Toyota Prado 2005 Problems

I doubt that you have a turbo problem, but you need to have a mechanic check to be sure. A mechanic would be able to find the cause of your problem and fix it.

There is always a risk when buying a used car, particularly one as old as yours and having done so many kilometres that something could go wrong with it. You really have no protection under the law; you can only hope that the dealer looks on at your predicament favourably.

One thing you might care to explore is the possibility that the engine failed due to the oil pickup becoming blocked with an accumulation of carbon deposits and starving the engine of oil.

There were a number of instances of this problem happening on the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine in the HiLux and LandCruiser. The failure of yours appears very similar to the earlier failures reported in the HiLux, but proving that this was the cause of your problem would be difficult, time consuming, and stressful.

The quality of new-car batteries does seem to be falling but it’s more about car makers trying to save money. In my experience a quality charger, like the C-Tek one I use for my Toyota HiLux, helps by keeping the battery in the best possible condition for a vehicle that’s not in regular use.

In this case I would be tempted to go for the older car with the fewer kilometres, as long as you were sure the odometer reading is correct.

The affected models were built between June 2004 and October 2007, so you should be wary of buying a 2005 model. There shouldn’t be a problem if the car has been serviced correctly and the fuel-injector seals have been changed as they are supposed to be, so check for a service record. If there isn’t one, or you would like to be sure about the car you’re buying have a mechanic drop the sump and inspect the oil pickup for an accumulation of carbon.

You don't say if it's a diesel or a petrol model, but either way I'd be looking at the injectors and the fuel pump.

Given that this is the second such failure on your car and Toyota coughed up for the first one I think you are on solid grounds for a claim against the company. As you have tried the consumer affairs route and that has failed I would consult a lawyer and consider taking the company to court.