devonia

Phew, thanks for that. The bolt end becomes the tapered interference fit.. I don't have the tools to measure that to the accuracy that would be needed. So I put the wheel back on and thought that I would ask before going any further.

Hi, Not sure what we would do without you - but are you sure that the above is the correct part? I have it here but when I went to replace the existing one - the spanner size is different.... the nut on the replacement (and presumably the bolt diameter) is larger...

Hi, I've never had an automatic before - or anything like my lovely Alphard. Can I ask you for some advice, before I attempt my first major service? I've tried to find "jap spares" as the servicing parts thread suggests - but not joy (well, a surfeit of jap-spares). Can anyone point me in the right direction? I gather that I will need to buy the transmission fluid from Opie. That's fine. Unless someone will sell that fluid, plus the plugs and all the replacement filters? I have oil and the sump plug washer, so far. Oh, is there a simple guide where all these filters are located? Finally, I do have a dipstick for the transmission fluid. At least, that's what I think that it is! It's not the motor oil one. I'm assuming that there is a "sump plug" for it, that may take the same washer as the motor oil one. I was planning to drain it out, pour in a little less than the amount that the handbook mentions, then do a short run to warm it up and then top it up to the dipstick mark. Is that a good plan? I've read threads about flushing and having to remove a sump..... Any help, much appreciated. Or, if you know a reasonably priced garage that would do all this for not a huge amount - near Tavistock - please do tell.

Wow, that would be so helpful. Where do you get such drawings and part numbers??

They quoted 350GBP - which seemed a lot to me - so I didn't let them do the work. I did wonder if it is something that I could do myself - but I don't have a lift or pit or even a garage.... so it would be on jacks, wheel ramps and axle supports.

Hi, I have a "repair as soon as possible" " Anti Roll Bar Linkage Ball joint Dust Cover Severely Deteriorated Offside Front - MoT Minor Defect What replacement parts would be needed to fix this and where to get them from? How much is a garage (not London) likely to charge to do this? Do I need a "Jap imports" specialist garage or could any garage do this? Any thoughts, much appreciated, like is it worth (presumably changing the ball joint?) getting the other end done at the same time?

I think creating a new profile on mine deleted all the existing music content. Unintentionally, as I had only recently discovered the tracks and the novelty hadn't worn off. I haven't managed to produce either a music CD or SD card that the system recognises. It does play DVDs - on the dashboard unit. I haven't worked out how to get them playing on the overhead display. I've just discovered that there is a cable that I can get that provides video and mono composite input. I plan to use this with an HDMI converter and that should get a low resolution PC display up and running. As I like to greet dawn breaking over the motorway with Ride of the Valkyries - getting there..

Hi, I am having fun with Google Lens and this media centre on my AH10 Alphard 07 - and am trying to copy music from the CD/DVD drive (which works fine - even plays movies) and from the SD card (which doesn't) . I'm using 2GB ones. I gather that they should be formatted with Panasonic JukeBox software. As it's no longer supported, it doesn't seem to be available from the Panasonic support website. So if anyone could point me at a working copy, that would be much appreciated. The ones that I have found haven't found the SD card when running - even on an old XP machine. I did manage to get it playing pre-existing stored tracks from the hard disk (I think) - I'm not sure how now, or have accidently deleted them or the hard disk has failed. Anyhow, there were lots of Japanese pop music there, that I can't now find. I've tried translating the manual (grey book) but not a lot of joy - so if anyone has a translated copy and could share it, again, that would be much appreciated. Or can just give me the idiot's guide to how to play music stored on the disc. I don't seem to be able to find the right screen to do that, now. The car is very definitely in a different league to anything that we have ever had before... So much so, middle son has just gone and bought one, too as we enthused about it so much. My other half is disabled and its made longer trips so much more bearable.

Any of us with Toyota Imports could need transporting to a garage, anywhere in the Country - accidents happen, even if mechanical breakdown is avoided. Is there a list anywhere of recommended garages to be transported to? Would it be worth someone maintaining a sticky list of them, based on member's reports?

Hi Kev, can you remember which Mannol oil and transmission fluid you buy and where you get it from? They do seem to be a pretty huge company - just not here in the UK ..

Sadly, there is no brand that I know. Last time I used to service my own car - it was Duckhams 20-50 every time. There are several Toyota 5W20 oils to select from and a myriad of synthetic 5W20. So, I was hoping to benefit from the (more recent and relevant) experience of others..

5w30 Fully Synthetic Oil This came up on Hot uk deals? Would you use it - or can you suggest a better one to get by mail order? I only do about 7k miles a year now, mostly on motorways and dual carriageways at 70, from one side of the Country to the other, when the traffic is light. I'd willingly pay more if it would be better for the engine. Oh and where can I buy the right sump plug washer? It looks to be rather more complicated than a plain copper/aluminium disc. Where can I find the right torque setting for it? Any help/suggestions much appreciated - We love our Alphard 😍

That's useful information - it's a 2.4 not a 3 litre, by the way. I should be able to hold a CCTV camera under the front and have a peek without jacking it up and putting it on stands. If the sump washer is plain copper or aluminium, I have a lathe so could just make one.

Hi Everyone, Can someone please tell me how accessible the oil filter is, eg whether I'll be able to unscrew the filter by hand and, if not, which type of tool is cheapest and will do the job? I only plan to change the oil filter and oil, this time - but where to buy the replacement sump plug washer? The filter, I think, is stocked by the general autoparts outlets but the oil? Get genuine Toyota, or what do you suggest? (I've always found a way to get a filter off without the right tool - but I thought that I might treat myself, if the cost isn't too much and it will make the job easier) Or, next time, just buy a kit of plugs, filters,etc from Ebay, or where do you suggest?

Yes, I have been pressing random buttons on that and with that and the passenger roof unit, plus what I think may be the iPad interface in a compartment below the drive selector. So, one of those could now be in the "Flatten the battery in no time at all" mode. Or it could be a "Year 2023" problem. It seemed fine, last year. Still waiting for it to get warmer though... I'm thinking of posting to ask if anyone knows a good source for these head units, alive or dead - it could be an interesting project to see what I could fit inside the body of one.

Good Morning, Tony, Thank you for that - I haven't been near a car fusebox for decades (old mini... say no more).. Yes, it does still have that original part. Electronic faults that just increase consumption a little and not a lot are pretty rare... Does the original media centre have a permanent supply also? I'd hoped that it might and it might just be me leaving it in a particular mode. I might take the time to make a non-contact current sensor - so I can sense whether a fuse has current flow without actually pulling it. Happy days. I wasn't aware that there is information on the fuse locations in the handbook. I couldn't find the battery information there... Looks like I need to invest in an English copy and not just scan the Japanese with "Lens".

Hi, everyone, So up to January, everything has been fine. I've regularly left her parked up for weeks at a time. Now, the battery is going flat in a few days... So, I though - time to replace the battery. It's 80AH, or at least was. But when I took it up to the spare bedroom (no garage, alas) and recharged it - it didn't behave like a dead battery. It took agessssssssss to fully charge. Put it, fully charged, back and measured the output current (put a multimeter on the 10A dc range in series with the terminal - carefully NOT trying to start it). All parked up, doors locked, etc - just the bonnet open. After the initial surge - the current out seems to stabilise at about 0.47A. I couldn't spend long doing that as it is very cold and wet out there ... Clearly this is "something new" - even an 80AH couldn't handle that load for weeks. The battery's back in the bedroom - once it's charged I'll do a 20 hour discharge cycle and see how many AHr it gives.. Just in case. TLTR>>> Is there ANYTHING that I could have left switched on, that would stay powered up even with the key out? Drawing about 0.5A? I don't know - the backseat overhead player? Some setting of the media console? Otherwise, I will be pulling all the fuses out one by one, bridging the gap with the multimeter and seeing if any current flows.. But it is soooo cold out there.. And wet. And I can hear the wolves....

Thanks for that - much appreciated. Further experimentation (limited by being outdoors and very cold) - seems to show that my Alphard draws nearly half an amp when all locked up (only the bonnet open). Which MUST be something wrong. I'll start a different thread on that one, if that's OK?

The present battery is a YBX5096 80AH 740CCA - which appears to be larger than the standard. It's OK if I use the car every day but is self-discharging if I leave the car unused for a couple of weeks. I jump started it from my other half's mobility scooter - but I get the distinct impression that that isn't appreciated.... So probably best to replace it. What would you suggest as a suitable replacement?