Some examples of the just-launched Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series have been found to emit a knocking sound from the front steering area, which the company says it is now investigating.
We have off-road tested three examples (a GR Sport, a VX, and a Sahara ZX) and found in each instance a knocking sound coming from the right front suspension or within the steering column across low speed corrugations – at specific moments.
Since these three grades all have some suspension variations between them, there’s room for speculation the sound is related to a component, or components with more commonality across grades.
We sourced the VX from a dealer, and the vehicle had a mere 5km on the odometer when it was collected. The other pair we later sourced through Toyota’s media team, and both vehicles had been tested extensively by other titles before we got our hands on them. Both media vehicles had several thousand kilometres on the clock.
We took our findings to Toyota Australia, which replied with the following:
“Toyota Australia has identified that on some LC300 vehicles, a light knocking noise may emanate from the front steering area whilst driving at low speed over small corrugations.
“This is not detrimental to the operation of the steering or the vehicle. We have requested our Dealers report any instances of this occurring, to further support our investigation into this phenomenon,” it said.
After a supply-constrained launch, the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series is finally reaching Australian customers now.
Toyota announced in early December that it made the first customer delivery of its redesigned flagship 4×4, marking the start of local retail sales.
Only a limited number of 300 Series models – about 500 in total – reached dealerships as demonstrators in early October 2021, with test drives permitted where COVID-19 restrictions allowed.
Right-hand drive production of the LandCruiser resumed in Japan in November, and it’s returning to “normal levels”.
We will keep you posted as we learn more.
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