Toyota Camry Scion tC Alternator 27060-36010 | 12V 100A

Product Overview

The 27060-36010 is a Toyota OE part number for a 12-volt 100-amp alternator fitted to the 2AR-FE, the 2.5-litre four-cylinder that Toyota used in the late 2000s and 2010s. It is a 100A unit with a 6-groove clutch pulley, built in the Denso pattern, and it serves the Scion tC, the Camry, the RAV4, and the Alphard. What makes the number interesting is the brand at the front of that list: Scion was discontinued in 2016, and yet a Scion tC owner can still buy the correct alternator for the car because the part is shared with models that are still on the road.

The unit is supplied new. It is a Denso-pattern alternator with an internal regulator, a 6-groove clutch pulley, and the mount that fits the 2AR-FE engine. It carries a one-year warranty and is in current stock with a 10-day lead time. The Denso numbers 104210-2270, 104210-2340, 104210-2341, and 104210-8431 cross to it, and the related Toyota numbers 27060-36011, 27060-0V010, and 27060-0V070 cover the same application in other build periods.

Rated output is 12V 100A. The pulley is a 6-groove clutch pulley. Rotation is clockwise, and the regulator is internal. Net weight is 5.75kg and gross weight is 6.0kg. Dimensions are 240 by 180 by 170mm. Packaging is a neutral kraft box.

The Alternator for a Brand That No Longer Exists

Scion was Toyota's experiment in selling simple, youth-oriented cars in the United States, and the tC coupe was the best known of them. Toyota closed the brand in 2016 and folded the remaining vehicles and owners into the Toyota network. For anyone who owns a tC, the practical question is not brand history but part availability, and this alternator is the answer to that question for one of the most common repairs a tC will ever need.

The reason is commonality. The second-generation tC, built from 2011 to 2016, used the 2AR-FE 2.5-litre four-cylinder, and that engine also went into the Camry and the RAV4, which sold in very large numbers and are still on the road in every market. Toyota built one alternator for that engine rather than three, so the tC takes the same 100A unit as the Camry and the RAV4. When the Scion badge disappeared, the part did not. A tC owner today orders the same number that a Camry or RAV4 owner orders, and the supply chain that serves the high-volume models serves the tC as a side effect.

That is worth understanding for two audiences. For an owner, it means the tC is not orphaned: major mechanical parts are shared, and the alternator, a wear item on a car that is now a teenager, is easy to source. For a parts business, it means the tC is not a niche line to carry. One alternator stocks the tC, the Camry, and the RAV4 across a decade of production, and the demand from the high-volume models covers the tC demand several times over.

The unit itself is the modern four-cylinder type. It uses a 6-groove clutch pulley, which is the overrunning type rather than a fixed sheave. The clutch lets the alternator rotor spin ahead of the belt when the belt slows, so the rotor's inertia is not dragged backward through the belt on every firing pulse. On a four-cylinder engine, where the power strokes arrive with more relative variation than on a larger six, that smooths the belt drive and reduces wear on the belt and the tensioner. It also means the pulley is a wear item in its own right, and a chirp or rattle from the belt end at idle is worth checking before the whole alternator is replaced.

The 100A rating fits the vehicle rather than the engine size. The 2.5-litre four in the tC, the Camry, and the RAV4 carries a normal passenger-car load: climate control, lighting, power accessories, and the electronics of a car built in this era. Toyota set the alternator at 100A to carry that load with margin, and the same rating serves all three models. A buyer who needs the part for a tC should order the number, not a bigger unit, because the rating and the pulley are matched to the car.

Technical Specifications

Engine Compatibility and Cross Reference

The 27060-36010 fits the 2AR-FE 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine across a group of Toyota and Scion models. Confirm fitment by model, engine code, and model year.

The cross-reference is built around the 2AR-FE. On the Toyota side, the 27060-36011 is the later number that replaces the 27060-36010, and the 27060-0V010 and 27060-0V070 cover the same engine in other applications. On the Denso side, the 104210-2270, 104210-2340, 104210-2341, and 104210-8431 cross to these numbers. The aftermarket filing number is Lester 11402.

Two checks settle the fitment. First, the engine: this unit is for the 2AR-FE 2.5-litre four. The same bodies were sold with other engines, including the 2.4-litre 2AZ-FE and the 3.5-litre V6, which use different alternators. Second, the pulley: this unit carries a 6-groove clutch pulley, and the rib count and the pulley type should match the old unit. Confirm the engine code first, then the pulley.

What to Look for in a Replacement

Start with the engine code. This alternator serves the 2AR-FE 2.5-litre four-cylinder. The RAV4 and the Camry of the same years were also sold with the 2.4-litre 2AZ-FE and, in the RAV4, a 3.5-litre V6, and those engines use different alternators. Confirm the 2AR-FE before you quote, because the model name alone does not settle it.

Second, the pulley. This unit runs a 6-groove clutch pulley. Check the ribs and the pulley type against the old unit. A clutch pulley is not a fixed pulley, and a unit with the wrong rib count will not drive correctly, so both the count and the type are part of the fitment.

Third, do not oversize the unit. This car takes a 100A alternator, and the rating is matched to its electrical load. A larger unit will not help and may not match the wiring, so fit the rating the vehicle was built with. On a tC, the correct part is the same one the Camry and the RAV4 use.

Fourth, inspect the unit on arrival. Check the clutch pulley for free rotation in one direction and resistance in the other, confirm the regulator is internal, and make sure the terminals are clean and not oxidised. A quick check before fitting saves a second visit.

Fifth, test the battery and the belt before you blame the alternator. On a car of this age a charging warning light is often a tired battery, a worn belt, or a corroded terminal rather than a failed unit. Load-test the battery, check the belt and the tensioner, and measure the charging output at 2000 rpm under load. A healthy alternator reads 13.8 to 14.4V with the lights running.

Application Scenarios

• Scion tC owners and the shops that service them. The tC was discontinued with the Scion brand, but the car is still on the road and the alternator is a common repair. Because the part is shared with the Camry and the RAV4, it is easy to source, and a shop that knows the 2AR-FE can fit it without hunting for a discontinued-brand part.

• Independent workshops that see a mix of Toyota models. One 100A unit covers the tC, the Camry, and the RAV4, so a shop that stocks the number can serve a coupe, a sedan, and a crossover from a single line. That commonality is the reason the part is still readily available.

• Toyota sedan and crossover owners. The Camry and the RAV4 with the 2AR-FE four are high-volume vehicles, and the alternator is a normal wear item on cars that have covered a lot of ground. A new unit with a one-year warranty is the practical repair.

• Alphard owners and the workshops that maintain them. The 2.5-litre Alphard shares this alternator with the Camry and the RAV4, so a workshop that recognises the engine can serve a premium MPV from the same stock item.

• Used-vehicle exporters and traders who buy for the compact car and crossover market. The tC, the Camry, and the RAV4 of the 2010s are common in the export trade, and correct identification of the 100A unit against the alternators used with the 2.4-litre and V6 engines is the difference between a part that fits and a return.

• Parts counters and jobbers who answer mixed Toyota and Scion requests. The 27060-36010 covers the tC, the Camry, the RAV4, and the Alphard through one engine, so a counter that knows the group can satisfy a request from a single stock line, provided the engine code and the pulley match.

FAQ

Q: Which models does the 27060-36010 fit?

A: It fits the 2AR-FE 2.5-litre four-cylinder in the Scion tC (AGT20), the Camry, the RAV4, and the Alphard (AH30). Confirm the engine code and the model year before you order, because the same bodies were also sold with other engines that use different alternators.

Q: Scion no longer exists. Can I still get an alternator for a tC?

A: Yes. The Scion brand was discontinued in 2016, but the tC uses the same alternator as the Camry and the RAV4, which are still on the road in large numbers. The shared part means the supply chain that serves those models serves the tC as well, so there is no shortage of the correct unit.

Q: What is the difference between this unit and the one for the 2.4-litre engine?

A: They are different parts. This alternator is for the 2AR-FE 2.5-litre four-cylinder and is rated at 100A. The 2.4-litre 2AZ-FE used in the same bodies is a different application with its own alternator. Confirm the engine code before you order.

Q: Why does this alternator have a clutch pulley?

A: Because it fits a four-cylinder engine. The power strokes arrive with more relative variation than on a larger six, and the clutch pulley lets the alternator rotor overrun the belt when the belt slows, so the rotor's inertia is not dragged backward through the belt. That smooths the belt drive and reduces wear on the belt and the tensioner.

Q: My old alternator has a Denso number, not a Toyota number. Is it the same part?

A: Very likely. The Denso numbers 104210-2270, 104210-2340, 104210-2341, and 104210-8431 cross to the Toyota 27060-36010, and the related Toyota numbers 27060-36011, 27060-0V010, and 27060-0V070 cover the same application. Denso builds the unit, so the Denso number and the Toyota number describe the same assembly.

Q: The battery warning light is on. Do I need a new alternator?

A: Not always. On a car of this age the most common causes are a tired battery, a worn belt, or a corroded terminal rather than the alternator itself. Load-test the battery, check the belt, and measure the output at 2000 rpm under load. If it reads 13.8 to 14.4V, the alternator is fine.

Q: What is the lead time and warranty?

A: Units are in current stock with a 10-day lead time for dispatch. Each unit carries a one-year warranty from the date of installation. Warranty claims need documentation of the vehicle and the part number, and the usual exclusions for misuse and incorrect fitment apply.

In Practice

The workshop that services modern Toyota four-cylinders learns that commonality outlasts a brand. The 27060-36010 fits the 2AR-FE 2.5-litre four in the Scion tC, the Camry, the RAV4, and the Alphard, and the tC keeps its parts supply because the Camry and the RAV4 sell in far larger numbers and use the same unit. A mechanic who checks the engine code and the pulley will fit the right part for all of them, and the 10-day lead time keeps the shelf stocked for a model group that spans a discontinued brand and two current ones.

For the counter, the useful fact is the reach of the number. A customer who asks for a tC alternator, a customer who asks for a Camry alternator, and a customer who asks for a RAV4 alternator are often asking for the same 100A unit, and the related Toyota and Denso numbers cover the build periods that the main number does not. One stock line answers all of them, provided the engine code and the pulley match.

For the technician, the discipline is the same as on any modern car: confirm the engine code, check the pulley, and test the battery and the belt before the alternator is blamed. The 13.8 to 14.4V load test at 2000 rpm is the check that separates the alternator from the battery, and checking the clutch pulley before the unit goes on is the step that prevents the come-back.

About the Author

Justin Reyes is an automotive electrical specialist based in Phoenix, Arizona, with a professional focus on Toyota and Scion compact cars and the 2AR-FE engine family. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Arizona State University, where his studies covered vehicle electrical systems and spark-ignition engine design.

After graduation, Justin worked for a parts distributor serving independent workshops, dealerships, and fleet operators across the south-west United States, with the Scion tC, the Camry, and the RAV4 among his core responsibilities. Over thirteen years he advised garages on charging-system diagnosis and on the identification of the 2AR-FE alternators, and he watched the Scion brand arrive and disappear while the cars it sold stayed on the road. His distribution experience taught him that commonality is what keeps a discontinued brand serviceable, and that the engine code and the pulley settle the fitment. He also learned that on a car of this age the battery, the belt, and the terminals are the first things to check before a charging fault is blamed on the alternator.

In his current work Justin supports workshops and jobbers on coverage and cross-referencing for the 2AR-FE charging system, with a focus on the tC, the Camry, the RAV4, and the Alphard that share the 100A unit. He maintains a cross-reference set covering Toyota and Denso numbers for the unit, and contributes technical notes to American trade publications on compact-car maintenance and the identification checks that keep the right alternator on the right engine. He has a personal interest in the way shared platforms outlive the badges they were sold under, and in the four-cylinder clutch pulley that is the practical link between a discontinued coupe and two of the best selling cars Toyota builds.