Parts for your 2014 Toyota Land cruiser-Knock sensor

2014 Toyota Land Cruiser knock sensor — is it actually used?

Short answer: it depends on the engine. For the 2014 Land Cruiser sold in Australia and New Zealand (J200 Series), the widely sold 4.5L twin‑turbo diesel (engine code 1VD‑FTV) does not use a conventional knock sensor. Petrol V8 variants offered in other markets (such as the 1UR‑FE) do use knock sensors—typically two, mounted on the cylinder block.

This isn’t guesswork. Toyota’s technical publications back it up. The 2014 Land Cruiser Electrical Wiring Diagram (EWD) and the 1VD‑FTV Engine Control/EFI Repair Manual show no knock sensor circuit on the diesel. By contrast, the UR‑series petrol engine Repair Manual includes a dedicated Knock Sensor section and related DTCs (e.g., P0325–P0334). Toyota’s Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC) for J200 also lists knock sensors and sub‑loom parts for petrol engines, but not for the 1VD‑FTV diesel.

Why the difference? Knock sensors exist to detect detonation (pinging) in spark‑ignition petrol engines, letting the ECU trim ignition timing to protect the engine. The 1VD‑FTV is a common‑rail compression‑ignition diesel. It doesn’t run spark ignition or conventional “knock” in the petrol sense. Combustion noise is an inherent characteristic of diesel operation, and the ECU manages combustion via injection timing, rail pressure, boost, air and coolant temperature, and crank/cam position inputs—without needing a knock sensor. Some modern diesels use specialist cylinder‑pressure or vibration sensing for fine control, but Toyota’s 1VD‑FTV as fitted to 2014 AU/NZ Land Cruisers wasn’t designed with a knock sensor in its control system.

If you’ve got a petrol 2014 Land Cruiser (common in other regions or privately imported here), it will have knock sensors. They help keep performance crisp and fuel economy tidy by allowing the ECU to run optimal timing without risking detonation. They’re not a routine service item—there’s no scheduled replacement—but age, heat, oil contamination, or wiring damage can cause faults. Typical signs include a Check Engine Light with knock‑sensor circuit codes, lacklustre performance, poor fuel economy, or audible pinging under load. Replacement generally involves removing the intake (on V8 petrols the sensors live in the “valley” on the block), inspecting and renewing the sub‑loom if brittle, and torquing the sensors to the specification in the Toyota Repair Manual. Using quality parts and correct torque is key, over‑ or under‑tightening can give dodgy readings.

Technical sources referenced:

• Toyota Land Cruiser 200 Series Electrical Wiring Diagram (2014 model year): engine control pages for 1VD‑FTV vs UR‑series petrol
• Toyota Repair Manual – 1VD‑FTV Engine (EFI/ECM sections): sensor list and diagnostics (no knock sensor)
• Toyota Repair Manual – UR‑series petrol engines (Knock Sensor section, DTCs P0325–P0334)
• Toyota Electronic Parts Catalogue (J200, 2014): sensor listings for 1VD‑FTV vs UR‑series

Popular questions

Does my 2014 Land Cruiser have a knock sensor?
Diesel 1VD‑FTV models sold in Australia and New Zealand don’t. Petrol V8 versions (like the 1UR‑FE, common in other markets and some imports) do, usually two sensors on the block.

What are the symptoms of a bad knock sensor on a petrol 2014 Land Cruiser?
Check Engine Light with knock‑sensor circuit codes, reduced power, worse fuel economy, and sometimes pinging under load. These symptoms don’t apply to the 1VD‑FTV diesel because it doesn’t use a knock sensor.

Can a diesel 2014 Land Cruiser be retrofitted with a knock sensor?
Not practically. The diesel ECU isn’t designed to read one, and the engine management strategy doesn’t rely on knock sensing. It’s unnecessary for the 1VD‑FTV.