Faults:
Bought the car used (first car), the problem after driving it for a while - acceleration hiccups/hesitation when trying to overtake somebody. The car does not accelerate when you press the gas pedal for a second or so (or maybe even slows down a little, like when you take foot off the gas pedal), and then jerks and goes Warp 9, as if I had nitro-boost on it. Happens RANDOMLY during pretty much all of the speed ranges - saw it anywhere between 20km/h and 120km/h. Again, happens only when you need to overtake somebody or accelerate fast in very short period of time; It drives OK when you're driving calmly like you are not in a hurry. Perhaps it's that drive-by-wire thing.
Also, after about a week, check engine light came on (P0606 - "powertrain control module (PCM) detects an internal microprocessor integrity fault"), which disappeared when I got to the dealership and tried to restart the car to see if that will make the "check engine" light disappear, before I sign up for service/repair/diagnostic - it vanished, so I did not go for servicing.
LOTS of paint chips on the hood from the previous owner. Hope it won't rust any time soon. Dealer painted over the holes, and there are no visible rust marks on the car yet.
General Comments:
The V6 has enough juice to haul an elephant! Lots of power. About 500lb of tools in the trunk and 4 people in the cabin, and it drives like it's empty! By the way, I get acceleration hesitation just as much whether the car is loaded or empty.
Comfy driver's seat, but some passengers complained that seats are not soft enough.
Fold down back seats are a plus if you have to carry long objects.
Tiptronic transmission will be useful during winter months here in Canada.
Good fuel consumption for V6 (mostly highway driving)... so far I'm getting about 650km to 700km from "low fuel" light to "low fuel" light.
19th Jul 2010, 12:45
"The car does not accelerate when you press the gas pedal for a second or so"
I guess you haven't been reading the news or watching TV for the past year. Toyotas only accelerate when you don't press on the accelerator!