2012 D-4D DPF

[AvensisWales]

Hi,

sorry if this has been asked before but I'm new here and finding the search quite difficult.

I have just bought a 2012 Avensis 2L D-4D with DPF. The type of driving I do is good for DPF's so the unit is no problem for me. I've been on a DPF Volvo for 3 years with no problems :-)

The more I look, the more I don't think this car has been loved, it's only had 4 sevice stamps in its 60k life, and none of them 'seem' to be Toyota.

Question, if the DPF is not 100% right now, how could I tell? She did 54.3 mpg on the 3 hour motorway drive back home the other day from the garage I bought her from, is that a good sign of health??

Thanks.

[Duggerz]

Welcome to the group. I think you may have a romantic opinion of the work that a main dealer would do versus a good independent. The main thing is that the oil changes are documented, the rest is fixable at this stage. If there are any invoices I'd review then for details of any other work including fluid changes, in particular brake and coolant. As your vehicle is 5 years old these should have been done or will need to be done. The mpg is ok for a 2012 2 litre but depends on how fast you were driving. The first thing I would look at in any D-4D is the egr. These do block periodically and reduce the mpg. You may also want to get a replacement pollen filter, if it hasn't been changed it can cause overheating of the blower motor and of course poor performance. I'm sure others in the group can help but I hope this gives you somewhere to start

[AvensisWales]

Hello,

Thank you for that. 

I had to change the pollen filter as it was thick with rubbish and totally black !!!

There are no receipts to show oil changes or fluids of any sort, just 4 stamps in the book at 14,500k, 26,500k, 36,00k and 53,500k, the car is now at 61,000k. So at this point I have no idea if these numbers are 'on point' or not??

As soon as I got the car 50 miles down the road, the turbo went south, had to fight with the garage and now she's in my garden with the turbo away to be sorted. I will do a full oil, diesel filer, oil filter change before the the new turbo is started. I've already changed the air filter as that was awful as well! Gearbox oil may well be on my list as well!

I should really have just got the garage to take it away, but I live 200 miles from the garage and they were insistent on me bringing it back at my cost and it would need to be on a trailer because of the turbo. They are paying for the turbo (fix only) I have to do all the manual work myself. I could have got solicitors involved and on and on we go, but at some point you just have to fix what is broken and work with what you have. Giving this one back at my cost and finding another car may be just as bad in other ways.

I've put my own MOT on it (it came with one but I didn't trust it), 4 new good quality tyres, new discs and pads, 4 filters, oil etc. Once the recon turbo is on, and it's passed a Toyota health check (the only way the garage will allow the 3 month warranty to stay on the car after I've put the turbo on!) I'm hoping it will be all good. Seems odd the garage will not pay for a mechanic to fit the turbo, but will also not honour the warranty if I change the turbo? 

I came back on the M5, my return home trip was 200 miles,  I was in 6th gear, cruise control, 65-70mph, average mpg was showing 54.3 by the time I was home (left the garage on 48mpg)

 

If anybody can suggest anything about this car on the numbers above, that would be nice. I'm just crossing my fingers nothing has been damaged due to neglect of the other two owners before me!

 

Thanks.

[AvensisWales]

Now found 3 receipts for oil :-)

 

[Heidfirst]

10 hours ago, AvensisWales said:

There are no receipts to show oil changes or fluids of any sort, just 4 stamps in the book at 14,500k, 26,500k, 36,00k and 53,500k, the car is now at 61,000k. So at this point I have no idea if these numbers are 'on point' or not??

17,500 miles between services - way outside Toyota schedule.

Once the recon turbo is on, and it's passed a Toyota health check (the only way the garage will allow the 3 month warranty to stay on the car after I've put the turbo on!) I'm hoping it will be all good. Seems odd the garage will not pay for a mechanic to fit the turbo, but will also not honour the warranty if I change the turbo? 

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you actually have 6 months during which the trader will be liable ... & the turbo going wthin 50 miles would certainly be considered as pre-existing.

 

[AvensisWales]

Thanks for that, do you think the engine will have suffered?

[Duggerz]

Impossible to say for sure, but there's a reason that Toyota recommend max service intervals. Modern oil technology is great at reducing wear, but even if full synthetic oil is used eventually it will begin to break down and form sludge. Almost certainly it would benefit from an engine flush and some quality oil and new filter. Unfortunately it does sound like it has been neglected and needs to be inspected from tip to toe.

[AvensisWales]

The car has been sat still for 4 days as the turbo is away being fixed! So I'm doing the service parts while I wait.

All the sevive parts are on the way, totally eveything, most of it from Opie, I even got a magnetic plug this time! I removed the sump yesterday and washed it out with parts cleaner. It actually looked OK, nothing but oil, no bits or nasty stuff. It's been left over night and will be going back on today, nice and clean and dry :-)

It was interesting to see all the levels and compartments in the sum. There was at least 1/2 a pint of oil you'd NEVER be able to drain out by just removing the plug !! 

I'm due to take it to Cardiff Toyota for a FULL and total health check once it's all back together. Is there a better place for my car than Toyota??

Thanks.

[Heidfirst]

16 hours ago, AvensisWales said:

Thanks for that, do you think the engine will have suffered?

Depends if they kept the oil etc. refreshed & within levels. What it probably does mean though is that any remaining Toyota warranty is null & void & that may well also affect any Toyota Extended Warranty that you were considering taking out - check before taking out. & if they say that it is OK get it in writing..