r/LandCruiser250

Toyota finally got back to me, and this is what they told me:
"I have been starting your vehicle every day since you dropped it off with us, not allowing it to run for more than 5 minutes to load the battery, to simulate the worst-case scenario. We performed a few more tests on Thursday and Friday in our shop. We were finally able to get the battery to fail and duplicate your concern. Since we were starting the car every morning and not driving it any distance, the battery did not receive a charge. It finally failed for the technician on Thursday night and was replaced on Friday morning. Hopefully this will resolve any of the concerns with your vehicle."
So the good news is that they finally replaced the 12V battery, which is what I had been requesting from the beginning.
The part I still don't know is what actually caused the battery to fail in the first place. Was it simply a defective battery, or is there an underlying issue that caused it? At this point, I also don't know if the same problem could happen again in the future. I'll have to keep monitoring it after I get the vehicle back.
I'm also wondering whether the battery issue could be related to another concern I've had since new: the digital instrument cluster feels noticeably laggy. The animations and menu transitions seem much less smooth than what I've seen on other LC250s.
For other Land Cruiser 250 owners:
Does your instrument cluster feel smooth, or does it also seem to stutter or lag?

If you've had a 12V battery replaced, did it make any difference to the responsiveness of the instrument cluster?

I'm planning to pick up the vehicle in a few days. I'll continue updating this thread with whatever I find, whether the battery replacement completely fixes the problem or if anything else comes up.
Hopefully these updates can help other LC250 owners who may be experiencing something similar.

Can’t decide which color. Leaning Meteor Shower. Thought I’d poll. First Edition. Will post a reply with actual pictures (app wouldn’t let me put picture with poll)

If have any comments, advice or experience with either more than happy to hear.

View Poll

What does everyone think about the OEM optional side moldings for minimizing door dings/ damage? They come from Toyota factory painted to match body color and mount just above the crease line in doors. I bought them but have not installed them yet. Are they too much? Not effective, etc?

Probably a stupid question. I just put down a deposit on a ‘27 so I don’t have an owners manual to check. Is there a way to have the ICE keep running at stops (ie all of the time). On my test drive I came to a stop or very slow on an in ramp and then wanted to accelerate hard into a gap and it felt like there was a small delay until I really started moving. I know the electric is always available but I felt a lag. Could have been the trans needing to get into a lower gear if I wasn’t at a complete stop - not sure of this. Otherwise seemed to have plenty of power and I made my decision to purchase.
Thanks in advance

My vehicle has now been inspected three separate times by Markville Toyota, and they still have not found the root cause.
According to the dealership:
● The 12V battery is healthy.
● The Parasitic Drain Test came back normal.
● Because all the tests passed, they refuse to replace the battery. They told me that even under warranty, replacing the battery requires approval from Toyota.
I asked them to replace the battery anyway since it’s a brand-new vehicle and still under warranty, just to eliminate the battery as a possible cause. They refused, saying the battery is “completely normal.”
My Land Cruiser has now been sitting at the dealership for about a week, and because the battery hasn’t died while it’s there, they’re now suggesting that the problem is caused by our driving habits. They mentioned things like maybe we forgot to lock the doors or left lights on.
The problem is that we’ve been driving for many years, and we’ve owned two previous Toyotas without ever experiencing anything like this. I find it hard to believe that driver error suddenly became the issue.
At this point, I’m starting to wonder if the problem isn’t the battery itself, but something else that’s intermittently draining it.
A few questions for other LC250 owners:
● Could the Toyota App / Drive Connect be waking up the vehicle or keeping modules awake and slowly draining the 12V battery?
● Could there be a software bug that’s preventing certain modules from going to sleep?
● I’ve also noticed that my digital instrument cluster is extremely laggy. Everything responds slowly, and switching menus feels delayed. Does the infotainment system or instrument cluster need a software update?
● I’ve seen some people mention that the infotainment screen or digital gauge cluster can remain active for a while after the vehicle is turned off. Could something be preventing those systems from entering sleep mode?
● If the battery itself is truly healthy and the parasitic draw test is normal, could this still be an intermittent electrical drain or a software-related issue that doesn’t happen during testing?
● Could the dealer-installed Toyota dash cam be causing an intermittent battery drain?
Has anyone with a 2024–2027 Land Cruiser (250 Series) experienced something similar? I’m really interested in hearing from owners who have dealt with repeated dead battery issues or found the actual cause.
I’m just trying to figure out what’s really happening, because a brand-new vehicle shouldn’t go completely dead multiple times after sitting for only a few days.

Hi everyone, do any of you know how to access the hinges for the leather lid/cover? I need to remove it; I had Katzkin interior put in put want to go back to the original console leather cover wrapping so that my neoprene cover fits correctly. Thanks for all info!

I am in a somewhat new relationship so this will be the first time I'll get to celebrate my boyfriend's (33) birthday. He has a lot of hobbies (most involve doing something weird to a Toyota) and I am struggling with ideas of what to get him bc he already buys everything he needs and wants. He's also done a lot for me recently and I want him to feel very appreciated.

He is currently rebuilding an 80s series Land Cruiser so I was trying to think of something for that but I have no idea where to start. (If anyone has ideas for this, that would be amazing. I know nothing about cars) The only things I can find are cheesy sayings on etsy and I very much want to gift him something he would actually buy for himself.

This has nothing to do with LandCruisers but if that idea is awful I was also thinking of gifting a David Yurman box chain. Alternatively, he has a YSL wallet so maybe a YSL passport holder would be better?

Please help me Land Cruiser community. For context, I non suspiciously asked him the exact type and he said it is a “Fzj late model - 97 - 80s series”

Also, if these ideas are lame please feel free to tell me and offer better suggestions, lol.

LC250 hybrid.

Looking for a snorkel setup. I understand the US version of the LC250 which is the hybrid has some installation considerations under the hood.

What options are available in the US? I have found several via quick searches but not clear about if they have all the required components.

Is this a DIY?

Any concerns regarding warranty?

Has anyone installed a roof top tent to the OEM First Edition 3/4 Roof rack? If so, what should I know before installing, and what tent do you recommend for this to make it as easy as possible? I keep seeing references to the cross bars being difficult, but not any other detail. I don’t want to buy another rack.

Considering purchasing a used Land Cruiser. A dealership has one in Sand. My wife hates the color. Has anybody wrapped their LC? Approximately how much did it cost?

I am extremely disappointed with my brand-new 2027 Toyota Land Cruiser 250. My Land Cruiser is less than one month old, and the battery has already gone completely dead twice.
The first time, the vehicle had been driven approximately 300 km and then sat for only a few days before becoming completely unresponsive. There were no lights, no power, and no ability to unlock or start the vehicle. When I brought the vehicle in for inspection, I was told that no issue could be found. I was informed that the battery may have been discharged during shipping from Japan, and the battery was manually recharged and returned to me.
However, the exact same problem happened again. After driving the vehicle normally, the battery once again went completely dead after only a short period of parking.
A brand-new flagship SUV should not be experiencing total battery failure after just a few days of sitting. This has now happened twice in less than one month of ownership, which makes me seriously question whether there is an underlying issue with the vehicle, such as the 12V battery, charging system, or an abnormal parasitic power drain.
To make matters even more concerning, a few days before the second battery failure, the Toyota app unexpectedly sent me a notification at around 2–3 a.m. stating that the moonroof had been unlocked. I immediately went outside to check the vehicle, but everything was closed and there were no signs of tampering. The notification only disappeared after I manually unlocked and locked the vehicle again. I have no idea whether this is related, but it has made me wonder if there could be an issue with the vehicle’s electronics or connected services.
I purchased a Toyota because of its reputation for reliability. So far, my experience has been the opposite. A vehicle that becomes completely dead twice within its first month of ownership is simply unacceptable, especially for a flagship SUV costing nearly $100,000 CAD.
Has anyone else experienced this issue with the new Land Cruiser 250, or have any idea what could be causing it?

Giving back my leased Tesla in September and ready to buy something to drive for the next decade. Here’s where I’m at:

Toyota 4Runner Limited or Platinum
Toyota Land Cruiser
Lexus GX550 Premium+

They’re all within a margin of each other price wise and maybe not that different on paper. That’s why I’m struggling to choose. For my next car I want something low maintenance, reliable, comfortable, and will hold value.

If anyone wants to make a case for or against one of the above I’d appreciate some insight!