Cracked dashboard

[wannawodka2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wannawodka2]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Add me to the list as well - crack has appeared the full length of the lip above the instument panel. Sept 2003 Grande.

How many of us does that make now? First the leather steering wheel started to deteriorate badly about a year out of warranty and now this. Not good enough Mr Toyota!

[Russ WA Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Russ WA]

Re: Cracked dashboard

I forgot about the streering wheel .I also had my steering wheel replaced about 40000 km.But that is another topic.
How many people do you need for a class action and can you do them in the small claims court?
Cheers Russ

[Fredster Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Fredster]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Yep, my steering wheel was also replaced, under warranty luckily. :shock: while we're covering everything off here, I also had problems with the baffles in the fuel tank, there was a noise bugging the crap out of me every time I braked. That took quite a while to identify the source, but at least the dealer was pretty good about that one.

A little off subject, but also in regard to interiors, don't wear Bushman Mozzie repellent and rest your leg against any part of the centre console, strips the paint right off and starts to melt the plastic. I actually had to peel the paint and plastic off my leg. God knows what it does to your inners!!!

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

Re: Cracked dashboard

Just a question for all those with cracked dash's .

Has anyone got a cracked dash and NEVER in the life of the car put any polish/shiny stuff/cleaning product on it ?

Mine has sat in the sun for 6 years at home and at work and i have no cracks .... but also i have never put any product on the dash to clean or make it look shiny , its wiped with a dry cloth to remove red dust or if its dried in mud it might have got a damp cloth to rub the dirt off .

Just a query ? Mine might be ready to crack at any day :?

[Fredster Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Fredster]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Has anyone got a cracked dash and NEVER in the life of the car put any polish/shiny stuff/cleaning product on it ?

Hey alternative, mine has seen nothing other than warm water and sunlight soap (Toyota recommend a mild soap in the handbook) and had a crack 30cm long after about 6 years.

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

Re: Cracked dashboard

I do'nt think it matters if you use products on it or not. I used armorall on my 03 model every time I washed it ( weekly ) and it never showed any signs of cracking in 6 years. I think it has something to do with the dashboard compound it's self. My current 09 Prado is about to have it's dashboard replaced under warrenty because it's "lifting" all over the place. I think Toyota is shooting themselves in the foot. All the issues I'm having my my new ( 3 months old ) 09 GXL ( trailshaft, low range gear selection, auto transmission, dashboard lifting, engine shut-down at speed ) are issues that have been about for years. These issues should have been resolved and should have never happened again.

I purchased another Prado because of the faultless run I had with the 03 model. I seriously doubt that I will ever buy another Toyota.

Regards,
Barry.

[Bevo74 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Bevo74]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Add me to the list. 04 Grande, always garaged. Was cleaning car yesterday and noticed crack running along and under lip directly above instrument panel about 10cm long and also another developed near right dash vent. Very frustrating and disappointing particularly given the pride in which I like to present my cars.

[wannawodka2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wannawodka2]

Re: Cracked dashboard

I've only ever used a damp cloth to wipe down the dashboard and the car is always garaged or has a sun shade up when out (with windows down an inch). Car has had a dash mat since new as well.

I spoke with Toyota's 'Customer Experience' people this morning who have directed me to my local Toyota dealership for an inspection. I expect all this will constitute nothing more than the anticipated hoops through which one jumps before being knocked back (or maybe the old 'we'll go you halves' offer). However, happy to do this so I get down to business getting a satisfactory solution via other means as quickly as possible.

Will update once I get responses etc back.

[cardinal28 Member Find all posts View Profile Close cardinal28]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Hi All
Add me to the list - 03 Prado. Cracking above gauges and around airbag. Here is my experience with Toyota.
Last week I went to my local dealer (Bill Robertson Toyota) (Gladstone QLD) and they told me that with the split around the 'airbag' that the vehicle was 'unroadworhy'. So I rang 'Customer Assist' and told them and they told me that is was also 'very dangerous' and to take it back to my local dealer immediately for an inspection. They took photos and filed a claim for warranty. Meantime I had them fit a new dash as the vehicle was deemed 'unroadworthty' and therefore would void my insurance if anything occured. To be fair to my local dealer they charged me less thas full retail for the dash top and fitted it at a fleet cost. Still nearly 2 grands worth. Surprise surprise the warrenty claim was knocked back. I then rang head office and spoke to a lady named Denise and explained to her what was going on and what has been said on this forum. She said that poeple would rather 'put things on forums rather than ring Toyota and register a problem'. She then said she would ring the dealer and have a talk to them. About 20 minuites later the dealer rang me saying that she will ring the warrenty dept with a strong recommendation to reimberse the cost of the parts (dash top). This morning my dealer rand to say that the claim was knocked back again, so I rang Denise again and she said she had spoken to Darren Hamilton (2nd in charge of warranty) and it was rejected because of certain circumstances that influenced there decision. They would not tell me what they were. She also said 'that they believed it was not a manufacturing fault as there had not been enough complaints about the problem'. I was also told as that the warranty claim had been knocked back a second time that there was nothing else I could do. VERY FRUSTRATING. My suggestion to everybody out there with this problem is to ring Denise at 'customer assist' and bombard her with complaints about this problem and we might be able to get some satisfaction!!!
Sorry about the long rant.

Graeme K

[wannawodka2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wannawodka2]

Re: Cracked dashboard

From what I can see, the tally so far:

1) Rumble11 - 04 GXL
2) Lukey2830 - 04 GXL
3) Fergs - 04 GXL
4) Plister - 04 GXL
5) Rosen - 03 GXL
6) Rossgo - 03 GXL
7) Kelor - 03 GXL
8 ) Kciv - 03 GXL
9) Indy - 03 GXL
10) Kevinbloomfield - 03 GXL
11) neuro - 03 GXL
12) Grinch - 03 GXL
13) Chippy - 03 GXL
14) Russ - 03 GXL
15) GKHarding - 03 GXL
16) Geoffo - 04 GXL
17) Silverbarra - 03 GXL
18) Lowndsey - 04 GXL
19) daznmeg - 03 GXL
20) Spag - 03 GXL
22) Galvo - 03 GXL
23) Paul16 - Model TBC
24) Pauly - 06 GXL
25) pearlie - 04 VX (replaced under extended warranty)
26) Fredster - 03 GXL (replaced by Toyota after contacting TMCA)
27) Palko - 05 VX (still under warranty)
28) vincentstokes - 03 GXL
29) WATTSY - 03 GXL
30) wannawodka - 03 Grande
31) Bevo74 - 04 Grande
32) cardinal28 - 03 GXL

[wannawodka2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wannawodka2]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Just a quick update. I spoke with Toyota head Office today and spoke with the Customer Experience team. I registered my cracked dash issue with them and provided some indication of the numbers that were mounting with the same issue.

The CE team appear to be cognisant of the excalating number of craked dashboard problems are are aware of this forum. The advice I have received was that this problem is being looked at now and a collective decision around if/how this will be addressed is being worked through. The CE team suggested a response to the matter will be provided in due course.

I have provided my name and contact details to the CE team with an offer to help coordinate or clarify anything regarding our concerns if they feel this would help work through the issues more easily.

For now, I am booked into my local dealership for their inspection tomorrow morning (I arranged this last week) and will await a reply from the CE team, whether it comes to me or via a more general advice to this forum or otherwise.

I have no assumptions as to what any response might contain or the outcome will be. Hopefully a small step forward though.

Until we know more, I would still encourage everyone to at least contact your local dealership and have you vehicle inspected (if not already) and contact the Customer Experience team and simply register your cracked dash issue.

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

Re: Cracked dashboard

You forgot to add me. Cheers Steve

[wannawodka2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wannawodka2]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Sorry Steve... slotted you in where you should have been in order of posts (at least the ones I accounted for).

Up to 33 already!

1) Rumble11 - 04 GXL
2) Lukey2830 - 04 GXL
3) Fergs - 04 GXL
4) Plister - 04 GXL
5) Rosen - 03 GXL
6) Rossgo - 03 GXL
7) Kelor - 03 GXL
8 ) Kciv - 03 GXL
9) Indy - 03 GXL
10) Kevinbloomfield - 03 GXL
11) neuro - 03 GXL
12) Grinch - 03 GXL
13) Chippy - 03 GXL
14) Russ - 03 GXL
15) GKHarding - 03 GXL
16) Geoffo - 04 GXL
17) Silverbarra - 03 GXL
18) Lowndsey - 04 GXL
19) daznmeg - 03 GXL
20) Spag - 03 GXL
22) Galvo - 03 GXL
23) Paul16 - Model TBC
24) Pauly - 06 GXL
25) pearlie - 04 VX (replaced under extended warranty)
26) Fredster - 03 GXL (replaced by Toyota after contacting TMCA)
27) Palko - 05 VX (still under warranty)
28) Awesome - 04 GXL
29) vincentstokes - 03 GXL
30) WATTSY - 03 GXL
31) wannawodka - 03 Grande
32) Bevo74 - 04 Grande
33) cardinal28 - 03 GXL

[kythan06 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close kythan06]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Add me to the list, 03 Grande. bad crack across the top of the speedo and several cracks over the air bag section. Bought mine second hand but it has apparently had the dashmat on since new.

[kythan06 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close kythan06]

Re: Cracked dashboard

Sorry just did some research.

I rememberd a story i saw months ago on Today Tonight

http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/article/5741637

"They can tell you that you've only got a 12 month warranty, but the Law says that for an item like a television it's got to be of reasonable quality and I certainly wouldn't consider a television to be of reasonable quality if it broke down within 13 months."

"If the sales staff say to you look I'm sorry, you're outside your warranty period, an awful lot of people turn around and walk away."

"Under the Trade Practices Act they can say what you sell me has to be of a reasonable quality, now that's in place whether or not the supplier gives you anything on paper or any normal suppliers warranty."

The solution? Exercise your rights, go to the ACCC website and download the Warranties and Refunds guide, then write to the owners of the store you shopped at.

"The Trade Practices Act 1974 (the Act) protects consumers when they buy goods and services. It does so by saying that there are legal rights and obligations in every contract between a buyer and a seller. For example, the law requires that goods must be free of defects, and do what they are meant to do. Services must be carried out with care and skill. Consumers’ rights, which the Act says automatically
form part of every contract between buyer and seller, are called statutory rights. If a seller of goods or services does not meet any
one of the obligations, it is a breach of their contract with the consumer. When this happens, consumers are entitled to a remedy from the seller. The type of remedy depends on the circumstances but may include repair or replacement of goods, compensation for loss or damage, a refund or having an unsatisfactory service performed again. Statutory rights have no set time limit – depending on the price and quality of goods, consumers may be entitled to a remedy after any manufacturers’ or extended warranty has expired."