the Fortuner has a D4D engine.
Diesel fuel producers add chemical substances to their fuel to conform with emissions laws. These chemicals decrease emissions, but they also create sticky deposits in the fuel system.
When these deposits get into the injector, they can cause difficulties, and the only way to steer clear of that is to replace the injectors. If by any chance you neglect to do this, failure is inevitable.
Possible Solution:
Don’t let your car or truck engine be introduced to BioDiesel. If diesel in an impure state is one of the key causes of fault in fuel injection systems, always fill up at dependable and approved service stations.
If you have even the slightest intuition that your engine’s injectors aren’t working your new best choice, bring your vehicle to your neighborhood repair shop and have the injectors tested.
In many cases, mechanics should need to use a productive injector cleaner and alter your vehicle’s diesel injector filter (it needs to be changed, ideally, each and every ten thousand kilometers if you’re interested in reducing the risk of your injector failing). The cost of having these done will exceed the high cost of replacing failed injectors.
3. Jerky Transmission
The new Toyota Fortuner, which was introduced earlier this year, has a more streamlined 2.8-liter diesel engine and an improved six-speed automatic transmission has given rise to reports that the car often experiences jerking or shift shock in the gearbox.
This takes place most typically in Sport mode, as shifting down occurs, but can also happen in transmission upshifts and the like. Sometimes it happens at the 35-km/h downshift point, and sometimes, it happens at 80 km/h, though sometimes it can be unpleasant and sometimes unnerving.
Possible Solution:
Dealers are working diligently to address the complaints that Mazda owners have logged. Problems stemming from the ECU have been remedied by replacing torque converters and changing idle speeds.
Yet another nearly constant (and seemingly permanent) solution is replacing the whole transmission unit. This option appears to be effectively permanent, and owners who have had the transmission replaced so far haven’t noticed any symptoms of its recurrence.
4. Cracked Clutch Disc Friction Material
The majority of users dealing with Toyota Fortuner have called in about the rising issue of electronic components leaving the Clutch Disk Friction Material. Their Clutch was not holding the car’s engine power, leaving owners to deal with problems in clutch engagement or disengagement.
In this circumstance, the Clutch slips do not perform as expected, resulting in the car struggling to change gears and making unusual noises from its mechanisms.
Possible Solution:
When you hear of such an issue, replacing your clutch assembly with advanced versions appears to be a suitable answer. Because you need to check one thing, you need to evaluate the way you drive your car to prevent abusive shifting and wheeling of the clutch. This could help prevent such an issue from occurring.
5. Overheating in the Clutch Disc
This issue is quite related to the previous one. In this case, users report overheating in the clutch disk that is inextricably linked to a badly adjusted or abused clutch disk.
Some of the detectable symptoms of this issue include difficulty with releasing the clutch, a noisy clunk from the clutch, squeaking coming from the clutch, trapping the clutch, and premature wear in the clutch body.
Possible Solution:
The first thing you should do in order to solve this issue is adjusting freeplay belonging to the clutch pedal. Taking a look at the transmission is essential to assess whether you are driving the transmission too notably. In case you can’t find a temporary solution, it is preferable to bring in an upgraded clutch assembly.
Final Words
So, we have discussed some of the most common problems associated with the popular Toyota Fortuner. Even though we’ve mentioned some possible solutions, it’s always best to contact your dealer whether you can get a service under the warranty.
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