smurf

It has a hybrid battery, which is what the dealer is talking about, and it is located under the front seats rather than under the floor. Still a pain to get to to do any repairs. It is made of lots of relatively small and inexpensive cells all connected up to make a large battery. In addition it has the standard sort of 12V battery that a normal non-hybrid car has for powering all the same sort of things that non hybrid cars use 12V for, such as engine management, lights, heating controls, stereo, etc. This is the failed battery that is being talked about in this thread. Leisure batteries are also a 12V battery, but if it hasn't been converted into a camper it won't have a leisure battery. What is it that you are worried about in particular?

If you can prove emissions and get the taxation class changed from PLG to emission based then the tax would be significantly cheaper with CO2/km of 144g. Getting the class changed is the part that might be problematic after it has been registered. The only reason imports tend to pay a flat rate is because the CO2 data isn't available when it is first registered in the UK, so the old pre-2001 tax rates are applied. It isn't anything to do with the fact it is a used car imported from abroad.

Did it work ok previously, or is this a completely new camera or reversing light setup? Is it possible that the camera is getting light directly shining on the lens?

Might be worth contacting the camper conversion companies. They probably throw the seats they remove into a skip as the second hand market for them will be miniscule in the UK.

Progress inside of a month is pretty good for the DVLA 🤣. Does the update of the emission data mean your car tax is now related to CO2 rather than the standard import rate? That would be quite a saving if so. ULEZ compliance would then be the cherry on the cake.

It is interesting that you say that Adrian Flux wouldn't insure you. I've just taken out insurance with them, declared I have a tow bar fitted, and nothing was further was mentioned about it. It may be down to whomever the underwriter is.

Sorry, I haven't the foggiest idea how to do it on an Alphard. It is normally as simple as inserting something under the glass and popping it out.

There will be a plug of some description that directly connects onto the back of the mirror glass to power up the heater element. It is possible that this has dropped off because of the impact.

I'm glad you're back up and running, but I would be concerned about needing to top up your coolant with 2 litres 😳. Coolant generally doesn't require much in the way of top ups if the system is properly sealed, so I'd keep a close eye on that level and if it is noticeably dropping over the next month or so it will need further investigation before you find yourself with a hefty unexpected or avoidable repair.

I have read that the servo motor that operates the flap can stop working, but that putting the temperature up above 28C makes the flap move. Probably worth a go if you haven't tried full heat already.

This is the wiring for the side doors Power slide doors.pdf

Depending on the age of your Alphard, DOT 4 may not have been in existence when it was originally sold. DOT 4 or 5.1 can be used instead of, and even mixed with, DOT 3. I really wouldn't worry about buying Toyota branded brake oil. Just go with any reputable brand. Unlike a lot of the other lubricants/ gear oils in cars there isn't any specific manufacturer requirements for brake fluid so there isn't the same anxiety about an aftermarket product possibly not have the special secret ingredient. One thing to definitely not do is use DOT 5. It is silicone based rather than mineral as DOT 3,4 and 5.1 are.

@Jeza did you ever hear anything back from the DVLA?

I've been looking into breakdown cover ready for when we take delivery of our 2003 camper conversion. Due to the age, some won't offer cover, or put extra excesses in place or increase premiums. European cover was even harder to find at a reasonable cost with a half decent insurer, again due to the age. I did find that the Caravan and Motorhome club offer breakdown cover that would meet our needs, but it certainly wasn't cheap. I eventually stumbled across full European cover provided by the AA with no vehicle age restriction via the Nationwide Flex plus current account. It is just a £13 a month account fee for a joint account for my wife and I, and it also comes with worldwide travel insurance and mobile phone insurance. The breakdown cover is personal for both of us for any vehicle we are traveling in, plus vehicle cover for any vehicle we own. It covers cars and motorhomes, so no worries there. I just thought this might be of interest to other people looking for breakdown cover for older Alphards, or even newer ones as it really isn't that expensive for what it covers and what it offers.

If you do a search on here for "weighbridge" it throws up some useful info.

It is possibly something that could be easily made on a 3D printer these days.

From what I have read, the oil consumption issue only affected engines made in the USA and had something to do with the piston rings used during the initial engine build. This would make sense as the official repair was new rings and pistons rather than a fundamental engine flaw that requires significant modifications to resolve. It definitely affected the non hybrid 2.4 engines as the recall covered the 2AZ-FE engine as well, and I don't believe that either the 2AZ-FE or the 2AZ-FZE have direct injection. I'm not sure how it would be possible to avoid high manifold vacuum when going downhill with the foot off the accelerator? No amount of pressing of the brake pedal will change the fact the engine is still turning and trying to suck in air through a closed throttle.

It is probably worth checking the oil level in the gearbox, even if it is just out of curiosity before it gets taken for repair. Low oil level in a CVT gearbox can cause all sorts of running problems.

Just a few random screen shots. It is over 1300 pages in total. Very detailed from what I have seen.

They sent me the wrong link initially, and I too got what you have been sent, and it is for the gen 2 Alphard. I emailed them explaining I'd ordered a manual for the 2002 - 2008 Alphard and a new link was sent. it was a fully translated version of the Russian origin Alphard/Estima manual in PDF. Sadly no hybrid info within it but better than nothing, and all the wiring diagrams are in English as well.

I found a copy of this manual that has been fully translated into English and is a searchable PDF The price seems to change daily, but I paid £8 for it a few weeks ago. https://manualtaller.com/en/products/manual-de-taller-toyota-alphard-2002-2008-manual-taller?_pos=3&_psq=alph&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Just thought I'd say hello. Going to be picking up my first Alphard next month. It will also be my first Toyota. I've owned Honda's for many years, and had Suburu for a while, so it would be fair to say I prefer Japanese vehicles as they have always served me well and have been very reliable. I almost went for a Honda Elysion but ultimately preferred the look of the Alphard. I'm getting a 2004 hybrid camper and looking forward to getting out and about in it.

The vehicle isn't perfectly sealed and air is able to readily migrate from inside to outside, so the relative humidity will change with weather. Changing temperature will also change relative humidity as RH is a measure of the humidity in the air relative to the maximum it can hold. Colder air can hold less moisture than hot, so as the air temperature drops the RH will rise but the actual amount of moisture in the air is exactly the same. Then there is dewpoint to contend with, but that's a different problem. The smell is most likely your AC condenser inside the car as these end wet when they cool the air below it's dewpoint, and then become a breeding ground for bacteria that smells. Get a "bomb" to deal with it, as has been suggested, as they are inexpensive and affective. There should be absolutely no need to run a dehumidifier in a vehicle that is in regular use as it is getting heated up when used and there are huge air changes forced by the interior fan. If that isn't keeping moisture at bay then there is likely a leak that needs finding and fixing. A vehicle parked up outside in winter and out of use would probably benefit from something to deal prevent problems caused by moisture, but that could just be moisture absorbing crystals. I've used this in a work van that smelt like a pack of wet dogs and it worked wonders https://www.halfords.com/motoring/engine-oils-and-fluids/air-con/a%2Fc-pro-auto-air-con-cleaner-538198.html