Cracked dashboard

[Fredster Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Fredster]

Re: Cracked dashboard

OK guys, Here's the start and the finish to my letter. If you want to use it, just fill in the relevant bits in the middle where the XXX's are and customise to suit.

As you can see it was around May '08.

Mr John Conomos AO
Chairman
Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
155 Bertie Street
Port Melbourne
Victoria, 3207

7 May 2008.

Dear Mr Conomos,

I am writing in reference to recent dealings with Terry Shields Toyota, Windsor Toyota and your National Warranty Manager. I believe the current policies being applied will have a detrimental affect on your future sales effort in the Australian market and therefore have sought to bring this matter to your attention.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


The current status is:

• I have always looked after my vehicle, cleaning the dash with nothing other than warm soapy water as recommended.
• The dashboard is a static part, not subjected to any movement, use or abuse.
• Almost a year after the crack started to appear it is now over 30 centimetres long.
• I believe that not only is the part not of merchantable quality, it was clearly not fit for the purpose it was sold.
• Regardless of the 3 year manufacturers warranty, with a vehicle price tag of over $60,000, it is reasonable to expect the part to last longer than 4 years.

Given the above, I am seeking replacement of the part by TMCA as an act of goodwill. All attempts to contact your National Warranty Manager have failed, as he will not accept any calls, I am thus writing to you to seek remedy.

Next year, I will again be reviewing vehicle options for purchase and would like to consider Toyota vehicles knowing you stand by your advertising promise and value your customer.

I look forward to your early advice.


Yours sincerely,

[Palko Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Palko]

Re: Cracked dashboard

You can add my 05 VX to the 'Cracked list'. Bought it 12 months ago. Didn't notice it at first but now about 20cm long. Starts from the passenger seatbelt warning light and travels in an arc to about the middle of the glovebox lid. I did buy Toyota's new car warranty with the car so will be talking to my local dealer in Alice about it at the next service.

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

Re: Cracked dashboard

Well you can also add me to the list. Just went out to the garage to clean the inside of the windscreen, took off the dash mat and bugger me a crack from the centre of the dashpad halfway back to the screen.
Majorly pi$$ed off.
Mine is an 04 GXL with the grey/black dashpad. Just out of interest is it both colours that are cracking?

[Palko Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Palko]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Definately. There's no grey in mine. Just 'cracked' dark beige. And longer now since my last post.

[vincentstokes Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close vincentstokes]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Well it seems the list keeps growing so i thought i'd also add my 03 GXL - Always kept in shade with dash matt and sun visor when out & about. Have read some of the opinions re the armourall etc but does it not seem strange that most peoples dash has cracked in the same place?? mine is along the top ridge of the instrument cluster leading to the drivers side air vent. the crack appeared out of the blue and spread in a matter of weeks.. It has to be one of the ugliest things i have seen, i take pride in my things and i spent my money on a Toyota because i thought that the extra money was well spent as the quality of the vehicle was second to none, i was obviously mistaken - the materials used for the dashboard are not up to spec with the design plain and simple, this is not the only forum discussing this topic so my guess is there are a lot more vehicles experiencing this problem. I have previously owned some cars now considered to be vintage and even with 25+ years of UV exposure they have looked newer than my current vehicles dash!

I put myself in the place of someone who is going to be purchasing a second hand Prado and question whether i would even consider one with a cracked dash, and the answer is NO i would not spend 20-30K on something with a big ugly crack running through my field of vision, would you? So we have not only been stung by Toyota we have also reduced our chances of getting a reasonable return at resale. I have looked at the options for replacing the dash and a second hand one gives no guarantee that it will not do the same thing in 6months and i would not consider paying Toyota any more money now or into the future.

[pearlie Member Find all posts View Profile Close pearlie]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Got mine fixed/replaced. Advice from Toyota rep was no Armorall, use a dashmat, garage the vehicle if possible to avoid extremes of temperature, get a 6 year warranty.. No mention of any defect in manufacture, any 'treatments' for the dash material or any recalls for cracked dashes!
Guess you really need that 6 year warranty. There was also no assurance that it would not happen again.
Anyway, mine is good now.
Cheers

[vincentstokes Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close vincentstokes]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Does anyone here know whether you can just replace the top dash pad or if you need to remove and replace the whole dash? Do they need to replace the whole dash if the airbags are deployed? Has anyone removed and replaced a Prado dash themselves? To those who have had the repair done with a motor trimmer (not replaced by Toyota) can you notice the area which was repaired? What was the rough cost of the repair? Any advice for something I may have overlooked?

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

Re: Cracked dashboard

G'day all,
I have the last 09 model. The dashboard is not cracked yet, but it is "lifting" all over the place. A replacement has been ordered and will be replaced by the dealer when it arrives. You would think they've had time to sort this out over the years. Not good!
Regards,
Bazza.

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

Re: Cracked dashboard

Hi all
I took the other posters advice and sent a letter to the head of Toyota Australia as well as the Japanese guy at the top of the tree, a few days later I had an email from Toyota and the car has now had photos taken of the dashboard and they have been sent to the warranty department. I would say that the dashboards may not be covered by warranty (mine's a 03 model) but that doesn't mean they are not covered by consumer law as all products should have a decent life and a dashboard should last longer than 3 - 6 years.
We have 3 Toyota's in the family and to be honest my sons 1996 Hilux 2WD is better quality than the Prado, no cracked dashboard, no whiny idol bearings (another thread that is!!)
When the warranty people get back to me I'll let you know what happens.

I'd advise you all to write to the head honcho at Toyota and kick up a fuss, these dashboards are obviously not fit for purpose and they should all be replaced without argument. The crap about armourall is just a cover up, even the dealers use that stuff to spruce up the 2nd hand cars - maybe they are at fault and the claim should be against them?

[TexGX Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close TexGX]

Re: Cracked dashboard

I guess this problem is not only in the US. I had a small crack along the dash above the gage cluster. A service guy I trust said he would recomend not getting the dash replaced because of the potential for rattles. I had the dealer fix the crack and you could not tell where it was unless I showed you. I recomend trying this before replacing dash.

TexGX

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

Re: Cracked dashboard

Hi All
Add my 03 to the list of having a cracked dash. Mine is cracked on the far return on the passenger side from the vent to the front (approx 50mm) it's hard to spot and I only found it two weeks ago. I hope this is the worst it gets ,but I won't hold my breath based on previuos posts.My prado is garaged at home and undercover a work.

[Fredster Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Fredster]

Re: Cracked dashboard

I had my dash replaced after writing to Toyota and kicking up a stink (see previous thread) an have had no issues with rattling.

Given all the drama Toyota is having right now with recalls, I suggest everyone gets into them while thy are vulnerable. Fit for purpose is certainly a valid argument after such a short period of time and Trade Pratices is quite specific in it's definitions. Toyota aren't shy in their advertising when it comes to promoting their off road capability, are they now saying just don't do it anywhere where it might be hot????

A Today Tonight or 60 minutes expose' might be in order if Toyota can't get their s**t on. It would certainly get their attention with the new Nissan hitting the floors soon. :mrgreen:

[vincentstokes Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close vincentstokes]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Thats the best idea i have heard so far Fredster! ]- I spoke to the Toyota Dealership that sold me my vehicle (Grand Toyota, Wangara, Perth) and they said they have never in all the years of servicing/repairing Prado's ever heard of a dashboard splitting - what a load of bull**it.. I personally know people who have approached them prior to me with the same problem. and they had both been told the same thing!. They quoted me $2100 + Fitting to replace the crash pad only!!, so not only do Toyota Australia / Toyota Dealerships deny that there is a problem they intend on profiteering as much as possible from it. Your right that people should be made aware of the cheap manufacture of a vehicle that cost $60,000++!

[Fredster Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Fredster]

Re: Cracked dashboard

[b]They quoted me[b] $2100 + Fitting to replace the crash pad only!!

You just jogged the old grey matter, I forgot to mention, the initial offer from Toyota when I approached them was about the same price, and they generously offered to pay for half!! Guess whee I told them to shove it?

[vincentstokes Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close vincentstokes]

Re: Cracked dashboard

A Today Tonight or 60 minutes expose' might be in order if Toyota can't get their s**t on. It would certainly get their attention with the new Nissan hitting the floors soon. :mrgreen:

I have taken your advice to heart and have visited the "Today Tonight" website and emailed them for a possible story, to see if they would be interested in pursuing this topic further, the volume of people that this affects and the value of the repairs warrants some explanation from Toyota in my opinion, If other members feel the same way please do the same, the more people that stand up the more chances of a positive outcome for us all.