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Fitting a tow bar to a Toyota Alphard MNH10 (3.0L V6, 2002–2008) in the UK involves a specific legal procedure that you must address before picking up a wrench. Because these are "grey imports," standard UK towing laws apply differently than for UK-market cars. 1. The Legal Hurdle: VIN Plate & Towing WeightsMost imported Alphards do not have a Gross Train Weight (GTW) stamped on their VIN plate. The Risk: If your VIN plate does not show a GTW (the second biggest number on the plate), your legal towing limit is 0 kg. Towing a trailer in this state can void your insurance and is illegal. The Fix: You must get the vehicle "replated." A specialist engineering firm will calculate the safe capacity and issue a new, legal VIN sticker to stick over the old one. Recommended Specialist: SVTech (UK-based) is the standard go-to for this. Estimated Cost: Approx £150 – £170. Action: Check your VIN plate (passenger door pillar or under the bonnet). If the GTW field is blank, contact SVTech before towing. 2. Weight Limits & SpecificationsOnce legally replated, the 3.0L V6 MNH10 typically has these limits (using an online calculator): Towing Capacity (Braked): 1,600 kg – 1,800 kg (Dependent on the replating certificate). Towing Capacity (Unbraked): 750 kg. Nose Weight (Vertical Load): 75 kg. Note: The rear suspension is soft. If you tow near the limit, the rear will sag. Many owners fit "assister springs" (e.g., from Grayston) inside the rear coil springs to stiffen the ride. Kerb Weight: ~1,900 – 2,000 kg. 3. Mechanical Fitting ProcedureTime: 2–3 hours | Difficulty: Moderate DIY Key Note: The tow bar usually replaces the rear crash beam. You will remove the crash beam and not refit it. Tools: Socket set (10, 12, 14, 17, 19mm) + Extension bars. Torque Wrench (essential). Jigsaw or Padsaw (for bumper cut). Drill with 12.5mm metal bit. Step-by-Step: Preparation: Lower and remove the spare wheel to clear the work area. Exhaust: Detach the rear exhaust rubber hangers. You don't need to remove the exhaust, just lower it enough to work above it. Remove Towing Eye: Remove the factory towing eye (usually held by 4 bolts) from the chassis rail. This will not be refitted. Chassis Access: The mounting points are pre-drilled in the chassis rails but may be covered by tape or underseal. Drilling: Some kits (like Tow-Trust) require you to drill through the outer face of the chassis rail, using the existing inner holes as a guide. Insert Spacers: Crucial Step. You must insert the metal spacer tubes into the chassis rails before bolting. If you forget these, tightening the bolts will crush the box-section of the chassis, causing structural damage. Mounting: Lift the tow bar crossbeam into place (ideally a 2-person lift). Insert bolts loosely. Bumper Cut: Most MNH10 tow bars require a cut on the underside of the bumper (non-visible from standing). Typical Dimensions: 90mm wide x 50mm deep. (Check your specific kit's manual to be sure). Tightening: Torque the bolts to the manufacturer's spec. If not specified, standard ISO ratings for M12 bolts are: Coarse Pitch (Standard): ~102 Nm Fine Pitch: ~111 Nm Reassembly: Raise the exhaust back onto its hangers. Winch the spare wheel back up (check it doesn't foul the new tow bar structure). 4. Electrical Wiring (The "Bypass" Requirement)The MNH10 uses an analogue lighting system, but it is sensitive. You cannot simply scotch-lock wires directly to the bulb holders without a relay, or you risk blowing the lighting control module. Required Kit: A "7-Way Universal Bypass Relay" wiring kit. Connection Point: The best access is behind the Nearside (Left) Rear interior trim panel. You will often find a Blue and White connector block here which carries the rear lighting feeds. Wiring Colors (Guide Only - Always Test with Multimeter): Earth: White/Black Stop: Green/White Tail: Green Indicator (Left): Green/Black Indicator (Right): Green/Yellow Tip: Use a multimeter or 12V test light to confirm these before cutting. Power Feed: You will need to run a dedicated 12V power feed from the battery (front) to the bypass relay (rear), fused near the battery. 5. Critical Consideration: Transmission CoolerThe 3.0L V6 (1MZ-FE engine) is paired with a specific automatic gearbox. The Risk: The radiator cools both the engine and the gearbox fluid. When towing, the gearbox fluid gets incredibly hot. The stock cooler is often insufficient for towing >750kg, leading to gearbox failure. The Fix: Fit an external Transmission Oil Cooler. This is a small radiator (approx £50-£80) that sits in front of your A/C condenser. It is cheap insurance against a £2,000 gearbox rebuild. Summary Checklist for UK OwnersCheck VIN: Is GTW stamped? If No -> Contact SVTech. Buy: Tow bar (e.g., Tow-Trust or PCT) + Universal Bypass Wiring Kit + Transmission Cooler. Install: Remember the chassis spacers and the torque settings (100Nm+). Test: Verify lights and ensure the spare wheel is secure. Oil Cooler For the Toyota Alphard 3.0L V6 (MNH10), you specifically need an Auxiliary Air-to-Oil Transmission Cooler. Do not buy a "standard replacement" transmission cooler from a general parts site (like AutoDoc or Euro Car Parts). Those are usually the stock water-cooled units that fit inside the radiator—they are what you already have, and they are not sufficient for towing. You need an external radiator kit that sits in front of your air conditioning condenser to provide extra cooling. 1. Recommended Kit & SpecificationFor the Alphard V6 towing up to 1,600kg, the "Gold Standard" specification is: Brand: Mocal (highly reliable, UK standard) or Setrab. Size: 13-Row or 16-Row (13-row is standard, 16-row is better for heavy caravans). Width: 235mm (Standard width, fits easily behind the Alphard grille). Hose Size: Typically 10mm (3/8") for Toyota transmission lines (check this on your van before ordering). 2. Where to Buy in the UKOption A: The Specialist (Best Quality)These suppliers sell complete "Universal" kits that include the cooler, hoses, mounting brackets, and clamps. Demon Tweeks (Wrexham / Online): Look for "Mocal Universal Oil Cooler Kit". They are very helpful on the phone if you are unsure about fittings. Merlin Motorsport (Castle Combe): A dedicated race/performance shop. They stock Mocal and Setrab and sell the hose by the meter if you need extra length. Think Automotive (Isleworth): They are the actual manufacturers/distributors of Mocal products in the UK. If you call them and say "I need a transmission cooler kit for a 3.0L Toyota," they can build a kit with the exact right hose barbs. Option B: Budget / General (eBay & Amazon)You can find "Universal Transmission Cooler Kits" for £40–£60. Search for: "Universal Transmission Oil Cooler Kit 10mm". Brands: Hayden or Mishimoto are decent mid-range options. Warning: Avoid the very cheapest unbranded kits (<£30); the hoses are often low quality and can burst under pressure, which would destroy your gearbox in seconds. 3. What to Order (The Shopping List)If you are buying the parts individually, you need: The Cooler: 13-row or 16-row Mocal oil cooler. Fitting Kit: 4x Mounting brackets (often plastic ties that go through the radiator fins, or metal brackets). Hose: 2 meters of high-pressure transmission oil hose (10mm / 3/8" internal diameter). Joiners: You do not need complex screw fittings. You need barbed joiners to splice into the existing rubber hoses coming from the gearbox. 4. Installation TipThe Alphard V6 gearbox lines exit the gearbox and go into the bottom of the main water radiator. Correct Flow: You should plumb the new cooler in series after the main radiator. Route: Gearbox -> Main Radiator -> New Cooler -> Back to Gearbox. Why: This uses the water radiator to get the fluid up to temp quickly, and then the new air cooler sheds the excess heat before the fluid returns to the delicate gearbox mechanics. Correct Flow Positions & Tests For the Toyota Alphard MNH10 (V6), the transmission cooler lines are not consistently colour-coded or stamped "In/Out". Because guessing incorrectly can overheat your gearbox, you must confirm the flow direction physically. The only 100% safe way to identify the return line is the "Bucket Test". 1. The "Bucket Test" (Fail-Safe Method)You need to intercept the fluid after it leaves the main radiator but before it goes back to the gearbox. Locate the Hoses: Find the two rubber hoses connecting the gearbox to the bottom of the main radiator. Disconnect One: Disconnect one of these hoses at the radiator end. Prepare: Place the open end of the rubber hose into an empty bucket. Place a clear plastic tube (or just a finger/rag) over the open metal nozzle on the radiator to catch any fluid. The Test: Have a helper start the engine and immediately turn it off (run for 2–3 seconds max). Identify the Flow: Option A: If fluid spurts out of the Radiator Nozzle, that nozzle is the Feed (coming from the gearbox). The hose you are holding is the Return line. (This is the hose you want). Option B: If fluid spurts out of the Rubber Hose, that hose is the Feed from the gearbox. The radiator nozzle is the Return. Reconnect this hose and test the other one to be sure. 2. How to Plumb the New CoolerTo get the maximum cooling for towing, you should install the new cooler in Series (after the radiator). Correct Flow: Gearbox -> Main Radiator -> New Auxiliary Cooler -> Gearbox Why: The main radiator helps warm the fluid up quickly in winter, and the new cooler sheds the excess heat generated by towing before the fluid returns to the sensitive gearbox mechanics. Connection Steps: Identify the Return Hose using the test above (the one that carries fluid back to the gearbox). Disconnect this hose from the radiator. Connect the Radiator Output (where you just pulled the hose off) to the New Cooler Inlet. Connect the New Cooler Outlet to the original Return Hose (which goes back to the gearbox). 3. Parts ConfirmationHose Diameter: The MNH10 uses 10mm (3/8") internal diameter transmission hose. Clamps: Use proper fuel injection clamps (solid band), not the cheap worm-drive jubilee clips which can bite into the rubber and leak. Top Up: Installing a cooler adds volume to the system. You will likely need to add 0.5L – 1.0L of Toyota Type T-IV fluid (or equivalent JWS 3309 spec). Check the dipstick with the engine running and warm after installation.

I went the dirt cheap route of picking up a wireless car play screen from Aliexpress for £45. I didn't want to replace the head unit and wasn't comfortable getting the kit to add car play to it and didn't fancy spending 400 odd quid and the trip to get Ben to do it for me.

All is well, new blades arrived via eBay very speedily & rear fitted no problem. Supplier Heyner UK Ltd. All look very good quality, price £25.97

A "3 month warranty" is almost meaningless. You need to understand exactly what is covered, and what is NOT. Should an issue be identified; who pays the bill ? The vendor, some warranty company, or you (then you make a claim for reimbursement). It would also be helpful to understand who would actually undertake the work.

It seems the AFS is actually working. I never take notice when the lights come on but last night when I started the car I made a point of looking where the light points to when switched on and I could see the beam moving up and down as it seemed to calibrate itself. When driving along a country lane I tried to see if any movement laterally when going around a bend and I think there was a little, very subtle movement I think so it does seem to be working after all. I did find something online suggesting that in the first 15 mins of starting the engine whilst stationary one could as a test turn the steering wheel side to side and should see sideways movement but I haven’t done this but may do to satisfy my curiosity.

Having found that disconnecting and reconnecting the battery is not made simple I decided to look into ways to make it a little easier. from the river-based people I purchased a 'URAQT 12V 4-Way Positive Negative Quick-Release Pure Brass Battery Terminal Connector' https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/02/apparel/rcxgs/tile._CB483369956_.gif and a set of '8pcs Car Battery Post Terminal Shims with Washers' https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/02/apparel/rcxgs/tile._CB483369956_.gif The result was successful (as in the engine starts and charges the battery), though not pretty, with the connections nice and tight: I stopped as I was getting too cold :-). I plan to see if the cables can be re-routed / re-positioned so that the metal ends are upside down, which would make for a better connection or, failing that, strip the ends of the cables and terminate them properly so they are connected as intended, which is with the main connection being clamped in the middle and additional connections using either of the side bolts. I also want to tidy up the various additions that have left a number of loose cables. Things to note: 1) undoing the cable ends is best done first, before disconnecting the original connectors as they are very tightly done up. 2) the terminal posts are different sizes so different shims are needed. 3) as usual the windows and clock need to be reset after reconnecting 4) the + terminal does have a cover, I pulled it back for the photo. I hope this may be of interest to people. Paul

Just uploaded a drive-and-talk in the 20 Series (with timestamps as the video is 54 mins long). I cover some FAQs and things like V6 fuel economy, why I went for 4WD and not FWD, why I avoided the 'low mileage' traps and so on. I also cover a couple of specific gremlins I’m struggling with, like the auto high-beam sensitivity. Would be awesome if any knowledgeable folks that can answer some of these questions. Thanks for the support

This is great thanks. If I can't get it running reliably on win10 or 11 then I can spin up an XP VM (or just use the online manual) Super useful anyway, cheers

Auto high beam might be configurable via the obd2 port, you can set the light level triggered for auto lights and the dashboard dimming via this method, i cannot test auto highbeam, because i don't have this feature on my alphard. If you buy a Bluetooth dongle for about £15 from ebay, you can install an app called carscanner on Android or apple that allows you to adjust all the 'dealer' customisation, such as sliding door continuous beep beep sound, the passenger seat belt warning alarm (i have my rucksack on passenger seat, and the weight used to trigger the seatbelt not fitted alarm), and you can turn off the beep/double beep noise when locking/unlocking car with fob etc. You can turn on and off the (hold lock/unlock fob button) to open/close all windows option, and set the a/c behaviour when using auto climate control. Its well worth the small cost for the adaptor, which also gives you access to diagnostics and additional sensor information such as transmission temperature and the usual additional performance graphs, etc

Your blue lights on the centre console are not standard, they are usually green, like on the other switch gear. An interesting feature, which you might not notice except at night, is that if you use the button on the driver's door that 'window locks' ( to stop passengers using the electric windows or sunroof), the leds on the electric window toggles, turn off. Its a nice little feature that most probably won't notice.

Here are the auto lock unlock linked to P instructions. Each option is a toggle, so if you turn on ignition select P then press the unlock button on the driver's door, it will toggle between unlock all on moving to park, or not unlocking all when shifting to park. If you turn on ignition, place in P and then press the lock button on the driver's door, it will toggle between locking all doors when you shut out of park, or not doing anything when shifting out of park. So in my Alphard, i have it to sort unlock when i shift to p, like a taxi, and it only auto locks when i go over 20kph.

Thanks so much smurf, you were correct. This is now all fixed.

I replaced them with OEM blades from Japan ordered via Amyama. Not cheap, about £50+/- if I remember. Then I've just ordered the rubber when replacing them as that only cost £21.

The Japanese use a different upper and lower frequency band. You can buy an expander, that retunes UK into Japanese frequency. They cost about £15. The satnav will not work. It is designed for the Japanese satellite orbits. Your options are to use a mobile phone, connected via Bluetooth for audio, and use phone screen for satnav, and if you have unlimited data, a radio streaming app. You could also use a carplay adaptor, again it will rely on a data plan on your phone. Last is to replace headunit. You have choices of 'dumb' headunits that are just radio/cd, or full blown multimedia usually running on android.

I'm too OCD to buy something that will leave a tiny mark on my windscreen. I tried replacing mine with the Bosch ones but they were too small. I am now due to get a replacement for the back so will commence my research. Will check out what bodekUK suggested.

My issue is the heater stopped controlling between max & min, and the only way round that I’ve found is to have it full on or off via temp. selector. This makes me think the issue is a disc problem. Dirty or worn? Summertime job methinks, we need a heater up north at the moment! My control method is full heat & windows open if necessary 🙃 Excellent video, thanks!

A top tip I was given to remove wiper arms - loosen and remove the nut, press DOWN firmly, but not hard, on the arm, near to the wiper end, to release the grip on the splines, pull arm off! It's worked for me many times, I hope it does for you!!

I took it in today to J&M Automotive in Taplow, very friendly staff. Passed MOT without issue. I did label the foglight switch beforehand and I did leave a note on the dash to say odometer in KM and told receptionist too, Passing paperwork says KM as mileage so happy days, would use them again for next MOT.

I found the problem yesterday evening. One side of the panel fuse socket was pushed Out through the fuse box. So the fuse got No correct contact. So my complete illumination ist working. @Jimmympv i think your problem can be the radio itself or a loose cable at the Back of the radio. If all other Illumination ist working, i think the fuse ist ok. Whats the fabrication year of your car?

Work great (on 20 series) on country roads at night.

Just to add, you can buy boxes of 10 rubber refills. When removing the old rubber, you must remove and swap to the new rubber, the two long metal ribs. At the moment, getting those official rubber refills in packs of 10 requires going via a 3rd party. I'm still looking at the first effectiveness. I used amayama to buy a few rubbers for both sides ( kept adding to basket until the postage bumped up, at which point i removed one rubber too get it down to the lowest cost delivery)

The manual I found on here, and had printed, says it this way: AFS (Adaptive Front Lighting System) improves visibility at intersections and on curves by automatically adjusting the direction of light axis of the headlights according to vehicle speed and the degree of the tyre angle that are controlled by steering input. Operates at speeds of 10km/h (6mph) or higher.

Switch off ignition, then start engine. Afs wont adjust whilst stationary, except during start up when it calibrates itself. Its most noticeable when turning corners, you should see the light pattern move to the side.

For main hid bulb (dipped headlight)

The headlamp cover is like a side dish. I'll take a photo

Hi all , happy to report that I have found a local mechanic not afraid to tackle work on my Alphard. He removed starter motor inspected Flywheel and found no significant wear, installed new starter motor and it started on the button whoopee. Thank you all for your help sourcing part and diagnosis.

These are the selected wheels going on

Hello Chris Thanks very much for taking the time to provide this information; I know that you are right about the 6v reverse camera. What I have decided to do is to take out the OE reverse camera and replace it with a Pioneer camera that I hope will be an upgrade in terms of quality and is also adjustable, which the OE one is not. So I will route a new cable through the car to the back. I think I have managed to track down all of the connectors to connect up the new unit and bypass the amp under the passenger seat. The worst part of this job has been removing all of the aftermarket accessories which have been installed in Japan such as TV tuner, various aerials, remote control receptors and a separate DVD Player located in the glove box for the rear screen - This was not done very professionally, which surprises me given my own experience of Japanese people who normally do excellent work whatever they do. To answer your question by the way, the car is 2010 and it is a 22 pin connector. Best Malcolm

You been also look for Toyota sienna on your search for YouTube videos, as the mechanism is practically the same, but more popular in America. Not sure exactly what your issue is, but you could start here YouTube

You can find full maintenance manual, including instructions for bulbs online. I won't post link, to avoid breaking forum rules, but if you do s Google search for English Repair Manual (09/2012-->12/2014) (RM2443) You will see a site that contains the manual, you will also find wiring diagrams.

Aftermarket security device. https://vanalert.co.uk/van-alert-system/sensors/

Prime selection 2 is just marketing gibberish for some coloured trim, upholstery or tinted headlights. The 240s part is what counts, so it's a standard model. Models for the 240 are 240x basic model 240s standard 240g high spec I would say at this point (2025) this couldn't really be more than £10k, unless it's been really well looked after and had something to make it stand out from the others, at this point adding a few k and buying a 30 series is realistic. Consider i bought a 350G for £12k in 2021

hi chris There will probably be a large meet in 26, dates to be confirmed

I'm a new owner of an 2013 Hybrid and i'm just searching relevant inf and documentation ref my model, so far i have the attached, if anyone else have any other, please share you never know when you need it maintenance-schedule.pdf auto-service-repair-manuals-and-wiring-diagrams-pr.pdf toyota-alphard-vellfire-em2441e-overall-electrical-wiring-diagram.pdf Toyota-ALPHARD-VELLFIRE-EM2441E-Relay-Locations-pdf.pdf Alphard-2-Vellfire-20-2008-2015-fuse-and-relay.pdf CAMSHAFT-VALVE-TOYOTA-ALPHARD-VELLFIRE-HV.pdf ALPHARD-VELLFIRE-Service-sheet.pdf hybrid-vehicle-dismantling-manual-for-ath20.pdf Alphard-20-Manual-pdf.pdf

Toyota directly. Or Amazon.Jp You can setup a japanese Amazon account, change language and currency to UK, and buy stuff from Japan. Because it's Amazon, so the taxes etc are included.