My i-Force Max has an.... Alternator???

[WKTJR1]

In my wife's Lexus BEV it is the app that causes the battery to discharge. If she remains logged into the app the vehicle's status updates to the app server runs down the car's battery. I am guessing that is why they put the alternator on 2025 hybrids.

Possibly—I'm still connected to the app, and my Lexus was back in the day, and I never had any issues, so who knows. Like you commented earlier, the old Toyota would’ve handled these appropriately; the new Toyota, not so much.

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[TacoFreak]

Like you commented earlier, the old Toyota would’ve handled these appropriately; the new Toyota, not so much.

I don't use the app much, but I also have not had a problem with keeping my 12v charged. I think it is a bigger problem with an electric, than a hybrid. I also think that if an alternator is needed in our hybrids they should do something for us, but I am not really expecting that they will.

 

[WKTJR1]

I don't use the app much, but I also have not had a problem with keeping my 12v charged. I think it is a bigger problem with an electric, than a hybrid. I also think that if an alternator is needed in our hybrids they should do something for us, but I am not really expecting that they will.

I concur. I’ve been digging into this with a little help from AI, and it’s honestly wild that Toyota apparently didn’t realize how people would actually use their trucks—especially when it comes to the hybrid and what it's supposed to be capable of. I mean, really? That’s kind of the whole selling point of the brand: “Built for a lifestyle,” right? The Tundra doesn’t raise red flags because they didn’t remove the alternator (because, obviously, why would they?), even though it's used in pretty much the same way—so, yeah, not an issue there. I can totally see this turning into a class-action lawsuit for diminished value (among other things), which will no doubt make some law firms very happy. The rest of us? We’ll get a crisp check for $47 and a hearty “thank you for your loyalty.”

 

[Gfenza89]

Good point! Toyota knows there is some issue, or they would not have added an expensive component like an alternator. But will they do anything for 2024 hybrid owners? The old Toyota would have, but things are different today and I kind of doubt that they will.

This is wild for you hybrid guys, huge deal to add an alternator to the 25s, something is most deff wrong.

 

[TacoFreak]

I think it would be more of an issue if more hybrid owners were aware of this change. I never thought about it because I am old school Toyota, or at least I was, trusting them to have this figured out. As @Gfenza89 points out, it is a huge deal to make that change and it wasn't just to be nice.

And as @WKTJR1 said, how could the masters of hybrid design overlook how these trucks would be used? And why did a truck that costs close to the price of a Tundra get shorted on a critical component?

Sheldon Brown should have some splainin to do, but I don't think Toyota will say a word. It might be time to be looking into getting a jump pack just to get your unstoppable off road truck running again if it has been sitting a while or had a lot of short trips.

 

[Gfenza89]

That is even stranger. Why would some 2025 hybrids have an alternator and some not? Toyota production standards have gotten very loose and very weird these days.

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I think it would be more of an issue if more hybrid owners were aware of this change. I never thought about it because I am old school Toyota, or at least I was, trusting them to have this figured out. As @Gfenza89 points out, it is a huge deal to make that change and it wasn't just to be nice.

And as @WKTJR1 said, how could the masters of hybrid design overlook how these trucks would be used? And why did a truck that costs close to the price of a Tundra get shorted on a critical component?

Sheldon Brown should have some splainin to do, but I don't think Toyota will say a word. It might be time to be looking into getting a jump pack just to get your unstoppable off road truck running again if it has been sitting a while or had a lot of short trips.

so im at work and dug into this a little bit. It appears only hybrid models with “ auxiliary switch system” get the alternator .

 

[Gfenza89]

I think it would be more of an issue if more hybrid owners were aware of this change. I never thought about it because I am old school Toyota, or at least I was, trusting them to have this figured out. As @Gfenza89 points out, it is a huge deal to make that change and it wasn't just to be nice.

And as @WKTJR1 said, how could the masters of hybrid design overlook how these trucks would be used? And why did a truck that costs close to the price of a Tundra get shorted on a critical component?

Sheldon Brown should have some splainin to do, but I don't think Toyota will say a word. It might be time to be looking into getting a jump pack just to get your unstoppable off road truck running again if it has been sitting a while or had a lot of short trips.

 

[TacoFreak]

Thanks @Gfenza89. I didn't know there were two flavors of Tacoma hybrids, and I still don't know what the auxiliary switch system is. It would be interesting to know what makes them special and why they need an alternator and other hybrids don't.

This bs just gets stranger and stranger.

 

[Gfenza89]

Thanks @Gfenza89. I didn't know there were two flavors of Tacoma hybrids, and I still don't know what the auxiliary switch system is. It would be interesting to know what makes them special and why they need an alternator and other hybrids don't.

This bs just gets stranger and stranger.

I can look into what it is lol very strange indeed

 

[Gfenza89]

I can look into what it is lol very strange indeed

 

[TacoFreak]

I thought that all the hybrids got the aux switch system, but I guess just some trims do. My truck does have them, so it should have an alternator. It might be too early to start holding my breath while I wait for an alternator TSB though.

The 2024 hybrids look like another fail for the Toyota engineering team.

 

[Gfenza89]

I thought that all the hybrids got the aux switch system, but I guess just some trims do. My truck does have them, so it should have an alternator. It might be too early to start holding my breath while I wait for an alternator TSB though.

The 2024 hybrids look like another fail for the Toyota engineering team.

Yeah I’m confused too I thought the halo models all came with the same gadgets. Not making any sense to me either. I wonder if you called Toyota dealers parts department and gave them your vin if they could decipher why you don’t have an alternator?

 

[gasgasman]

My 2024 TH with build date 10/24, doesn't have an alternator.
The alternator is just an added load on the engine.
If the vehicle is functioning, why loose sleep over not having an alternator?

 

[TacoFreak]

My 2024 TH with build date 10/24, doesn't have an alternator.
The alternator is just an added load on the engine.
If the vehicle is functioning, why loose sleep over not having an alternator?

My truck is working fine and I'm not losing any sleep, just curious about wtf Toyota is up to. Random wild ass guessing is not Toyota's normal engineering pattern. lol

An alternator is a pretty small load on a turbo ICE and none of that matters if the sucker won't start. So I would prefer to have had an alternator, but Toyota did not give me the choice.

 

[TacoFreak]

Yeah I’m confused too I thought the halo models all came with the same gadgets. Not making any sense to me either. I wonder if you called Toyota dealers parts department and gave them your vin if they could decipher why you don’t have an alternator?

Uhhh... They forgot? lol

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