Nissan Patrol Y62 and Toyota Land Cruiser 200: weak points to check

Two big SUVs and one big question: how were they used

The Patrol Y62 (built from 2010; in the Gulf the new Y63 replaced it in 2024) and the Land Cruiser 200 (built from 2007 until the 300 series replaced it in 2021) are the two big SUVs of the Gulf. A used one has often been driven on sand and off-road, in the heat, or has towed. That matters more than the model year. The weak points below are the ones owners and workshops report: they do not mean every car has them, and they are a list of what to check, not a verdict.

Nissan Patrol Y62

Most Y62s have the 5.6 V8 (VK56VD, a direct-injection engine) with a 7-speed automatic. In some markets there is also a 4.0 V6 (VQ40DE).

• Timing chain (V8): a rattle from the front of the engine for a few seconds on a cold start can be a tired chain tensioner. Some early V8s, built before 2013, had timing-chain failures and Nissan ran a service campaign in some markets. Ask the dealer by VIN whether the car was covered, and ask for the oil-change records: heat and long intervals are hard on the chain system.
• Oil consumption: check the dipstick and ask how much oil the car uses between changes. High-mileage engines can use noticeably more.
• Hydraulic suspension: on trims with the hydraulic body-motion control system (HBMC), look for fluid leaks at the shock absorbers and the pump, listen for a whine, watch for dashboard warnings, and check that the car stays level and does not lean heavily in corners. A low level or the wrong fluid damages expensive parts.
• Cooling in dust: a radiator clogged with sand, a weak fan or fan clutch and a temperature gauge that climbs in traffic are common on cars from sandy areas, on the V6 as well.
• Gearbox: the automatic should shift smoothly, with no flare between gears, no jerk and no hesitation. Heat, towing and neglected fluid changes are what damage it.
• Differentials and driveline: leaks, whines or clunks after off-road use or towing.

Toyota Land Cruiser 200

Depending on the market: a 4.0 V6 (1GR-FE), a 4.6 V8 (1UR-FE), a 5.7 V8 (3UR-FE) and a 4.5 V8 turbo diesel (1VD-FTV).

• Water pump (V8 petrol): the 4.6 and 5.7 V8s are known for leaking water pumps, in some cases at around 100,000 km. Look for dried coolant crust near the pump and the drive belt, check the coolant level and ask when the pump was last replaced.
• 4.0 V6: ignition coil failures (misfires, a shaking idle), a leaking water pump and, at high mileage, head gasket problems have been reported. Look for coolant loss and misfire codes.
• Diesel (4.5 V8): injector wear at high mileage (rattling, a rough idle, black smoke), particulate filter faults on later cars and, on early ones, unexplained coolant loss. Some early diesels used oil between services.
• Air filter housing (any engine): a leaking or badly seated housing lets dust into the engine, a serious risk on a car that lives in sand. Look for dust or fine sand on the clean side of the air filter housing and in the intake pipes.
• Adaptive and height-control suspension (higher trims): a gas leak in an accumulator makes the ride harsh and bouncy, and sensor faults trigger warnings. Check that the car raises and lowers evenly, that no warning is on, and ask about the repair history: it is expensive.
• Driveline: listen for thumps and clunks after hard use.

Signs of hard use on both

• Underbody scrapes, bent skid plates, dented sills and sand in the crevices point to off-road use.
• A sagging rear, worn suspension bushes and a worn tow bar point to towing.
• Lift kits, oversize tyres, tuning boxes, or removed particulate filters or catalysts: extra load on the driveline, and often a way of hiding problems.
• A repainted roof or pillars and uneven panel gaps: tall SUVs roll over. See How to check a car’s paint and accident damage.
• Water lines, silt and rust under the carpets: these SUVs get driven through water. See How to tell if a car has been in a flood.
• A cracked dashboard, faded clear coat and weak air conditioning mean years in the sun.

Before you pay

Get the service history and ask the dealer by VIN about open recalls and service campaigns. Do the whole inspection from How to check a used car before you buy it, the cold start from Cold start: what to listen for and look at and the drive from the used car test drive checklist. On cars this big and this expensive, a workshop that knows the model can check them on a lift, and the price of the inspection is small next to the price of a repair. Use what you find to negotiate. If you buy in the UAE, read Buying a used car in the UAE too.