The 1981 Toyota Land Cruiser was sold in two utility body styles that year, and the service and repair procedures here follow Toyota's own 1981 figures for the trim in front of you rather than specifications carried over from a neighboring model year.
Trims
- 2D Utility
- 4D Utility
Known issues on the 1981 Land Cruiser. One recall is on federal record for this model year, and it concerns the steering linkage tie rod assembly: if the vehicle is continuously driven at speeds over 50 mph on extremely rough roads, a bending resonance of the steering tie rod may occur, and this could eventually cause fracture and failure of the rod. No owner complaints are logged for the year, and Toyota has issued 7 technical service bulletins.
For a tie rod and steering linkage inspection after rough-road use, a bulletin-driven repair, or ordinary maintenance, Toyota's own 1981 Land Cruiser procedures and specifications are in front of you.
