Faults:
ABS computer was not working when I first got the truck and it isn't now. I wasn't sure at first because I never needed to brake hard enough to test it. I should have tried locking the brakes during the test drive in retrospect. Anyway, sometimes the ABS light comes on and the ABS never kicks in on icy roads when I need it. One time I noticed a pulse from the brakes during light braking which was likely a bad ABS sensor firing the ABS.
The battery failed without warning at 145000kms. One day the truck just refused to turn over. This was the only time the truck ever left me stranded.
The in stitching on driver's side bench seat has started to rip in two places. The piping dries out and cracks causing the seam to give way.
The heater control broke on the dash so turning the dial doesn't move the heater core shut off valve. I tried gluing the broken control (made of brittle plastic) but my repair didn't last long. I can adjust the heat by moving the control lever down near the gas pedal. I will pick up a used one at a wrecker when I get around to it.
I had the cooling system flushed because the temperature gauge used to creep up to the Hot mark. After the flush the heat only goes 80% up. I'm still concerned some day the engine will overheat. I had the thermostat tested by a mechanic and he said it was working properly and recommended leaving it alone.
Replaced the Front Brake Pads at 180000 km. I don't know how long the last pads lasted. I was able to leave the old rotors on without turning them. There are some serious grooves on them, but the brakes still work.
CV Joint Boot ripped and started to leak. I took the truck to a garage to get the boot replaced, but they refused to do the job. Instead they installed a re-manufactured CV shaft. The original equipment costs about 1500 bucks a side!! I was lucky they could source a used one for around $200.
At 150000km I replaced the distributor cap and wires because it started to miss under throttle. There is a slight miss occurring under load again at 185000km. It appears to be a bad connection because the miss seems to go away for a while if I press on the wires at the distributor.
The truck was oil undercoated every year according to the records I got with the truck. I've had it oiled every year I've owned it. There are rust holes starting on the rear end below the tailgate and around the front driver side tire well. There is also a hole starting in the floor below the driver's side.
I replaced the clutch myself at 184000 km. I thought the plates were worn out because the clutch started making a screech noise on engagement. After I got it apart I discovered the pilot bearing had seized and was running on the input shaft. The clutch plates looked perfect. I didn't even need to clean up the flywheel. Installed a $300 clutch kit and put a new seal in the slave cylinder because it was leaking badly. It was nearly impossible to remove the bell housing -- took me almost 6 hours to get it off. There isn't much space to operate under there.
General Comments:
I like the truck. It has been completely dependable for me. I can work on it myself and fix most things that go wrong for very little expense. Insurance is really cheap and it gets decent gas mileage.
It is good on gas and handles like new. It has a firm ride which I like. There are no rattles inside the cab and it pulls pretty well on the highway.
It is a pretty slow vehicle. At stop lights I get beaten by economy cars off the line. It doesn't start pulling hard until about 60km/h. It accelerates best at around 80 - 90 km/h. The top speed I've ever driven it is about 135 km/h. After about 130 km/h it stops accelerating. It cruises best around 120 km/h.
The 4x4 system is top notch in terms of reliability. It has an electronic engagement for locking the hubs which always works. Sometimes the hubs get stuck and won't release. In this case I just stop and rev the engine. This normally does the trick. I find they tend to stick if I accelerate really hard in 4x4 mode. The only downside of the 4x4 is the fact the truck has to be stopped to lock the hubs. It can be moving shifting from 2 high to 4 high and back.
7th Oct 2003, 17:38
Since the original review the truck has developed a few more problems. At 186000km the fuel sending unit started to leak above the tank. Both the main line, return line, and both evaporator lines had rusted through. The fuel sending unit retails for $800 at the dealer. Fortunately, I was able to remove the sending unit from the gas tank and splice in a new section of gas line. The rusty screws attaching the sending unit to the tank needed to be punched off with a brass punch.
Now at 190000kms the water pump has started to leak. I'm trying to source a rebuild kit to repair the pump.