Really stupid stuff Toyota did (or didn't) do on the Gen3

Check the settings in the menu. I start my truck and get out to scrape snow off all the time and it doesn't lock. I also stop at my mailbox on way home get out to grab mail and don't have to unlock again. Can't remember exactly what I did but I played around with the settings and have no problems. I do remember you can set it to unlock all doors when grabbing the driver's handle, that was annoying at first but definitely a first world problem

 

Doesn't blow hot air out front vents. This one pisses me off. 2024 TRD Pro, live in Edmonton Alberta where it's regularly -20C outside. After scrapping windows you want to get in and warm your hands up on the front vents, well too bad, Toyota blocks the hot air by design. Set your mode to front vents, set fan to max, and jack the temp to HI, you get nothing from front vents, but set the temp to LO and it blows cold air fine. Spent 100k on a truck that can't blow hot air. Damn you Toyota!!!

 

What did your dealer say about it?

 

Brought it to them and they confirmed it's by design, they even called their Toyota tech support who confirmed it's by design. Even sat in a couple brand new 2025 Tundras and same thing happens. They agreed it's crazy, and in fact it was the first time anyone had ever pointed it out to them, they had no answer as to why it is designed this way but they had no ability to change it due to it being the way the system controls the HVAC. They told me the reality is the only way it can change is if people call Toyota and complain, so that's what I did, waiting on a call back, but not expecting it to go anywhere... Just peeved, it's going to royally piss me off every time I'm warming my hands up on the floor vent.

 

Wow, that's wild.

It's also very interesting because in the previous gen, you always get some air out of those top vents, regardless of which mode the HVAC is in. I often close mine when I'm trying to defrost the windshield or warm my feet.

 

It's clearly capable, as it blows cold air fine, but when the temp is set higher than ambient temp (or somewhere around there) it must close some sort of gate and blocks air delivery to the front vents purposefully. Dealer thinks it could be fixed with a software update, but again only Toyota could make this change, I'm not holding my breath...

 

Of course it does, just do not use the Auto setting. Press Mode, select vent, adjust fan speed manually and set the temperature. Viola! Hot air out the front vents (or any others as selected).

 

Yep that's exactly what I'm doing, and what the dealership did, and what we tried on two separate 2025 Tundras, no hot air out the front vents under those exact conditions.

 

May be that "feature" is new for 2025? My 2024 works as I mentioned above. Strange, if true.

 

Mine's a 2024 TRD Pro, it definitely does not blow hot air from the front vents, neither did the dealership owner's 2024 Tundra Platinum at the time I was showing them. We tried several Tundras, all were the same and they couldn't justify the reason. In fact, I think it's even the same design on the Land Rovers and Sequoias, according to them, I haven't seen it firsthand.

 

Our Lexus RX is the same way. We normally use "Auto" on climate control, it adjusts the fan to middle speed & you never feel any air from vents, but it works very well. I guess they've done the same with Toyotas as well. My Tundra works that way. If you manually set it on "vent" you get air.

 

Mine definitely blows hot air out of the vents when in manual mode, 24 sr5 trd or

 

Mine will blow hot air out of the face vents, but nothing compared to the force that comes out of them while using AC or lower temp. It’s a common complaint all over the two Tundra FB groups I’m on.

My dealer said it was working as normal as other 2024’s on their lot did the same thing. They were told it’s how they designed the tundra. Definitely not how the other new Toyota rentals I drove (3-4 different models) last year.

 

All of this boils down to the same thing. Everyone thinks trucks are too expensive relative to their content/value.

mine is no seat memory on my sr5 which at this price is a joke

 

Everyone?

 

My #1; why is there no step built into the side of the bumper? I opened the tailgate, went to step up, looked around, and found only disappointment.

 

Let me add a completely different perspective on the Tundra’s price/value. I had been looking to replace my 2014 Sequoia Platinum for roughly a year when I finally pulled the trigger on a 2025 Tundra Limited 4x4. A truck was the last thing I thought I would end up in. The main reason I was looking for a new winter daily was to upgrade the technology that was severally lacking in the Sequoia and improve gas mileage. My use case is a winter daily (5 months out of the year), weekend trips to the mountains to ski and road trips. I started by test driving a new Sequoia. I enjoyed the new drivetrain and the technology was a huge upgrade to the current Sequoia, but Toyota took a huge step back in the cargo area and third row access due to the hybrid battery location. In addition dealerships were MSRP only in my region (Pacific NW), so a limited was ~$75K. Just could not justify that swap. Around that time I also ordered a new 1958 Land Cruiser in hopes it would be a modern version of my FJ60. Allocations were limited but I was able to negotiate the ADM to $2,500 from $10,000. When it finally arrived in September, it was a HUGE let down. The hybrid drivetrain felt taxed around town and the interior while an improvement technology wise, was just two tight. It also lacked in build quality and felt “tinny” compared to the LCs I have owned in the past. Combined with the odd step in the cargo area for the battery and MSRP pushing $65,000 with the ADM there was no value. Next stop was the Lexus dealer to bite the bullet and order a new GX550 premium. Like the new LC it had a ADM of $5,000 which pushed the total price of my order to just over $70K. It arrived in October and while it fixed the build quality and drivetrain issues I encountered in the LC, the interior size was comparable and the 3rd row was an absolute joke with MPG gains were minimal over the Sequoia. I contemplated ordering an over trail GX, but landed price was pushing $80K. Again, putting value in question for something I would be putting 6-8,000 miles on per year. My wife had always loved trucks so she suggested we look at the new Tacoma, which made the LC seem huge. We also drove a Tundra for comparison and while not quite love at first sight, it hit all the marks. Comparable build quality to the Sequoia, great technology, fantastic drivetrain and interior room to spare. We left and I considered my next steps. I stayed in touch with the sales manager and 2 weeks later he called and asked me to swing by the dealership. He had a new nightshade 2024 limited with a level kit and 35” KO3s that he knew I would love. He agreed to sell it for $7,000 under MSRP plus $2,000 in Toyota cash while only charging $500 for the level kit and tires. That put the cost at $55,000. I took it home to confirm it would fit in the garage and make a decision. While I ended up not purchasing the 2024, I did purchase a 2025 ice cap Limited with the same spec for $54,000 that weekend from the dealership plus they threw in the RB20s and OEM tonneau at dealer cost. Factor in the $25K I received on trade for the Sequoia and I walked out of the dealership after writing a check for $29K. Given my experience, I think the Tundra has GREAT value and 1,000 miles in, I’m sure I made the right decision. No car is perfect, but the Tundra was and remains a fantastic value.

 

So your resolution to the third row in the Sequoia and LC being too small was to buy a 5 seat truck?

 

Prado based LC has no 3rd row and GX might as well not have one given the dimensions. The seat pan literally pulls out of the floor. As I noted in my use case, 3rd row was not a requirement. Just made zero sense to “upgrade” to a new generation Sequoia with less versatility compared to our current version. I still contend nothing else in the Toyota and Lexus lineup comes close to the value of a Tundra.

 

I was planning on buying a 3rd gen Sequoia for my wife, but overall, it just seems confused on what it wants to be. It fails at being a Tahoe because the rear axle and hybrid battery create an unusually small 3rd row and cargo area (especially compared to the previous Sequoia with independent rear suspension). The 2nd gen Sequoia also had a sweet transfer case that lets you do 2Hi and 4Hi or 4Lo unlocked (like a fulltime 4wd vehicle such as the Land Cruiser), so you could leave it in 4wd with the center diff unlocked all the time on any terrain. The guys I know with 2G Sequoias leave it in 4wd all winter for their wives. Toyota lost that with the 3rd gen along with the highly usable roll-down rear window. Such a huge bummer.

The LC, GX, and Sequoia all have a solid rear axle, so even without the hybrid battery under it, that 3rd row is going to be more for kids than adults. Same is true of our 570; I have seatbelts for 8, but the 3rd row is really only good for kids. I’ll probably be replacing this with as new a 2G Sequoia as I can find when the time comes. It kinda stinks than none of Toyota’s new BOF SUVs have independent rear suspension to allow for a full size 3rd row. Gotta go Sienna or Highlander variant for that.

 

Im sorry its not a fantastic value by any means and the big three arent either
Theres a reason why trucks are sitting on dealers lots-too expensive

 

Agree to disagree. I paid less for my ‘25 Tundra than I did for my 2014 Sequoia in 2014.

 

I dont believe you frankly

 

Can’t fix what you believe but I paid $55K for my Sequoia in 2014 and $54K for my 2025 Tundra in November of 2024.

 

AFAIK, since the Tundra is a 70 series, so is the Sequoia. No other Toyotas sold new in the USA are 70's. There is a big difference between a 70 series and a Prado.

 

Not quite sure what you mean. A 70 series Land Cruiser is one thing; the generation build code for the Tundra is different.

1st gen Tundra: XK30
2nd gen Tundra: XK50
3rd gen Tundra: XK70

Sequoias are XK40, XK60, and XK80 respectively.

These do not correlate to Land Cruisers. Interesting LC info at this link.

 

I guess I'm still looking for a 70 then!

 

When the engine switch mode is in Accessory after a few minutes you can’t roll windows up or down. Then after 20 minutes it’ll turn completely off to save the battery, then you have to start the truck just to roll the windows up. This occurred yesterday while waiting on my son. When it kicked off at 20 minutes I had to start the truck to roll the windows up to turn it off & go in the gym looking for him.

 

Did he Tee-yo-da.

https://youtube.com/shorts/0045mdsmvQY?si=verX2a0yByPU6tI4