2004 Toyota Previa 2.4L Petrol · LL04 SNZ

A persistent pattern of brake wear and recurring exhaust leaks forms the dominant mechanical theme of this 2004 Toyota Previa, with the most recent test on 6 May 2026 recording a pass alongside advisories for worn front and rear brake discs and thinning rear brake pads. These disc and pad advisories have now appeared across consecutive tests in 2024 and 2026, suggesting the braking system is operating at the limits of its service life and will require component renewal in the near term. The single failure logged on the same date in May 2026 was driven by insufficient windscreen washer fluid, a trivial defect, but the test also carried over the same brake disc advisory seen on the pass. Beyond the brakes, exhaust gas leaks have been flagged as minor advisories in 2021, 2023, and 2024, with a more serious major leak recorded at the June 2023 failure before the vehicle subsequently passed. The 2023 test also noted the vehicle as under sealed, a factor that can mask underlying corrosion and warrants close physical inspection. At 132,373 recorded miles over approximately 22 years, this Previa has averaged around 6,000 miles per year, which sits broadly in line with typical usage for its age. The MOT history shows testing in 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2026, with no recorded tests between mid-2019 and early 2021, indicating either a period off the road or a testing exemption gap that should be clarified with any paperwork. The mileage accumulation between known tests appears steady rather than erratic, and there is no evidence of clocked or anomalous readings within the recorded data. Nevertheless, a 22-year-old vehicle with this mileage will have aged rubber, plastic, and metal components throughout the suspension, drivetrain, and underbody, regardless of how the miles were accumulated, and the advisories already on file confirm that consumable wear is now progressing on multiple fronts. For a prospective buyer, the brake disc and pad advisories from the 2024 and 2026 tests demand a physical inspection of pad material thickness and disc condition, including measurement of disc wear against service limits, and a test drive should focus on any judder through the pedal under firm braking, pulling to one side, or grinding noises that would indicate the pads have run low or the discs are now beyond their wear limit. The exhaust advisories spanning three separate tests mean the system should be inspected on a cold start for any ticking or hissing sounds from joints and gaskets, particularly around the front pipe and rear silencer area, and the underbody examined for black soot deposits indicating active leakage. The 2019 advisory for corroded rear coil springs and corroded rear inner sills is particularly relevant given the vehicle's age, so the rear suspension should be checked for sagging, clonking over uneven surfaces, or uneven ride height, while a torch inspection of the inner sills, wheel arches, and subframe mounting points is essential to verify that the structural rigidity remains intact and that previous undersealing has not concealed perforation. The 2024 advisory for deteriorated anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust covers on both sides should also be followed up by physically checking the linkages for play or knocking under cornering loads, and the headlamp aim adjustment flagged in the 2021 failure should be verified by checking that the beam pattern sits at the correct height against a wall, as misalignment can recur if the mounting points have worn.