2004 Toyota Land Cruiser

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the vehicle's mileage was 300,000. It was later discovered that the mileage on the title was 30,895. The contact stated that a Carfax Report indicated that the mileage was 300,000.

NHTSA ID

11724179

Incident

Dec 24, 2025

Mileage

300,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE "BRAKE" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH THE HIGH PITCH AUDIBLE BRAKE FAILURE ALARM. APPROXIMATELY 1,000 - 2,000 FEET LATER ALL BRAKE FUNCTION CEASED ENTIRELY, ONLY BY APPLYING PARKING BRAKE AND PLACING THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL WAS STOPPING POSSIBLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. POPPING HOOD TO LOOK FOR SIGNS OF FLUID LEAK, ETC, WE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR WAS OVER FILLED SIGNIFICANTLY - IT HAD NOT BEEN EARLIER AND THE BRAKES HAD RECENTLY BEEN SERVICED. A CURSORY SEARCH OF "LAND CRUISER BRAKE FAILURE" ONLINE YIELDED NUMEROUS REPORTS ON TOYOTA MESSAGE BOARDS OF IDENTICAL SITUATIONS: BRAKE LIGHT AND ALARM, TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WITHIN MOMENTS, OWNERS FINDING THAT THE FAILURE RESULTED IN FLUID RETURNING TO THE RESERVOIR OVERFILLING IT. THERE APPEAR TO BE NO FLUID LEAKS OR BRAKE LINE FAILURES. IN ADDITION TO THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS, ALL OF THE TRACTION CONTROL, ANTI-SKID, AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS ARE NOW ILLUMINATED - I UNDERSTAND THAT EACH ARE ALSO POWERED BY THE BRAKE SYSTEM. WE HAVE NOT YET HAD OUR VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC, IN MOST OF THE SITUATIONS IDENTICAL TO OURS WE FOUND ONLINE, THE CAUSE WAS THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER MOTOR. WE UNDERSTAND THAT ALL COMPONENTS MAY FAIL EVENTUALLY. HOWEVER, IN OUR SITUATION, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT WARNING OF IMMINENT BRAKE FAILURE. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN ON A HIGHWAY OR A WINDY MOUNTAIN ROAD THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. FINALLY, WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO CROSS-CHECK THIS SITUATION WITH OTHER TOYOTA SUVS AND TRUCKS FROM 1995 - 2006 AS IN OUR INITIAL RESEARCH ONLINE THESE INCIDENTS SEEMED COMMON TO TOYOTA VEHICLES MODEL YEARS SPANNING A LONG PERIOD.

NHTSA ID

11218830

Incident

Jun 9, 2019

Mileage

223,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE BRAKE MODULE FAILED AND THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE UNIT THAT CONSISTED OF THE VSC TRAC (TRACTION CONTROL), ABS PUMP, ABS ACCUMULATOR, AND THE BRAKE MASTER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

NHTSA ID

10716004

Incident

May 5, 2015

Mileage

156,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE SELECTIONS, AND THE MAP SYSTEM HAD A LIMITED DISPLAY. ALSO, THE VIEW OPTIONS DID NOT WORK AT ALL ON SOME OCCASIONS, AND THE REAR CAMERA STOPPED WORKING FROM TIME TO TIME. THE VEHICLE'S PANEL DISPLAYED CHECK SYSTEM OCCASIONALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT CHECKED BY THE DEALER.

NHTSA ID

10174737

Incident

Nov 6, 2006

Mileage

46,800 mi

BRAKE PEDAL GOES LOWER THAN GAS PEDAL. CAN PUMP PEDAL BACK UP AND PEDAL FEELS NORMAL. BRAKES DON'T SEEM TO BE GRIPPING AS THEY SHOULD UNTIL PUMPING PEDAL. DEALER SAY THIS IS WITHIN MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10105961

Incident

Dec 8, 2004

Mileage

9,000 mi

To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible.

The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint and appears as pitting or water spots. As acid rain droplets on the vehicle surface evaporate, the concentration strength of the acid increases, causing deeper and more rapid damage. This evaporation and corrosive action also occur more rapidly on dark colored cars as direct sun heat increases. It is the dealer’s responsibility to protect and maintain the quality of the vehicle’s paint finish after receipt at the dealership prior to the first sale. In areas known for high frequency and/or concentration of acid rain, frequent vehicle washing during high heat or humidity periods will minimize the potential for paint damage caused by acid rain. It is further recommended that either reverse osmosis or deionized water be used to prevent water spotting.

Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfaces can occur. Acid rain damage can typically be identified on vehicles by the presence of stains on the paint surface that resemble hard water spots. Unlike water spots however, acid rain damage cannot be removed by regular washing procedures. Also, because acid rain can etch and soften the paint, normal buffing or polishing repair procedures should not be attempted. This can cause further damage and result in visible depressions in the paint surface. The following are the three major categories of acid rain damage: •Minor damage: requires only buffing to repair. •Moderate damage: usually requires neutralizing, color sanding, and buffing. •Severe damage: extending beyond 1/2 mil of clearcoat on a pearl, metallic, or solid color, requires neutralization, sanding, and repainting. In cases where acid rain damage is minor, neutralization and buffing with a liquid-type paint finessing product may provide an adequate repair. Only specially formulated products outlined in this bulletin should be used for that purpose. Unfortunately, other than minor damage, there is no simple method of determining the actual extent (depth) of acid penetration other than color sanding a representative affected area until there is no visible etching or depressions, followed by measuring the amount of paint removed with either a magnetic or digital-type film thickness gauge. The procedures in this bulletin are intended for use by qualified body/paint technicians and should not be attempted by inexperienced personnel. It is the dealer’s responsibility to protect and maintain the quality of the vehicle’s paint finish after receipt at the dealership prior to the first sale. Perform frequent vehicle washing, as often as daily, during high heat and humidity periods to minimize the potential for paint damage due to acid rain exposure. This is especially important in geographical areas known for high frequency and concentration of acid rain and industrial fallout.

Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure in this bulletin to remove the RapgardTM protective film within 90 days from initial application.

Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surface. These particles are often difficult to see on dark color paints but can be easily felt when brushing a hand across horizontal body surfaces such as the hood, roof, or deck lid. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to clean vehicles that may have been subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles such as rail dust during rail transportation or extended storage near industrial areas.

To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible.