Toyota Previa 1991 - 1997 review

Introduced in 1991, the Previa was an excellent, long-lasting minivan. The only problem - it was designed for Japanese market with only a four-cylinder engine available. In 1998 the Previa was discontinued and replaced by the Sienna in North America, although it's still sold in Europe.

Rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive version is available. The longitudinally-mounted 4-cylinder engine is located under the floor between the front seats; to fit the tight space it's tilted towards the passenger side.
Only one engine choice: 2.4-liter four cylinder 16-valve twin cam engine. Earlier models had only 138 horsepower. Starting from 1994 model, the supercharger was added to increase the engine power to 161 h.p.

The Previa's spaceship-like interior is roomy and comfortable. Fit and finish is very good. Driver's place is comfortable; great visibility. The third-row bench seat splits in half and folds up easily against the sidewalls making a lot of space for cargo.
Great maneuverability, rather car-like handling.
ABS is optional. In NHTSA frontal crash test, 1994-1997 models have four stars for driver and three stars for passenger protection.

The engine

Toyota Previa comes with DOHC 4-cylinder 16-valve 2.4 L engine with 138 h.p (161 h.p starting from 1994), with cast iron block and aluminium alloy head. There is no timing belt; to increase durability a maintenance-free timing chain is used to drive the camshafts. The Previa engine is proven to be very durable and can last very long if properly maintained.

Strengths

- Very reliable powertrain
- Comfortable driver's place
- Spacious interior
- Car-like handling
- Folding up rear bench seat

Weaknesses

- Some parts are quite expensive
- Slightly underpowered
One of the common problems - the supplemental accessory drive shaft (SAD shaft). It starts making noise at high mileage. According to Toyota, the complete shaft must be replaced (around $1000), although there is an aftermarket repair kit available.

What to look for when buying a used Previa

First, check the used car history records. A history report may help you to uncover problems the car might have in the past such as accidents, flood damage, rolled back odometer, etc.
Follow this link: How to check used car history
- Look for leaks
- Make sure the air conditioner works
- Look for corrosion, especially around the wheel wells.
- Check the stereo.
- Clacking or knocking noise when cold or under acceleration or when the A/C is on might indicate a problem with accessory drive shaft - a very expensive (around $1000) part to replace, although the aftermarket repair kit is available for around $200.
Check for more tips what to look for when buying a used car
- Prior purchase have the car inspected by a mechanic of your choice on a lift - many components (e.g ball joints) can not be properly inspected by simple visual inspection.
Shop wisely, check few cars to compare; it's worth to pay a little extra for a well-maintained vehicle in good condition; check our step-by-step used car buying guide for more information.
Some models may be costly to insure. Get the insurance quotes first.

Few maintenance tips

- Wash your car regularly, wax it once in a while to keep the car body shiny and protected from harsh environment.
- If you live in the area with high humidity, rustproofing will help to protect the car body from corrosion.
- The Previa's oil feeder system is only designed to automatically top up the engine oil; change the engine oil regularly according to the owner's manual.
- Change transmission fluid regularly.
- When changing the spark plugs, it's good idea to replace the distributor cap, rotor and wires at the same time.
- Try to avoid overheating the engine; this may cause serious problems.
- Take care of minor problems as soon as you can, before they cause something serious.
- Always check your parking space for leaks, and if you find one, get it fixed as soon as you can.
- Follow recommended maintenance schedule and keep all the fluids clean and topped up.
- At least once a year have your car inspected in a garage on the lift (e.g when doing tire rotation) to keep it safe. Many components (e.g brakes, steering, suspension) cannot be properly inspected by simple visual inspection at fast lube places; the car must be on the lift.
Check more Car maintenance tips from Samarins.com

Toyota Previa specs. (1996 US model)

Links

If you want to know more about your car

If you want to find more technical information about you car such as repair manual with diagrams (vacuum line diagram, electrical diagram, etc.), specification, fluids type, maintenance schedule, component location, and so on, there is a website which for a small fee allows you to browse all such an information for almost any car model on-line. You also can find recalls, service bulletins, price for certain parts and labor and a lot more extremely useful information about your car. I tried this service many times and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone. To learn more visit this page:
Where to find technical information about your car

by Vlad Samarin