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Most Viewed Club Topics
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Key fob not working
Laurence ·Hi, does anyone know if having removed this box from behind the radio will have stopped the remote key fob from working? I would try plugging it back in but refitting the radio and fascia panel was a real challenge and not something I want to repeat any time soon. -
Hybrid battery life
Jono ·Guys I am looking for some info re ten to15 Yr old alphard hybrid imports with sub 50k miles. Are the hybrid systems on these vehicles still viable and do they aid the fuel consumption. Also how long do hybrids from 2010 actually last, is it down to age or mileage or what. Any advice appreciated Jono
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Worn suspension arm pin/bush - impact/cost to repair
Jiggerg ·Hello, I am new on this forum, so apologies if posting in wrong place. I am on verge of buying a 2008 Alphard privately and would appreciate any advice re costs, parts access etc. re probable eventual repair required based on recent MOT advisory below. The same advisories have been noted since 2023 and I am not sure how much of a concern it is. Many thanks for any feedback/info. -
Internet off grid
russ1966 ·Hi there,wondering what's the best system to use to get Internet connection, just been to a festival with zero connection for 4 days ,what set up is best ,thanks
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Radio Password cracked!!!!
Apologies to those who suggested things to me before, I got very confused, sorry if I lost your advice! Good news is, we did it!! We are now sitting in our Alphard with CD and radio!!! Amazing. This is the GENUINE person who helped us. (20+) NavigationDisk - Japanese Car Radio Unlock Solutions カーラジオとナビゲーションロッ | Facebook His name is Shareef - we trusted him and he didn't let us down, paid $20 by Paypal and followed his instructions, we got a number on the screen, sent it to him a
Latest Alphard / Vellfire posts
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Key fob not working
It looks aftermarket - if it was factory I'd have expected a Toyota part number on it. I wonder if it has a 'ghost' type immobiliser on it - with those there's typically something secret you need to do like a button to press or whatever, otherwise the car won't start. Do you have to do anything like that? This box would be the part that detects that button press. I've seen (on a Range Rover on YT) ones where there's a box in the cabin that talks to a receiver under the fusebox which surreptitiously disconnects the fuel relay - engine turns over but won't start without the secret handshake.
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Hybrid battery life
Generally the Toyota hybrids are very reliable - Priuses are good for 350k miles. The 10 series has an issue with the inverter cooling pump (inverter overheats which damages the IGBTs), but is that a problem with the 20 series? My Gen2 Prius has never had it changed and it's at 175k miles. The one issue with the hybrid batteries is they don't like heat. In the 20 series (and the Estima) the battery is cooped up in the centre console with only a small fan at the base of the rear. Especially in hot climates like southern Japan, Malaysia and Singapore the batteries can get hot, and the fan isn't that great at cooling them. Also, if that fan gets blocked or clogged then it can reduce its cooling ability and the battery can overheat. Another reason why you should always run the aircon in hot weather. Typically it's the cells in the middle that suffer as they are the least well cooled. I have 3 bad modules on the upper bank (each module is 12 NiMH cells in the upper bank and 8 cells on the lower) so I'm planning to replace them and refurbish the rest when I've sorted some other jobs. For now it's still drivable but with fuel economy about the same as the petrol 2.4. I only get the fault code showing if I let the battery become over discharged - just let the engine run for a minute before turning off and it'll leave some charge in it. If you can get to London there are quite a few garages who will refurbish batteries - the battery is very similar to the 2006-19 Estima, and the hybrids of those are popular as London minicabs. Search eBay for 'Estima hybrid battery' and you'll find them.
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Key fob not working
I haven't found out anything about the unit myself but the label would suggest it's part of the immobiliser set-up so I would say it's needed if you want to start the vehicle. Maybe someone will be able to identify it.
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Hybrid battery life
The series 20 hybrids have a bigger battery than the series 10 so likely give better mileage than previous. The issue with hybrids from Japan is that they could have been stood for many months and this isn't good for the HV battery. Also the HV battery can need servicing as any part can which is not cheap. I needed my HV battery refurbishing after I had had it for just over a year (about 65k miles) but has been spot on since (4 years) . I would also advise changing the Inverter cooling pump asap after purchase (or get the dealer to do it) as these do go and can cause expensive damage if not caught in time. If looking at a hybrid again I would insist on getting a battery certificate to see how good the battery is and get professional advice- I would advise this for any Hybrid or EV import or domestic. If you can get the HV battery sorted a hybrid should be good for a long time and they do have little brake and tyre wear (in my experience) and the ECVT gearbox is reported to be very reliable.
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Worn suspension arm pin/bush - impact/cost to repair
They are fine to repair.
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Key fob not working
Hi, does anyone know if having removed this box from behind the radio will have stopped the remote key fob from working? I would try plugging it back in but refitting the radio and fascia panel was a real challenge and not something I want to repeat any time soon.