# Used Toyota Aurion: Common Problems and Which Years to Buy > What to check on a used Aurion, what a problem looks like, and when to walk away. Covers: GSV40 (2006–2012), GSV50 (2012–2017). Last updated: 2 November 2026. Web page: https://shufti.com.au/checklists/used-toyota-aurion-inspection-checklist. Printable PDF: https://shufti.com.au/checklists/used-toyota-aurion-inspection-checklist.pdf. ## Common Problems on a Used Toyota Aurion The most commonly reported problems on a used Toyota Aurion are the V6 using oil from worn piston rings, a VVT-i oil hose on earlier cars that can split and leak oil, and shudder or flare from the automatic gearbox. Also check for dashboard rattles and a sticky dash. ### Engine Oil Use Owners report the Aurion's 3.5-litre V6 using oil as the piston rings wear, especially on high-kilometre cars. Pull the dipstick: the oil should be between the marks and look brown, not black. Ask how often it gets topped up, and look for blue smoke from the exhaust. Check the service history for oil changes on time, as the V6 is sensitive to oil condition. A car using a lot of oil needs a mechanic's check before you buy. ### A Leaking VVT-i Oil Hose On XV40 Aurions built before June 2009, the rubber part of the VVT-i oil supply hose could split and leak oil, and Toyota replaced it with a redesigned hose ([AustralianCar.Reviews](https://australiancar.reviews/recalls-faults-toyota-xv40-aurion-2006-11/)). Look around the engine for oil leaks, and watch for the oil pressure light on the drive. Ask whether the hose has been replaced. A split hose can dump oil fast and destroy the engine. If there's no record of a new hose, have it replaced before driving far. ### Automatic Gearbox Shudder and Flare Owners report the six-speed automatic shuddering through the torque converter, and early XV40 Aurions could flare between third and fourth gear when cold, which Toyota fixed with a revised valve body ([AustralianCar.Reviews](https://australiancar.reviews/recalls-faults-toyota-xv40-aurion-2006-11/)). On the test drive, accelerate gently through the gears from cold, and hold a light throttle at 60 to 80 km/h. Feel for shudder, and watch for the revs jumping between changes. Ask whether the transmission fluid has been changed. If it shudders, have a mechanic check it or price it into your offer. ## Which Toyota Aurion Years to Avoid? No single Toyota Aurion year stands out as one to avoid. Newer ones usually have fewer kilometres and less wear. Whatever the year, a car's condition, service history and recalls tell you more than its build date, and Shufti looks up the reported faults and recalls for the exact car from its listing. - **GSV40 (2006–2012).** 14 to 20 years old, typically about 180,000–250,000 km. ANCAP ratings: [4 stars (2007) for the AT-X built to July 2009](https://www.ancap.com.au/safety-ratings/toyota/aurion/0e95b8); [5 stars (2010) for cars built from August 2009](https://www.ancap.com.au/safety-ratings/toyota/aurion/5758e2). Stability control is standard. At this age, condition and history count for more than the year: look hard for rust, worn suspension and leaks, and check whether a timing belt (if it has one) has been replaced. - **GSV50 (2012–2017).** 9 to 14 years old, typically about 110,000–180,000 km. ANCAP ratings: [5 stars (2012) for cars built to March 2015](https://www.ancap.com.au/safety-ratings/toyota/aurion/8779bb); [5 stars (2014) for cars built from April 2015](https://www.ancap.com.au/safety-ratings/toyota/aurion/adfe83). Stability control is standard; AEB wasn't available. Most have done enough kilometres for wear items to come due: check the service history for regular servicing, and whether tyres, brakes and the battery need replacing. Kilometres are at the Australian average of about 12,600 km a year. Well above that means harder use; well below, ask why. ## Toyota Aurion General Inspection Guide A guide to checking for Toyota Aurion problems, built on the [used car buying checklist](https://shufti.com.au/checklists/australian-used-car-inspection-checklist) for any car. It can't cover every problem reported across its years in one viewing. Tick it if it's fine. Cross it if it isn't, and note what you found so you can price it into your offer. - Safety critical: Affects how safely it drives or protects you in a crash. Best to have a mechanic check it before you buy. - Negotiate: Costs money to fix, from wear to major repairs. Get a quote and take it off the price. ### Exterior - [ ] **Lights.** Turn on every light including indicators, reverse and brake lights and check each one works and the lenses are clear. Hazy or yellowed headlight lenses cut how far the light reaches at night. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Panels.** Check panel gaps, paint colour and trim seals for unevenness, mismatched colour or overspray, which point to crash repair. Large sedans like this often pick up minor parking scrapes that are easy to miss. Overspray on rubber seals is an easy giveaway of hidden repair work. (Negotiate) - [ ] **VIN plate.** Find the VIN plate in a door frame or under the bonnet and check it is undamaged and matches the rego papers. A re-riveted or re-stamped plate can point to a stolen or rebuilt car. - [ ] **Windscreen.** Check the windscreen in the driver's line of sight for chips or cracks. A chip in the sightline can fail a roadworthy inspection. ### Under the Bonnet - [ ] **Engine oil.** Pull the dipstick and check the oil sits between the marks and looks brown rather than black or gritty, and check how much has been topped up recently. A level that keeps dropping between services points to the engine burning oil. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Coolant.** Check the coolant reservoir is at the mark and the coolant looks clean, not rusty or milky. Pink crusty residue near the front of the engine can mean a leaking water pump. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Brake fluid.** Check the brake fluid in the small reservoir at the back of the engine bay is clear to light amber, not dark. Dark, murky fluid means it hasn't been changed in a long time. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Belts.** Look over the drive belts for cracking, fraying or glazing without touching anything while the engine runs. A cracked belt can fail without warning and strand you on the road. (Negotiate) ### Underbody and Wheels - [ ] **Structural rust.** Look under the car for rust on the floor or around the suspension mounts, and check for any bare or flaking metal. Rust here can weaken the car in a crash and is costly to repair properly. (Safety critical) - [ ] **Suspension.** Push down hard on each corner of the car and let go; it should bounce back once and settle, not keep bouncing. Oily residue on the shock absorber body means it is leaking. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Brakes.** Look through the wheel spokes at the brake discs for deep grooves or a raised outer edge. A lip you can feel with a fingernail means the discs are due for replacement. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Tyre wear.** Check tread depth on all four tyres is above the wear bars and wears evenly across each tyre. Wear on one edge only usually means the wheels are out of alignment. (Negotiate) ### Interior and Electrics - [ ] **Warning lights.** Turn the key to "on" without starting; every dash light should come on then go out once the engine is running. An airbag, brake or engine light that stays on needs an explanation before you buy. (Safety critical) - [ ] **Seatbelts.** Pull each seatbelt out fully and let it retract, checking the webbing for fraying and the buckle for a solid latch. A belt that doesn't retract smoothly may not hold properly in a crash. (Safety critical) - [ ] **Dashboard surface.** Look over the dashboard top and feel it for stickiness, bubbling or a melted-looking texture, especially near the windscreen edge. A sticky or bubbling dash is costly to fully fix and worsens with sun exposure. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Trim rattles.** With the engine idling, press lightly on dash and door trim panels and listen for rattles or squeaks. A squeak that comes and goes with road bumps usually means a loose trim clip, not a structural problem. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Electrics.** Test the stereo, air con, windows, mirrors and any Bluetooth or screen functions, and count the keys you're given. Missing keys or a dead screen are common and costly to replace. (Negotiate) ### Test Drive - [ ] **Automatic gearbox.** Accelerate gently from a stop and through each gear, feeling for any shudder, flare in revs or delayed shift. A shudder or hesitation around light throttle can mean a failing torque converter. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Brakes.** Brake firmly from speed on a quiet road; the car should stop straight without pulling, pulsing or grinding. Pulsing through the pedal usually means warped discs. (Safety critical) - [ ] **Noises at speed.** Drive at highway speed on a quiet stretch and listen for any humming or droning that changes with speed. A hum that grows louder with speed is often a worn wheel bearing. (Negotiate) ### Documentation - [ ] **Seller's ID.** Check the seller's photo ID matches the name shown on the rego papers, and that the VIN on those papers matches the VIN plate on the car. - [ ] **Service history.** Ask for the logbook and receipts showing services done on time, and ask when the gearbox fluid was last changed. A gearbox fluid that's never been changed raises the risk of shift problems later. (Negotiate) - [ ] **Registration status.** Check the car's registration status online to confirm it is current, and ask for a roadworthy certificate if your state requires one for sale. An unregistered or soon-to-expire car adds cost and delay before you can drive it home. (Negotiate) ## Stay Safe Never go under a car held up only by a jack, and never open the radiator or coolant cap on a hot engine. Keep hands, hair and loose clothing clear of fans and belts when the engine is running, and do checks under the bonnet with it switched off where you can. On the test drive, hold a current licence, confirm the car is registered and insured, obey road rules, and only brake hard when the road behind is clear. Meet in a safe, public-facing place, take someone with you, and don't carry large amounts of cash to a viewing. ## Disclaimer Shufti is not affiliated with or endorsed by Toyota; Toyota and Aurion are trademarks of Toyota Motor Corporation. Figures are counts from Shufti's analysis of official records and published reports, not a statement that any particular vehicle is affected. This checklist is general information only and is not professional, mechanical, legal or financial advice. It covers common checks, not every possible fault, and a car can pass every item here and still have problems. It is not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection by a qualified mechanic, which is worth considering before you buy, especially if anything tagged Safety critical turns up. Repair costs vary widely; get your own quotes. Roadworthy, registration and transfer rules differ by state, so check with your state road authority. Private sales generally don't come with the consumer guarantees that apply when you buy from a dealer. You use this checklist at your own risk and, to the extent permitted by law, Shufti accepts no liability for any loss, damage or injury arising from its use. ## Buying a Used Toyota Aurion: Questions Answered ### Is a used Toyota Aurion reliable? It depends more on the particular car than the badge: how it was driven, loaded and serviced. Work through the commonly reported problems above, read the service history for servicing done on time, and run a PPSR check. ### Which Toyota Aurion years should I avoid? No single Toyota Aurion year stands out as one to avoid. Newer ones usually have fewer kilometres and less wear. Whatever the year, a car's condition, service history and recalls tell you more than its build date, and Shufti looks up the reported faults and recalls for the exact car from its listing. This checklist covers the GSV40 (2006–2012) and GSV50 (2012–2017) Toyota Aurion. Problems reported across them include the engine using oil, a leaking VVT-i oil hose and automatic gearbox shudder. ### How many kilometres is too many for a used Toyota Aurion? Kilometres matter less than how the car was driven and serviced. A high-kilometre sedan with a full service history can be a better buy than a low-kilometre one that's missed services, towed, or been used as a taxi, rideshare or fleet car. Check the history for regular servicing, and on a hybrid ask for a battery health check. ### Should I get a pre-purchase inspection on a used Toyota Aurion? It's most worth it on a car where a hidden fault could be costly. Hidden crash repairs, worn suspension and gearbox problems are easy to miss on a short test drive, so check panel gaps and paint closely and drive it long enough to feel every gear change. Either way, start by checking the car yourself with this checklist, so you know what to look for and whether it's worth paying a mechanic to see. See Pre-purchase car inspection: what it checks and costs (https://shufti.com.au/guides/used-car-inspection-options) ### How do I check a used Toyota Aurion for money owing or a write-off? Run a PPSR check with the car's VIN on ppsr.gov.au (https://www.ppsr.gov.au/). It shows whether there's finance owing and whether the car has been reported stolen or written off. Run it on the day you pay. See What a PPSR check covers and what it doesn't (https://shufti.com.au/guides/what-is-a-ppsr-check) ### How do I check recalls on a used Toyota Aurion? Search the government's Vehicle Recalls site for the Toyota Aurion (https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/recalls/browse-all-recalls?search=Toyota%20Aurion). Each notice says which models and build dates it covers and what the fault is. A recall on record doesn't tell you whether the work was done on a particular car, so ask the seller for proof, or ask a Toyota dealer to check the VIN. --- Shufti is an Australian used car inspection app for iPhone and Android that tailors the inspection to the exact car you're looking at. It is not affiliated with Shufti Pro, the identity verification (KYC) company. From the listing link, it builds every check around that car's make, model and year, odometer reading and the seller's description. It runs PPSR and government recall checks, crosschecks a database of more than 3 million recalls and owner complaints, flags problems from your photos and audio, plans a test drive, produces a shareable report with repair cost estimates, and coaches you through the negotiation. A Tailored check costs $24.99, or $49.99 for three, including PPSR and recall checks. A mechanic's pre-purchase inspection costs $250–350. To start, Shufti's General inspection guide is free: pick the car's make and model, and it takes you through the checks that matter for that model, on your phone. There's a guide for popular models, and one for every type of car. Made by Frontpoint Digital Pty Ltd (ABN 23 669 870 366), Melbourne, Australia. Contact: hello@shufti.com.au. Download: [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/au/app/shufti-used-car-inspection/id6795718336?pt=129235165&ct=Website%20guide&mt=8), [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.shufti.shufti_app&referrer=utm_source%3Dshufti.com.au%26utm_medium%3Dwebsite%26utm_campaign%3DWebsite%2520guide%26utm_content%3Dllms%26utm_term%3D%252Fllms.txt).