Override swich for Reverse sensor

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Pedro.

Whats scaring me is you havent even picked up your new prado and your preparing to have these guys wheel align it before you have even tested it yourself?

As a note, I took mine from dealership to home (5 kms) then next morning 25 kms to a known personally Bridgestone dealer who put it across his very big dollar$ wheel alignment machine.
(That is calibrated every 3 months or if it gets a knock in between).
Has yet to be out of calibration on any tests.

The standard factory wheel alignment settings were spot on, by that he said 99.9995% accurate, it also drove beautifully.

Prado's have "apparently had their front end specs changed recently, though no-one seems to have written proof of this yet.

I would beware of anyone that states grandtreks are ok (for anything apart from mum taking the kids to the corner shop).
My other friends wife drives a prado as we describe above as their baby shuttle, got 30,000 out of them only, never been on dirt (apart from roadworks!).

[Hutch Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hutch]

Re: reverse sensor

Pedro, in the instruction booklet for the reverse sensor's it talks about them being de activated when you plug in your trailer wiring, haven't tried it yet. But i will check this out next week when the trailer is on. Try it before you spend the money.

Update on this one, well the trailer didn't mute the sensors when connectted however i double checked the manual and this is what it states.
So i have gone back to the dealer and asked why? keep you all updated when the dealer comes back to me.

[Pedro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pedro]

Team Piggy,
Re the Alignment issue.
Checked with the RACQ technical people and they have their machine calibrated every 2 days.
They use machine to check readings and do no work if out of alignment.

They said the predelivery by Toyota dealer should include checking alignment and also the first service (1500k?) should also include this.

The Bob Jane man will check my alignment when changing tyres (my request) and then suggested after 5000ks once front has settled in.
For peace of mind this is what I will do.
Incidentally a friend who called with his 2003 Prado yesterday to test getting my van in and out of driveway, mentioned in passing he had got 76000k's out of Grand Treks by running tyres at 40+.


Hutch,
Re the sensor , it will be interesting to hear what the dealer says.

Pedro

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RACQ & Bob Jane, so who is doing the alignment now? And who calibrates and how often the machine that they use to check and calibrate their machine every two days? (Confused yet?)

Sorry, I see poorly maintained equipment every day in my job and its always a laugh how these people keep these items in said condition!

[Pedro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pedro]

Team Piggy,
Bob Jane will check alignment when change over tyres are fitted, and i will take it back at 5000k.s for a further check.

I guess initial check will be when vehicle has done around 30kms , like when you took vehicle to your Bridgstone man.

Reference to RACQ was just to point out their advice on calibration , and the fact they checked alignment only and do no realignment work .

Pedro

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So RACQ check BJ's alignment, this is confusing..

[Pedro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pedro]

Team Piggy,
Sorry for the confusion .
RACQ is the motoring body in Queensland like the NRMA in NSW.

They will have nothing to do at all with the Bob Jane check of alignment.

Reference to them was only to point out their view on calibration, and a throw away line was that they also do alignment checks but DO NOT do realignment work.

I checked with them after you said your man had his machine recalibrated at 3 months or when it had a knock.

Pedro

[P1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close P1]

Just saw there is another thread on page 2 of the Accessory Section also dealing with Rev Sensors. http://www.pradopoint.com/viewtopic.php?t=476

[DarkHorse Member Find all posts View Profile Close DarkHorse]

Hutch,

Did you get an answer from the dealer about muting the reverse sensors when a trailer/plug attached?

I have hitched up a few things including a boat, very bloody annoying reversing down a 20m boat ramp (dam level at 18%) with the beeping on conitinously.

I could not find the speaker, will feel around again. I found the control box though, it was simply tucked behind the jack, both of which are metal and was rattling away, put some foam around it, hopefully should quiet it down a bit.

Will speak with the service department tommorow.


Regards,



Rob

[Pedro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pedro]

Dark Horse,
Thanks to PeteS, before I joined forum, he told me about the"Cole Hersee" switch and I had one fitted before pickup.
The switch fitted in one of the blanks .
The cat number of the switch used was a Cole Hersee 58027-01 (On/Off)

It works well and stops the annoying bipping when not needed.

Pedro

[DarkHorse Member Find all posts View Profile Close DarkHorse]

Hi Pedro,

Thanks for the reply. Where did you get it fitted and how much? I am sure I read somewhere that Toyota is supposed to use a particular solenoid type device, which installed correctly to the plug socket, and the reverse sensor unit disables the beep when a trailer is fitted.

I still could not find the buzzer to turn it down, dropped a socket inside as well (dont ask) and just took me 45minutes of friggin around to get it out.

Anyhow how is the new car? How man K's on the clock? I have just done over 4300k and when I get the correct oil filter, will change the oil.

Did you sort the key/door problem out yet?

**UPDATE** Did a search and came accross a post on the overlander forum. It appears that Narva make plug sockets with a "reed" switch to disable the reverse sensors when a trailer is connected.

Here is a link:

http://www.narva.com.au/Trailer_12.html

Supposedly Toyota have them, but you have to twist their arm to install it.

Will find out more tomorrow and post a reply.

Regards,


Rob

[Pedro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pedro]

Dark Horse,
I had the sensors fitted by TJM (colour coded) pre delivery and gave them the Part no and they arranged the lot.
Cost including fitting was $37.

Have done 245k's and it is running like a charm.
Everything I was told about the vehicle is right.

The bluetooth hands free through radio, is brilliant , and the only problems I have are the locking problem (will be on to dealer first up in am) and the Hard Wheel cover not fitting the 694's.

Anyhow I reckon the override switch that turns off the sensors at $37 fitted was excellent value, and wouold sovlve your problem .

Pedro

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I ended up finding my speaker tucked right up behind the left tail light which I had to remove in the end to get access (pry out with a long screw driver). I suppose I could have removed the side panel too.

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

You say you found the control box.
Mine are toyota ones fitted when new.
The control box is only stuck on the inside of the rear panel (inside jack door)with double sided tape.
That tape only lasted 6 months when I looked in there and it was dangling down and rattling like you said.
Have you fixed it better than toyota?

[P1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close P1]

If you are like me and have a 7 pin round to get sufficient current through to power a fridge etc, unfortunately, the excellent tip from DarkHorse - re the special NAVA socket - doesn't work. They only have it in 7 pin flat. :x

However, for those of you who have a switched "hotwire" to their caravan / camper trailer for the battery or fridge, you could get a relay installed off that circuit such that it cuts the power to the reversing sensor unit when the hotwire switch is on. Since you are only likely to have the hotwire switched on when the van is hooked up this will work with less risk than the previous suggestions of using simple switches or turning down the speaker. (Because my switch has a bright LED to warn me the circuit is active - I turn it off when I don't need it.)

This would be safer than using a simple switch to the sensor unit because you are at risk of forgetting the switch is off and since there is no warning that you have deactivated the sensors, you (or the next driver eg your partner) may assume they are active and find out the hard way that they had been turned off. ops:
If you haven't got a switched hotwire, then at least use a switch that has a very bright yellow or red warning lamp which comes on when you have deactivated your sensors. Cole Hersee have the same form factor switches as those suggested but with inbuilt lamps.