Potential faults on the Toyota Fortuner 4.0 V6

The Fortuner 4.0 V6 is considered to be a respectable family hauler

 

The Fortuner 4.0 V6 is considered to be a respectable family hauler, and with its 175 kW (376 Nm) old-school muscle engine, the same as can be found fitted inside its younger sibling, the Toyota Hilux 4.0 V6, it seems as if it does not present any known issues. The first-generation Fortuner was launched in 2006 in South Africa, and there are reports that the earlier models had stability issues. Seeing that the Fortuner is a diehard breed, and that many of its earlier models still roam our roads, this issue therefore warrants to be mentioned.

 

The new Fortuner has a double-wishbone front suspension and four-link coil-spring rear suspension, both with stabiliser bars, ensuring a comfy ride. The older generation Fortuners did not have these, and as such people complained about having experiences of unstable driving. If you experience a stiff and unstable ride in one of the earlier models, you may consider some advice followed by many old generation Fortuner owners. These owners tend to change the load-me-up rear leaf spring suspension with Old Man Emu (OME) springs. Doing this is essential, according to vehicle owner testimonies, to ensure a comfy ride. SAC wants to add that when it comes to 4WD suspension systems, the situation can be more complex than initially thought. Many factors in this regard need special attention, with vehicle weight being the most critical. There is no clear-cut advice to be followed when it comes to choosing OME springs or a new set of original leaf springs. This choice will be the sole responsibility of the owner, but SAC will do its best, as it has done the past three-and-a-half decades, to assist the vehicle owner as far as it is professionally possible.

 

Related Articles:
A few potential faults on the Toyota Hilux 4.0 V6
TRD Supercharged Toyota Fortuner – 4.0 litre V6

 

Within the above article, potential problems, causes and fixes have been identified as founded on the experience of vehicle owners and repairers, online sources such as discussion blogs, technical service bulletins and SAC experience. This information is provided solely for reference purposes. SAC strictly instruct readers that only properly qualified individuals should carry out repairs and/or modifications on your vehicles. It should also be made clear that the number of times an item is identified within this discussion should by no way be seen as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur. Two of the exact same vehicles, owned by tow entirely different owners, driven in entirely different ways and on different terrains, and looked after in their own unique ways, will each behave differently. As mentioned, this information is provided solely for reference purposes but we hope – in the process of doing so – to empower you with relevant information which may enable you to make informative decisions whenever you experience any of the mentioned setbacks.