Cracked dashboard

[fortom Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close fortom]

What was the email address you used and I will send a complaint and see if I get the same copy paste.

[blackvx Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close blackvx]

What was the email address you used and I will send a complaint and see if I get the same copy paste.

I actually filled out the form on their website, but this is the email address I got the reply from
[email protected]
and the signature in the email also had
[email protected]

Don't hold your breath for a reply, that one took about 2 weeks.....

[REN470 Member Find all posts View Profile Close REN470]

Hi,


Not trying to be provocative at all, but I guess they have to draw the line somewhere. There is a 3 year warranty and they are going to 10 years? I'm sure they could stick with 3 years and only approve the ones that cause too much noise - if you know what I mean. If there is some inconsistancy on the 10 year thing maybe they check owners purchase history and service history and if they have had a few Toyotas and always maintained the service schedule at an authorised dealers then they may be more ready to assist? I work in the motorcycle industry and when we are faced with a claim which is outside the warranty period and the customer is looking for good will the first thing we look at is how many of our bikes has he owned and is his service history up to date with one of our dealers if that is ok then we look at it more positively, if the guy only has ever had one bike of ours and never gets it serviced at one of our dealers we are less inclined to help. I've got a 150 so its easy for me to say this and as i said not trying to be provocative just explain a different side to it. I'm lucky enough to be able to turn my vehicles at around every 3 years so mine are always in warranty when I sell them.

[Hogey66 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hogey66]

Yep copy paste is the feeling I get from it, they couldn't give a shit

There's a lot of similar sentences and lack of responsibility in the response they gave me......here it is.

Thank you for your email.

In your response you quote a number of points taken from the ACCC website.

As your vehicle was purchased prior to 1 January 2011, it will be covered by the Trade Practices Act (TPA) and not the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). Whilst statutory warranties provided by manufacturers under the TPA do not have a concrete end date, they are deemed to apply for a reasonable time; not indefinitely. This period is calculated from the date of first purchase of the vehicle. Given that your vehicle was first purchased in 2004 and has driven in excess of 200,000 kms by multiple owners, Toyota Australia’s position is that the reasonable warranty period expected by the TPA has expired.

Whilst it is regrettable that you are experiencing cracking on the dashboard of your vehicle, it is not a feasible position to claim that a manufacturer of a product is liable for the cost of any and all repairs on their product arising after sale irrespective of time or use.

It is not unreasonable to expect that a vehicle – and some of its components – may experience wear and tear over time and through significant use. In these circumstances, the vehicle has performed as designed but will require servicing and repairs from time to time. This is not something that can reasonably be expected to be at the manufacturer’s expense.

We disagree with your comment that the vehicle is not fit for its intended purpose. Clearly, by virtue of the fact that it has operated for 12 years and driven such a significant distance, the vehicle has remained fit for purpose. Cracking in the dashboard, whilst not ideal, would not render the vehicle unfit for its designed purpose.

In regards to your enquiry relating to the operation of airbags. A cracked dash such as that in your vehicle will have no impact on the airbag operation ie. airbag deployment will operate as designed in the event it is required.

If you remain concerned about the state of the dashboard in your vehicle, we encourage you to bring it into your preferred Toyota dealer to have it repaired or replaced. However Toyota Australia will not pay the cost of any repairs based on our comments above.

We thank you for allowing us this opportunity to respond.

[JGD Member Find all posts View Profile Close JGD]

Not trying to be provocative at all, but I guess they have to draw the line somewhere. There is a 3 year warranty and they are going to 10 years?

I would agree if this was something that just started happening, but cracking of the dashboards started around 2008, when many of these cars were between 3 to 4 years old. Despite being reported to Toyota Australia at that time, they never admitted there was an issue. They changed to a new dash compound around 2007 - and there have been basically no issues since.

Now, in 2016, Toyota Australia partially admit there is a problem but only allow claims back 10 years, which effectively excludes all effected dashes. This is why many people believe they stance of Toyota Australia is unfair.

Further, the USA Prado variant (Lexus GX470) had the exact same issue with the cracking dashes. All were replaced, regardless of age, free of charge. Toyota Australia should be doing the same.

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

... They changed to a new dash compound around 2007 - and there have been basically no issues since.
.

Hi JGD. Are you sure about that? or is it hear-say? I have an obvious interest in the answer.

Cheers

[fortom Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close fortom]

Think I am just going to bite the bullet and buy a dash - fit it and %^$#@@^^ Toyota !!

[Wtrxprs007 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Wtrxprs007]

I would agree if this was something that just started happening, but cracking of the dashboards started around 2008, when many of these cars were between 3 to 4 years old. Despite being reported to Toyota Australia at that time, they never admitted there was an issue. They changed to a new dash compound around 2007 - and there have been basically no issues since.

Now, in 2016, Toyota Australia partially admit there is a problem but only allow claims back 10 years, which effectively excludes all effected dashes. This is why many people believe they stance of Toyota Australia is unfair.

Further, the USA Prado variant (Lexus GX470) had the exact same issue with the cracking dashes. All were replaced, regardless of age, free of charge. Toyota Australia should be doing the same.

Hi JGD. Are you sure about that? or is it hear-say? I have an obvious interest in the answer.

Cheers

while we don't know about the dash material being changed or whatever, the part numbers have changed over the years, with the current one being 55401-60927, which has been produced since 10/2007.

Maybe the change included a slightly different compound as you said @JGD.

I do know of one member from the Facebook page with a 2007 cracked dash, but I believe hers was before the new part number.

[Wtrxprs007 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Wtrxprs007]

Think I am just going to bite the bullet and buy a dash - fit it and %^$#@@^^ Toyota !!

F em in their face haha

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

I do know of one member from the Facebook page with a 2007 cracked dash, but I believe hers was before the new part number.

Thanks for that info, Wtrxprs007. I guess I will have to wait and see.

[JGD Member Find all posts View Profile Close JGD]

Hi JGD. Are you sure about that? or is it hear-say? I have an obvious interest in the answer.

Cheers

Hi mate - I can't confirm myself, but the dash part number changed in 2007 which would suggest the dash changed in someway. The dimensions are the same, so the thought is the compound was the change.

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

That sounds hopeful, JGD. Thanks for the reply.

[Falco80 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Falco80]

Successfully got my dash replaced today.

After no help whatsoever from phoning Toyota customer care multiple times, I made some noise by messaging them on facebook and they helped then.

Toyota did the right thing in the end.

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

What dealer Falco ?? And did this dealer have their own face book page ??

[STT Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close STT]

Aug 2006 dated Prado 120 - Just had the dash replaced at no cost by Toyota Dealer. Took 1 month from the date I first contacted them to picking up the car with new dash installed.

For those having problems with Toyota - keep at them, maybe try telling them that the problems started earlier (during the 10 year period) but due to initial reactions by Toyota/Dealers as outlined earlier in this thread, nothing was reported. I think the 10 year cut off is unfair given that there was no official announcement from Toyota about it and that by the time the 10 year period was public info, many vehicles were already out of the included period.