Toyota Problems

The first thing you need to know is how to connect Bluetooth to Toyota Camry software. That means switching on your phone’s Bluetooth and making the device visible to the car.

From there, the 2011 to 2017 Toyota Camry Bluetooth pairing process involves going to the car’s screen and opening the menus to find the Bluetooth prompt. Your phone and the car should `find’ each other at which point you make sure the passcodes on each match and you should be good to go with a stable connection.

From then on, the car should recognise and pair with your phone automatically, without having the use the manual connection setup process. As well as make calls, the Bluetooth connection should also allow you to play music and access some phone apps through the car’s infotainment system.

Although it’s much better these days, Bluetooth Toyota Camry style wasn’t always brilliant and many owners complained of poor connections and call quality. This model Camry was caught up in that, too, so don’t be surprised if you have a few problems or need to spend some time troubleshooting. Some owners even ditched the standard Toyota head unit for an aftermarket one with better Bluetooth quality.

You’re right, Michael. Toyota Australia tells me that the current model Camry is Euro 6 certified (for emissions). Because 91 RON fuel won't support Toyota's Euro 6  technology, 95 RON is recommended. Since most readily available E10 fuel is rated at 94RON, Toyota doesn't recommend that for the Camry, either.

However, even with the extra cost of the 95RON fuel, the Camry Hybrid's official combined fuel consumption number of 4.2 litres per 100km suggests it would still be cheaper to run than many other cars using 91RON.

Not really sure what you consider a normal sedan's length to be, but I'll presume you have a relatively short parking space to deal with. Also, your minimum height requirement suggests you're sick of climbing up out of cars and want something with a higher seat to make entering and leaving the car easier. With that in mind, something like the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid springs to mind. It's high enough at 1685mm (with decent seat height) and at 4600mm long, it's quite a bit shorter than the Toyota Camry sedan (4885mm long).

But, really, there are plenty of choices out there with just about every mainstream manufacturer offering an SUV of similar size, and many of them in a hybrid format. Which is great, because the big catch with the RAV4 is that it's so popular, there are long waiting lists. What you really need to do is invest a little shoe leather and visit some dealerships where you can try the candidates on for size. Or check out this website for the latest mid-sized SUV comparison tests.

You could start with the established spare parts retail outlets. Many of these stock parts for all sorts of brands including, of course, Toyota. While it may come in a box that is branded something other than Toyota, chances are it will be made by the same company that supplies Toyota with its genuine parts. Be wary of really cheap replacement parts, though, as these could be cheap knock-offs from anywhere. With that in mind, stick with the known retailers who are less likely to sell you a poor quality part.

If that doesn't work, jump online as c heck out some of the cyber-retailers. A quick search at my end has confirmed that both Gates and Dayco (well known and respected brands) have stocks of the very part you're looking for through a variety of online retailers.

White exhaust smoke in a diesel engine is usually the result of a fuel system problem. Possible causes are dirty, worn or leaking fuel-injectors, but a modern common-rail diesel fuel system is pretty complex, so a scan of the vehicle might be a good idea too.

Some owners of these modern diesels have been reporting very short injector lifespan, although some workshops seem to get good results with ultra-sonic injector cleaning. Even then, the problem can recur, and some mechanics reckon brand-new injectors are the only way to go.

Don’t rule out a problem with the engine’s internal seals, the turbocharger and the DPF system, either, as these can all contribute to smoke of various colours at various times.

2022 Yaris Cross should be able to travel to the moon and back with no problems given low mileage such as yours. While it's true that cars don't appreciate sitting around not being used, 1000km in four months still suggests it gets a workout now and then and hasn't sat around for that full period of time. Don't forget that cars often sit around for months at dealerships waiting to be sold. That said, demand for the Yaris Cross recently has ruled out that possibility.

Basically, your car should still be well and truly match-fit provided it has had all its maintenance and checks carried out. Don't forget to check the tyre pressures, top up the windscreen fluid and enjoy the journey. Extended road trips are precisely what cars are for. And modern cars, even smaller ones like the Yaris, are better at this than their forebears ever were, especially in terms of comfort, safety and fuel efficiency.

Both are regarded as great choices as a used car, so it will really come down to whether you need the extra interior space of the Camry over the practicality of the Corolla’s hatchback layout.

With your budget, you might be able to get into a Camry Hybrid which will reduce running costs around town (which suits your suggested usage pattern) although these early Camry Hybrids can be more than a decade old now, so a close check of the condition of the batteries would be a mandatory pre-purchase requirement.

The Corolla, meanwhile, was first seen here in hybrid form in 2016, and those cars are still closer to mid-$20,000, so possibly out of your range. The exception is a grey (private) import Corolla Hybrid, but these can be a bit more of a lottery than a locally delivered Toyota.

Toyota Camrys from 2017 onwards use the same engine oil, regardless of the engine or drivetrain fitted. So, the recommended Toyota Camry engine oil for either the 2.5-litre petrol engine, the 3.5-litre V6 and even the Hybrid Camry, is a fully synthetic engine oil with a rating of 0W20. This Toyota Camry oil type is quite `light’ (thin) but ensures the engine is lubricated quickly, especially in the case of the Hybrid version where the engine is stopping and starting regularly.

When it comes to how to change oil on a Toyota Camry, the task is really no more complex than it is for other conventionally laid out cars. Which is to say that if you have the right tools and some experience, this critical piece of maintenance shouldn’t pose too many DIY obstacles.

To carry out this service, though, you’ll need to know the size of the drain plug, what replacement oil filter to buy as well as the drain tubs necessary to catch the old oil. You can find out the correct oil change interval (how often to change oil) in the specifications section of the car’s owner’s manual.

If that all sounds a bit too hard, a service centre with a qualified mechanic should be able to handle the job relatively cheaply and will attend to the details like disposing of the old oil correctly and safely and resetting the service-reminder light on the dashboard.

The default purchase for somebody looking for a mid-sized hybrid SUV is the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. But if that’s too big, there’s the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid, C-HR Hybrid and even the Corolla Cross Hybrid which sounds like the marketplace is getting crowded but is really just a reflection of the appetite right now for cars like these. And that’s the catch; the waiting times for a brand-new example of some of these cars is out to many months and even years. So your plan to shop second-hand makes plenty of sense, but don’t expect any bargains in a market currently being dominated by lots of demand and less supply.

Beyond the Toyota brand (which has been doing hybrids longer than just about anybody else) there’s also the Mazda CX-30, Subaru XV Hybrid, Haval Jolion Hybrid, Kia Niro, Subaru Forester Hybrid, Nissan Qashqai e-Power, MG HS, Honda HR-V e and more. For something a bit bigger, try the Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe hybrids. There are others out there, too, that are probably bigger or more expensive than you need, but it's very much a growing scene in the Australian marketplace.