Ask The Guide

It’s got an ANCAP safety rating of five stars, which is the highest possible. There is a suite of active and passive safety features including ABS brakes, numerous airbags, emergency brake assistance, traction control, and electronic stability control. There are dealers in all the state capitals and several major towns around the country, so parts and service shouldn’t be a problem.

It does have only one reverse light - the other one is a rear fog light. 

Yes, I would suspect that there is an underlying issue that hasn’t been addressed. I would be having a compression test done on the engine to see if it could be a blown head gasket or something similar.

It could be some form of wind noise, either from the door seal, the rear view mirror, windscreen trim, or anything else that might be in the wind stream. To check the door seal, try running a strip of tape around it to block off the door gap and see what that does. It’s going to be a process of elimination.

It isn’t something that has appeared on our radar, but I can’t believe that Toyota wouldn’t be able to fix it. You should consult Toyota’s customer assistance people and lodge your concerns with them.

It could be a number of things, and the only way to establish the cause of the light flashing is to have a mechanic check it.

I would only replace the faulty one, unless the others are suspect in which case it’s probably best to replace all of them.

There are more Toyotas seen in the bush because they have a reputation for reliability. As a result there are many more dealerships around the bush, and mechanics are more familiar with fixing them when necessary, but should the Disco break down for some reason parts are only a phone call away in one of our capital cities or major towns. Checking the vehicle before going away on a trip is always a good idea, but that won’t necessarily mean it won’t break down.

Water shouldn’t get into the diff by merely driving in the rain; the seals should be good enough to keep water from getting into the diff even when driving through creeks and water crossings. Something more than a dud seal is at play here. Have the dealer make a more thorough check of the diff, and don’t pay for a replacement until the cause of the leakage is established.

The cost will depend on where you get the replacement, sometimes there are more affordable options than your dealer. You can read more about how to replace your car keys here.