Toyota Land Cruiser 2009 Problems

I'd start with my local Toyota dealer. Chances are it will have a copy of the relevant DVD in its archives, just as it would have copies of technical manuals for vehicles going way back into Toyota's past. Whether or not you'll be able to make yourself a copy of the DVD is another matter, but it can't hurt to ask.

Failing that, check out your local Toyota or four-wheel-drive club whose members might have the DVD and will be happy for you to copy it. Whether that's a copyright breach, though, might be worth looking into.

If none of those options are available, I've seen the DVD in question advertised online. It isn't cheap, though, at $200 or $300. Perhaps there are websites out there that can download a copy of the files which you can burn to a DVD for a fee.

Check the brake fluid level, it could be a warning for low fluid.

While most automatic transmissions today are sealed for life and carmakers say they don’t need any servicing it pays to be cautious, especially when towing as you do. The guys at AW Automatics say it holds 8-9 litres, the service fill is three litres, and you should use Toyota WS trans fluid if its in warranty, and Valvoline Synthetic Trans Fluid if its out of warranty.

It’s not normal to get black smoke under acceleration, that suggest it’s being over-fuelled and should be looked into. Aftermarket chips can be worthwhile, but they generally take the engine closer to the limit than does the factory chip, so you need to find an installer who can be trusted to do the job well. I wouldn’t do it on your car until the warranty runs out, and then consider it.

A GOOD tip, one that clearly works for you.

YOU have to think of how much the float will weigh with a horse and any gear. My guess is that it will be in excess of 2.5 tonnes. I would rule out the Territory; too many problems from rust to CV joint leaks to front ball joint wear, and you would have to upgrade the transmission cooling to handle the weight. Go for the Prado or LandCruiser, or perhaps think of the Jeep Grand Cherokee that will tow 3.0 tonnes.

YOU'RE right, it is a messy situation, so we asked Toyota for an explanation, which was: The Land Cruiser diesel automatic transmission gear change points were optimally chosen to ensure the best balance between performance, driveability and economy. In order to maintain the original design for most owners and also provide an option for earlier sixth-gear engagement, an ECU reprogram was developed to change the sixth gear shift point when "S'' mode (S-6) is selected. Once "S-6'' appears in the display, the transmission will automatically select 1 to 6 according to the vehicle speed and driving conditions similar to "D'' range except that sixth gear engages earlier.