On the 2.5L A25A-FKS Camry this is a straightforward job: drop the plastic under-covers, pull one 12 mm terminal nut, unplug the solenoid wire and back out two 14 mm bolts. Most of the time goes into the belly pan fasteners and getting an extension and swivel onto the blind upper bolt. The 3.5L V6 is a different animal — the starter lives in the valley of the V under the intake surge tank, so the airbox, throttle body and manifold all have to come off, and you should buy intake gaskets before you start.
The mistake people make most often is buying a starter for a no-crank that was really a tired 12V battery or a corroded main cable. Load-test the battery and do a voltage-drop test on the B-terminal cable first. The second mistake is forgetting the negative battery cable: the B-terminal stud is unfused and live, and a slipped socket there makes sparks instantly.
| Item | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Memory saver / OBD power feed 12V OBD-II memory saver (optional) Keeps radio presets and ECU learned values while the battery is disconnected. | Recommended | shop |
| Socket wrench set 3/8 in drive ratchet, 8-19 mm 6-point sockets Covers battery terminal, under-cover, starter and intake fasteners. | Required | shop |
| 10 mm socket or wrench 10 mm, 1/4 or 3/8 in drive Loosens the negative battery terminal clamp and small bracket nuts. | Required | shop |
| Floor jack 2 ton minimum Lifts the front of the car to reach the starter from below on the 2.5L. | Required | shop |
| Jack stands 2 ton pair, placed on pinch-weld jack points Supports the car while you work underneath. | Safety | shop |
| Wheel chocks Keeps the car from rolling with the rear wheels on the ground. | Safety | shop |
| Phillips screwdriver and trim clip tool #2 Phillips, plastic clip remover Removes the plastic engine under-cover push clips and screws on the XV70 belly pan. | Required | shop |
| 10 mm socket for under-cover bolts 10 mm, 1/4 in drive with short extension XV70 lower splash shields use 10 mm head bolts plus plastic clips. | Required | shop |
| 14 mm socket 14 mm 6-point, 3/8 in drive Removes the two M10 starter-to-bellhousing mounting bolts (both engines). | Required | shop |
| 12 mm socket / deep socket 12 mm, 1/4 or 3/8 in drive Removes the B-terminal nut holding the main battery cable to the starter. | Required | shop |
| Extension set 3 in, 6 in and 10 in, 3/8 in drive Starter bolts are recessed and blind — you cannot reach them with a bare ratchet. | Required | shop |
| Swivel / wobble adapter or universal joint 3/8 in drive Lets you get a straight pull on the rear starter bolt around the subframe and wiring. | Required | shop |
| Stubby ratchet or ratcheting wrench 14 mm ratcheting combination wrench Useful where there is no room for an extension on the upper bolt. | Recommended | shop |
| Torque wrench 3/8 in drive, 10-80 ft-lb Sets the starter bolts and terminal nut correctly in aluminum/alloy threads. | Required | shop |
| Inch-pound torque wrench or nut driver 1/4 in drive, 20-200 in-lb The B-terminal nut is a low-torque fastener that is easy to snap or strip. | Recommended | shop |
| Pick / small flat screwdriver Releases the locking tab on the solenoid signal connector without breaking it. | Required | shop |
| Wire brush and electrical contact cleaner Cleans corrosion off the B-terminal cable lug and the starter mounting face for good ground. | Consumables | shop |
| Dielectric grease Protects the B-terminal and connector from corrosion after reassembly. | Consumables | shop |
| Digital multimeter Confirms battery voltage, voltage drop and 12V at the solenoid before you condemn the starter. | Recommended | shop |
| Starter motor OE Denso for A25A-FKS or 2GR-FKS — match by VIN 2.5L and V6 starters are different part numbers; hybrids do not use one. | Parts | shop |
| Intake manifold gaskets and O-rings 2GR-FKS surge tank gasket set V6 only — the intake manifold must come off, and the gaskets should be renewed. | Parts | shop |
| 5 mm and 6 mm hex bits / T30 Torx bits 3/8 in drive bit sockets V6 only — intake, throttle body and bracket fasteners on the 2GR-FKS use hex and Torx heads. | Required | shop |
| Hose clamp pliers Spring-band clamp pliers V6 only — releases coolant and vacuum hose spring clamps at the throttle body and intake. | Recommended | shop |
| Shop rags and intake plugs V6 only — keeps debris out of the open intake ports while the manifold is off. | Consumables | shop |
| Mechanic's gloves and safety glasses Debris and road grime fall out of the bellhousing area when the starter comes free. | Safety | shop |
| Magnetic pickup tool Telescoping Retrieves a dropped starter bolt from the subframe or splash shield. | Recommended | shop |
Fastener sizes are the same on both gas engines — 14 mm M10 mounting bolts, 12 mm B-terminal nut — but access differs completely: the 2.5L A25A-FKS starter comes out from underneath after removing the lower splash shields, while the 3.5L 2GR-FKS starter is under the intake manifold and requires 10 mm, 12 mm, hex and Torx bits to strip the top of the engine. Hybrid AXVH70/71 models have no starter motor; the engine is started by MG1 in the transaxle, so this job does not apply.
| Starter mounting bolts (M10, 14 mm head) — both engines | 27 ft-lb (37 Nm) — typical Toyota M10 spec; verify in the service manual |
| Starter B-terminal nut (12 mm) | about 87 in-lb (9.8 Nm) — verify in the service manual |
| Negative battery terminal clamp nut | about 48 in-lb (5.4 Nm) |
| 2GR-FKS intake surge tank / manifold bolts | verify in the service manual |
| Engine under-cover bolts | Snug only, about 7 ft-lb (9 Nm) |
The 14 mm starter mounting bolts, 12 mm B-terminal nut and 10 mm battery terminal are standard across the XV70 Camry, and the V6 starter-under-the-intake layout is correct for the 2GR-FKS; verify the exact starter bolt and intake manifold torque values for your engine in the Toyota service information before final tightening.
On the A25A-FKS it bolts to the transaxle bellhousing on the front/lower side of the engine. You reach it from underneath after removing the plastic engine under-cover, and it comes out with two 14 mm bolts and one 12 mm terminal nut.
Yes. On the 3.5L 2GR-FKS the starter sits in the valley between the cylinder banks under the intake surge tank, so the air cleaner, throttle body and manifold must come off. Order new intake gaskets with the starter.
No. The AXVH70/71 hybrid uses the MG1 motor-generator in the eCVT to spin the engine, so there is no conventional starter to replace. A no-start there is a 12V auxiliary battery, HV battery or inverter issue.
The two M10 starter bolts take roughly 27 ft-lb (37 Nm), the typical Toyota M10 value, and the B-terminal nut only about 87 in-lb (9.8 Nm). Confirm both in the Toyota service information — the terminal stud shears easily if you guess high.