Cracked dashboard

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

CHF80, mate Id be getting it, 04 model you would be pushing to get any warranty on that now unfortunately , even though it is a common issue.....Might let my mate know that cut his with his visor lol..................Cheers Steve

[Guest Close Guest]

Great price CHF80! We await your new thread "How to replace cracked dashboard" with baited breath.

[cardinal28 Member Find all posts View Profile Close cardinal28]

In a worst case scenario, is it not feasible that the dash material covering the passenger side air bag could fracture and fragment during air bag deployment hurling uncontrollable bits of material at speed throughout the cabin. It’s not hard to imagine that such material could cause injury to occupants directly or even puncture the passenger and driver airbag before they have a chance to fully inflate and/or then safely deflate.

Hi Wastegate - If you go back quite a few threads this issue was covered when TMC admitted a vehicle was unroadworthy with cracking on the dash (I have it in writing). RACQ was also horrified about TMC's lack of response to this issue and raised the same issue about bits of dash flying everyehere but a greater concern was if the cracked dash punctured the airbag on deployment. Qld Dept of Transport stated the vehicle would not be unroadworthy unless it affected the deployment of the airbag. My question was how the hell would anybody know what would happen until the worst case senario happened. Too late then.
It also seems to me a few are giving up the fight with TMC of an obvious manufacturing fault and sourcing and replacing dashes at their own cost and expense. I guess TMC would love this. It takes the heat off them and they are selling heaps of dashes, win win for TMC.
It took me 12 months to get my money back from TMC for my dash replacement, but I feel it was worth the fight and felt quite satisified with the result. I know TMC read these posts and I might have a black mark againt my name at TMC but who gives a $hit, at least it was a win for the small guy and I really feel it was worth it.
It really is a shame that TMC have taken this 'head in sand' approach on this issue as I believe the Prado is a good product and I would buy another one, but it still left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.
Good luck to all on whatever approach you take.
Graeme K

[paddy81 Member Find all posts View Profile Close paddy81]

Is that price just in QLD? I would assume that to be the case?

[CHF80 Member Find all posts View Profile Close CHF80]

This price is through a Toyota dealership on the north side of Brisbane (Not Torque). I might be able to see if they can offload a few at that price if others are interested?

[paddy81 Member Find all posts View Profile Close paddy81]

Well they came back to me with a no because apparently it isn't a common problem! I'm seriously pissed and not sure who to contact now. Someones going to get a mouth full at Toyota Head Office today 😡

[wastegate Member Find all posts View Profile Close wastegate]

It took me 12 months to get my money back from TMC for my dash replacement, but I feel it was worth the fight and felt quite satisified with the result.

Thanks for the background update Graeme. Looks like a frustrating road ahead!

We all understand that standard components like the suspension on a stock Prado are not up to repeated offroad/outback use and so spend the $'s on upgrading it. Like wise for a bullbar, snorkel, tyres, diff breathers, diff locks etc. We accept the vehicle has limitations and if we want to push the limits we need to improve it. As much as I really hate looking at that cracked dash every time I drive what is a great car and I don't mind spending a quid to fix/repair something faulty or even suspect; but not on something that on the face of it is inferior to start with. How hard is it for a dash to do it's proper job, there's no moving parts to wear and tear. It just has to sit there and, well look dusty 'til it gets some TLC! Millions of vehicles over decades bake in the Aussie sun and have not dramas so why only certain Prado's. A bad batch of materials went under the quality assurance radar comes to mind.

If I was dealing with some dodgie second hand car yard I would expect the run around, but not from one the worlds leading car manufacturing coy. Come on Toyota do the right thing.

On another note, I rang the ACCC (e.g. federal consumer affairs) who deal with safety recalls and they have an online form people can complete to register a suspect component which they are required to look in to. Might try that next.

[Guest Close Guest]

I've rung Toyota and lodged a case regarding the dash last week. Been trying to follow up again this week.

When I took the centre console off to replace the Satnav on the Grande, I noticed that there are 2 anchor points on the dashboard which has a nut insert to accept the bolts from the centre console stack. My crack starts from that point, so I suspect that there's a bit of stress originating from that point from tigtening up the 2 top bolts for the centre console. The vibrations wouldn't have helped either.

[paddy81 Member Find all posts View Profile Close paddy81]

Well said Wastegate! I also rang the ACCC today and got told the same thing and the more people that jump on to the website and fill in the form, lodging it against Toyota the better, so tonight that's what I'm doing. Will put the link on here so that others can download it and do the same..

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

Another write up in today's courier mail re the dashboard cracks!! Get on boys.

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Yeah Hutch, was in the daily telegraphs motoring section yesterday (friday) as well here in Sydney, at least this time they had the right picture a 120 instead of a 150 like they did last time. Bet if Toyota saw it last time they wouldnt have been happy about the 150being shown, but you know what ?? badluck to toyota, if they were doing the right thing then it wouldnt have been in the paper at all, so Toyota if your reading this, and I m sure some one from Toyota must, pull your finger out your ar#s and honour your product or there is going to be alot more been mentioned via tv broadcasting.................Cheers Steve

[paddy81 Member Find all posts View Profile Close paddy81]

Well I've filled out the paperwork and sent it through to lodge a formal complaint about Toyota but I don't know what else to do! To be honest it's about principle now after wasting all my time going to different Toyota dealers and making phone calls for nothing!!!
I will literally take it as far as I can an hopefully get everyone out there a new dash lol

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

I hate to sound like a c**t with a capital C but... If your vehicle is out of warranty... Bad luck?

It is a terrible situation and I'm sure I'd be upset too but still...

Perhaps I'm missing something though...

*waits for the abuse to start

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

I hate to sound like a c**t with a capital C but... If your vehicle is out of warranty... Bad luck?

It is a terrible situation and I'm sure I'd be upset too but still...

Perhaps I'm missing something though...

*waits for the abuse to start

There is such a thing as written and a implied warranty, no one in this day and age expects for instance a car to have a life of only 3 years or 100000K's

Same for a dash board, it may be be guaranteed on paper for three years but everybody expects
it to last a lot longer than that!

[web13 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close web13]

Can I get the website to complete the form.

I have a friend that has replaced their dash twice.

Cheers