UPDATE -November 9th: I’ve heard back from the customer experience people. They’re refunding 100% of what I paid and I’m turning it in. I hated to do it, I love a lot of things about this car. But, when it comes right down to it, I simply don’t trust it anymore.
Same thing happened to me last night. Stop at on onramp to get onto the freeway, a huge jolt and noise from the back of the truck (large enough for me to think I was hit. Looked back and no one was even close to me.) I got the Drive/Start Control Malfunction and the Hybrid System Malfunction. The Drive Mode switch light was out, and so was the dash animation showing the different settings. Car was driving ok, but I was in stop-and-go traffic, never getting much over 20mph. After driving a few miles it became stuck in second gear. I tried switching over to manual shifting and changing gears that way, but nothing. So, I pulled off the freeway, shut the truck off, then restarted it. The transmission seemed to be shifting normally again, although I still had the two malfunction alerts flashing. I got back on the freeway and drove it the 18 miles I had left to get home. When I got home and shut if off, I waited about ten minutes and started it again. No alerts, and all of the dash lights and the drive mode switch were working. I took a screen shot of the Toyota App showing the alerts and let the truck sit overnight.
This morning, I started it up and immediately got the Hybrid System Malfunction alert. I took the chance of driving to the dealer near my work, thirty miles away in Glendale, CA. They took very detailed notes matching what I've written here. After the diagnostics, I received a call from the Service Advisor that the transmission had failed and they needed to replace it, along with the hybrid module and some other module (I'm waiting for something in writing. I'll update this when I hear back.) He said that the transmission took out the other modules when it failed. I have so far been told the same thing Trail Whale heard: 2 weeks to 2 months to get the parts and back on the road. I'll update when I have the ETA later today. Its especially disheartening when I've only put 2,200 miles on it. I haven't had it offroad yet, I haven't towed, I've been driving like an old man in Eco mode because I wanted to make sure I was carefully breaking in the engine.
I was a bit in shock when I heard from the advisor. I asked him about just getting a new truck. He said that I'd have to talk directly to Toyota. I also asked if he had seen this in other land cruisers. He said this was the second LC (the first one was fixed within three weeks), but he's also seen three Tacoma trucks with the same issue. BTW, this transmission is only used in the Hybrid 4Runner, Hybrid Tacoma, and the Land Cruiser. Non-Hybrid 4Runners and Tacomas use a different transmission. Stay tuned . . .
08/27/2025 UPDATE - I got some fairly good news from the Service Advisor. Toyota has ok'd the warranty repair and have specified that the Dealer only use new parts, not re-manufactured. They'll be replacing the transmission, the hybrid module, and the torque converter (not another module as I thought I heard earlier). The hybrid module and the torque converter have already arrived at the dealership. The transmission will arrive by September 15th. Thank you to Blue Sky for suggesting getting a Toyota Extra Care Platinum Warranty comp'ed. I haven't done that yet, but I'll be talking to the Toyota Customer Experience Center saying I expect one simply as compensation for being out of my car for a month (or possible more). Plus, the now ever present worry that it could happen again.
@MIkel.C007 asked if Toyota tried to blame vehicle modification (wheels/tires) for the failures. They did not. However, the only modification I made was the addition of Method wheels 318 Machined / Clear coat, 18x8.5 with a 40mm offset. I just transferred my stock tires over to them because I didn't like the look of the satin black rims that came on it.
09/15/2025 UPDATE - When I last posted, the Service Advisor had been given a delivery date of mid-September for the transmission (he had already received the torque converter and hybrid control module). In todays conversation, I found out that the delivery date is now mid-October for the transmission. I'm working now with Toyota Customer Experience as my LC will be well over the thirty working days stipulation needed to qualify for a replacement or buyback. I love the car, but I don't feel like I can trust it now. Something tells me that the dealers are going to have a few used low-mileage LC's for sale over the next year or so. I hope a redesigned transmission is in the works. I'd love to buy another one if they get this fixed.
09/22/2025 UPDATE - Two days after filing a claim with the Toyota Customer Experience Center early last week, the dealership received the transmission. They worked on the LC for three days (including the weekend) and have returned it back to me. The root cause for the failure listed that a P281671 Pressure Control Solenoid "H" actuator stuck, and a P08BA71 Pressure Control Solenoid "L" actuator stuck. The solution was to replace the Torque Converter Assy., replace the Transmission Assy., and replace the Hybrid Module Assy. The LC
seems to be driving better than when it was new, but I did feel a bit of a jerk on a downshift when I stopped today. Naturally, though, I'm a bit hypersensitive to the slightest bump or noise right now, so the jury is still out. The Customer Experience folks have acknowledged my claim requesting Toyota to repurchase my vehicle which has been forwarded to a local field office who may request to perform a vehicle inspection. The letter also suggests we use the National Center for Dispute Settlement program which is essentially an arbitration board, hoping I'll keep a lawyer out of this. I also believe that filing the claim fast tracked my transmission delivery, but I have no proof of that. I have told the Customer Experience team that I would keep the LC if they gave me a 7 year/100,000 mile Toyota Extra Care Platinum Warranty at no charge.
I'll keep everyone updated as events unfold.
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