DAY50K

Got a letter recently from Just Car insurance saying as of this year they no longer will insure cars and upon next renewal a quote will be provided by Shannons. Let's wait and see how much :)

No they are not retractable. They are a very simple setup as they are only lap-belts. If you want to retrofit them probably the best bet is to find an Estima at the wreckers that still has them.

From the owner's manual:

Mine has special lap belts hidden in the sides of the seat bases just for this setup. They use the same buckle as normal seat-belts. The backwards facing option is only available on the split 1+2 version of middle seat. The "captain's chair" and one piece 3 seater middle seat don't have this rotation option. I guess this is to give a lounge type of seating for picnics and while sitting in huge Japanese traffic jams :)

Wow, couldn't find a windscreen? I had the misfortune of getting a stone in the windscreen of mine just 2 weeks before rego. Went to Instant Windscreens and they fitted one in a couple of hours. Just over 300 bucks. The MCR30/40 Estima is the same as the the Tarago so most of the parts are the same. The only difference in the windscreens between the Estima one and the Tarago one which I got is that I no longer have the heating element in the area where the window wiper blades sit. Not needed in Aussie climate anyway. As for original poster's question I'd say the post 2006 Estima in most ways is also the same as the Aussie Tarago so no real headaches with spares.

Mine has two horns. They are mounted both sides of the bonnet release mechanism. Do you still have the original wire harness that goes up to the horn(s)? There should be two identical plugs that connect to the horns. Let me know if you need photos.

Racks fit differently on the second generation Tarago/Estima as compared to the first. Open your side door and at roofline you'll see two plastic plugs. Under those there are threaded holes. Same for the other side. You may need to speak to a specialist to see what fits the best (may even try suprercheap or autobarn or such beforehand). Another option is to source original roof rails from an Aussie Tarago. It should be possible to find them at wreckers. A bitch to fit as the roof liner has to come out but once done you'll have the factory look. I'm thinking of doing this when time and funds allow. Seems most Jap import Estimas come without roof rails, yet Taragos often have them.

I don’t know the answer but thanks for posting this. On a recent trip to the Gold Coast I decided to try out the cruise control – my Estima being the first car I have owned with cruise. I managed to set it in 90Km/h zone but when I tried doing the same on a 110 Km/h stretch of the highway it didn’t work. Now I get it :)

Thanks for your answer. That’s good news about the steering wheel controls working with your unit. Pretty clear the original NTSC cameras will not work with aftermarket units. Seems that everyone who replaces the HU also changes the camera(s). Ah well, food for thought. In case I decide to change the HU one day I’ll keep this particular one on my list.

I have the exact problem with the rear screen not working. I discovered that it is turned on by flipping the screen down. This action releases a small black button on the screen holder and turns the screen on. The remote control operates inputs, volume, etc and turns the screen off. I have tested the wires going to the screen and there is power. I’m suspecting the actual screen has had it. Besides you I have read other owners complaining of the same issue. Perhaps this is an inherent problem with the rear screens?

Thanks for the response. I guess I have some kind of upgrade on my Estima as the button near the power door buttons is blanked off and instead I have the steering wheel buttons. I’m still working through the wiring to see if there is a loose contact somewhere. Everything behind the Head Unit seems OK. My bet is in the possibility that the front bumper has been removed at some stage and the wires to the camera have not been reconnected. Still investigating as time allows.

Just wanted ask here for some advice. My car is private Japanese import 2005 Toyota Estima. It came with a JDM head unit (NH3N-W57) that is fully integrated with parts of the car. This HU must have been quite high end at the time and I’m reasonably satisfied with it as is. It plays CDs, DVDs and some radio stations (up to 90MHz only). A band expander is installed but I’m not sure how effective this is as occasionally I can pick up stations that I know are beyond the 90MHz range but not all the time. It also has satellite navigation (useless here), has an AUX jack and of course this old HU is less likely to get nicked. I like the fact it has steering wheel controls for volume and mode and of course works with the original reverse camera featuring guide lines responsive to the steering wheel position. Also there is a front camera which doesn’t work right now but should be possible to make it work. The biggest drawback is that it is all in Japanese therefore I cannot use its functions to the max. As far as I can see there are 3 things I could do. Keep it as is and be happy Get an aftermarket unit with a full range of FM stations and have English language menus. I’m afraid an aftermarket unit may have trouble integrating with such items as the camera(s), steering wheel controls, etc. Also the cost of a new HU would be a concern. Find an original used unit from an Australian market Toyota of similar vintage or slightly newer and hopefully be able to plug-and-play this unit. The question is what model Toyota I should be looking at for a donor unit? Has anyone here been successful in putting an original local unit in place of a JDM unit? How easy or hard it would be to swap them?

As far as I know the body shell didn't change between 2000 and late 2005 after which a brand new body came in. Of course many cosmetic upgrades along the way but the basics should be the same. Others more knowledgeable may correct me on this.

I just had a Google look at the Motor Formula head unit. It looks like a nice setup. Do you have the volume/mode controls on the steering wheel and if so, do they work with the installed unit? I guess they had to put a new reverse camera in to work with it or did it integrate with the existing one? I've read that the original Toyota camera is quite a complicated setup and is hard to make it work with an aftermarket unit mostly because of the park assist (distance gridlines and steering wheel position sensor).

Well, there you go. Mine still has the original Japanese unit so it is nicely integrated with all the car's features. I'm leaning towards keeping it the way it is as it suits my needs quite well. A project for the future is to trace the fault of the front camera not working. All the equipment is there but it looks like there may be a bad connection somewhere.

I ordered a manual from NZ as soon as I got the car. I've been waiting for 3 months now and still haven't received it. I think I shouldn't have bothered as by now I have managed to figure most things out from the original Japanese manual and from reading forums like this... :)

That's for your front camera. When the button is pressed the camera should come on when you are in D and not going faster than about 20 Km/H. I got this feature on mine but it doesn't work for some reason. Still trying to figure out what's wrong.

There seem to be quite a few AWD Estimas around in Sydney. There are only reflectors in the door panels. Looking at them from the inside it looks like it should not be a problem making them light up. Maybe there was a factory option for this???

Hi mate, just got back from a long drive to the Gold Coast. The 4WD on the Estima is selectable by a button on the dash. I have it in FWD all the time.

"Also some of the notifications and buttons might be in Japanese, the estima hybrid I had a look at had a touch screen in Japanese" Yes the whole ICE system is in Japanese on the imports. I'm still figuring out stuff on mine. Also some of them come fully loaded with mod-cons that are useless here in Oz. I have removed things like Electronic Toll Collection system, the Satellite Navigation computer and Digital TV receiver from mine. No use for dead weight :).

Of course someone selling their car will boast about it, wouldn't you? That's just marketing. In terms of loading space the Mk1 Tarago is the way to go. Before the Estima I had a '99 Tarago (the last of the old shape). In extreme cases I used to remove the middle seat to carry furniture and such. The loading space was massive. Like you say it is mucking around to get the seat out but well worth it if the need arises. I haven't investigated yet how to remove the seats on my Estima as they are fixed in a different way in the Mk2, besides I have a feeling they are heavier as there is more mechanical stuff there. On the 8 seater Estima the whole middle seat swivels around to face the rear! On the Mk3 Tarago/Estima only the third row seats go into the floor.

Sorry mate about the confusion. From your questions I assumed you wanted to know about Mk2 Tarago/Estima. You are absolutely right about the differences between the Mk1 cars (up to year 2000). The Mk1 Estima is a different body - more narrow. One of the first things to notice is how the window wipers sit. As you have noticed you can spot them right away. I can imagine there may be a few problems getting parts for a Mk1 Estima because of the numerous and substantial differences. In 2000 when Toyota came up with the new layout (Mk2 with front wheel drive, double side doors, etc.) they used the same body for both the Tarago and Estima. The main body parts and mechanical stuff is the same. The differences will be with Estima only options such as V6 engine and AWD. Also there are some visual differences in bumpers, lights, etc. Considering how many of the Mk2 Estimas are driving around there should be plenty of parts available. I think there are even cars being brought in from Japan just for wrecking. I'm not very familiar with the next re-design or Mk3 (2006 and onwards). As far as I can tell the Tarago/Estima became even more similar with the V6 option available on both models. If you are interested in a Mk2 Estima I can give you measurements on how far the seats can be pushed forwards and stuff like that.

Recently I went from a 1999 Aussie Tarago to a Japanese import Estima 2005. To answer your questions: 1. Do any of the later Tarago models have it so that the 2nd and 3rd row of seats fold down and under the floor space? Or is it only the 3rd row that go under the floor? On second generation Tarago/Estima (2000-2006) the rear seats travel on floor rails back and forth and seat-backs fold down - that's pretty much it. It has less space than first generation Tarago. On third generation (2006 - present) the rear row of seats folds into the floor. 2. If it is only the 3rd row thats folds under, does anyone know the clearance space under the 2nd row of seats, either folded up or left down? I need to push marquee legs and lengths of posts right under. There is no clearance under the 2nd row of seats on Mk2 and a little bit under the 3rd row. I don't know about Mk3. 3. Can anyone advise me on the differences between an imported Estima van as opposed to an Aussie one? Ive heard so many people saying to avoid the imports. Aussie Tarago is bare bones, imported Estima is fully loaded. I see no reason avoiding the imports. 4. Just by looking at the imports, they look to me to be narrower and shorter so does anyone have any specifications regarding this? Currently my van is 1800mm X 4750mm X 1790. It is exactly the same body so mostly it is the same car. Mk2 Estimas have the option of V6 and AWD not available on Tarago until Mk3. 5. Is it true that a V6 is more expensive to maintain regarding servicing, mechanical repairs, running costs and insurance costs? V6 has a timing belt that has to be changed at 100K. Insurance differences are negligible or the same depending on insurer. The Mk2 (2000-2006) Tarago/Estima is a better car all round but lacks on interior space compared to the Mk1 body. The Mk3 may be a better option with its disappearing rear seats but I'm not very familiar with it. Hope this helps.

There is a manual Targao in my neighbourhood. Probably the only one I have ever seen. The gear selector is on the floor between and just ahead of the front seats.

What's the best way of testing to see if the screen is faulty?