Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

[timmay5.7 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close timmay5.7]

Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

Spoke to my Toyota dealer about this recall and was told that unless I receive a letter then I can assume that there is no problem with my particular vehicle. Service manager got very defensive when I mentioned some of the information gleaned from P.P. about this topic! Well I've received no letter as yet and judging from some of the feedback here with regard to driving lights, winches etc. maybe I'd be better off just leaving it, I've driven plenty of corrugation with no issues as yet.

Maybe email Toyota directly. I can check the letter it said to ring them if you were not sure.

[granite Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close granite]

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

Hi,
Well the dealer had their second go at aligning the bar on Friday - and I have to say have done a good job this time. Perhaps it depends on who you speak to, or perhaps they read this… but this time they were in agreement that there must be a gap of approximately 15mm to lights and body work and as a result they fitted the shims etc that they had previously said they couldn't, and made other adjustments.

On the first fitting they also fitted an incorrect bolt (too short - only long enough for about one thread pitch inside the nut) so on Saturday I checked all bolts and nuts with a torque wrench and everything was fine.

It's worth pushing back on the dealers when unhappy and great to have the wisdom and experiences of others here. Thanks.

Some more of my time on the weekend replacing the recovery plates and 'PradoPoint design' bash plate and it is as good as it always should have been…

BTW - The I used dealer booked it in in the first place without any letter from Toyota. Another dealer (closer to work) hadn't heard about the issue at the time and said I should wait for the letter. Perhaps if they have had a few letters arrive they will take you without one? (I'd also recommend going to a dealer that has done a few and who understands the issues with alignment!)

Thanks

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

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

For guys in brisbane, i had no issues with sci fleet Albion, fitted correctly first time, good consistant gap, no issues with radiator bash plate, aerial, spotlights or causing any other damage for that matter.

[SlamminSammy Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close SlamminSammy]

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

Hi, All, I'm locked into a David an Goliath battle at the moment after all the damage they did to my Prado after the Bullbar mount replacement. Just lost my cool with the service manager and told him I was going up to the Dealer principals office to boot him up the ass into he came down and booted him up the ass and fixed my car !!!!

I took the Prado to two panel beaters for quotes and an auto electrician, My first question to people who have had there bars changed over is Did they cut through your spotlight wiring and your foglight and indicator wiring and rejoin it or did they disconnect them somewhere???
The service manager has tried to tell me the spot lights and indicators assemblies have no connectors and it is standard proceedure to cut the wires and rejoin them and the toyota books instructs them to do that !!!
I find it hard to believe ther would not be conectors somewhere in the harness.

Also when they installed or removed the bar the mechanic used the rear black bumper pad as a fulcrum and the flare as a lever point and has damaged both parts!
The service manager tried to fob me off and said it was from the bullbar rubbing againt the flare while driving,When I told him that there was always a 15mm gap between the two parts he tried to tell me it was my fault for for 4 wheel driving, the car has never left the bitumen and the damage was not there before I took the car in. Any one with half a brain can tell just by looking at it that its not abrasion wear but dimpled marks from a screwdriver or lever.
The service manger accused me of lying and told me to take it to their panel beater to look at and if he said it wasn't abrasion they would pay for it, this is after I lost my cool and started shouting at him. Yep the panel beater agreed with me.
I will front them again tomorrow and see how this thing ends.

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

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

I took the Prado to two panel beaters for quotes and an auto electrician, My first question to people who have had there bars changed over is Did they cut through your spotlight wiring and your foglight and indicator wiring and rejoin it or did they disconnect them somewhere???
The service manager has tried to tell me the spot lights and indicators assemblies have no connectors and it is standard proceedure to cut the wires and rejoin them and the toyota books instructs them to do that !!!
I find it hard to believe ther would not be conectors somewhere in the harness.

I gave my stock fog lights to someone on the forum a short while back and they clearly have socket plugs on the back so they could disconnect those. As for Spotlights his generic comment seems a little odd as there are so many brands of spot/driving lights and each one is different but from ALL of the ones I've seen they have a plug that can be disconnected. Can not comment on the indicator loom but I would have thought it would have a socket.

In relation to the fog light I can comment that when I had an ARB bar hooked up that ARB did actually cut the existing loom and wiring in the loom for the ARB fog light kit but I havn't had a real close look to determine if there is a socket.

Good luck

[SlamminSammy Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close SlamminSammy]

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

UpDate,
Just took the Prado down the road to the Auto Sparky, He showed me where to disconnect the indicator lights, if you take the screw out and remove the lens cover you can disconnect the wires from the light , yep and the fog lights have a plug socket and yes my Spot lights did have connectors under the bullbar, seems its far easier to take your sidecutters and just hack through everything than to take the trouble to look for a connector.
I just rang Toyota customer relations line for conformation on The dealers so called policy to disconecting wiring.
The dealer just rang back all apologetic I can go and pick up my two new inner guards this afternoon and tommorrow I can take it back to the auto electricians and get the wiring fixed and then book it into the panel beaters for the paintwork.
It's wonderful how a bit of shouting and agro can change a persons perspective.
They tried to tell me the mechanic couldn't have possibly cut through the inner guards as they are not allowed to have knives in their tool kit ???? For the 6 years I worked as a Mechanic a knife was an essential tool!!!
Also tried to tell me that despite my vehicle having a 15 mm gap between the bullbar and the flare since new that the bull bar moves enough to rub againt the flare and take the paint off and damage the black rubber bumper.
Both panel beaters told me they had never seen it before unless the vehicle had been in an accident.
At least i am making headway now, Somtimes a good old fashion dummy spit is all that's needed

[BARRLIND Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close BARRLIND]

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

Hi All

Question how many bolts should there be on the inner side of the new mounts



There are five holes and only one bolt on this inner side mount the other side is the same. Is this correct for a non winch bar.

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

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

Still haven't got my letter, but the dealer informed me last week at service that there is a recall and I will need to bring it back to get fixed. Given thats the CD player is also U/S they will book it in when that comes in.

[timmay5.7 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close timmay5.7]

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

Got mine back.
Apart from what I think is less than the 15mm gap, it all seems good, recovery points back on, spotlights etc dont appear to be tampered.

[granite Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close granite]

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

Hi Barrlind,
With reference to the inner bolts - mine's the same and after looking at it closely I'd say it is correct with only one bolt on the inner side.

[Titfish Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Titfish]

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

Thanks to all those people who have posted on this topic and to Pradopoint for giving Prado owners a united voice.

I had my recall done yesterday and had it not been for this site I would have probably driven off into the distance none the wiser except for the big scratch that appeared on my rear bumper while they had it.

After getting the car home I firstly noticed the big scratch and hit the roof but upon closer inspection I noticed as well that there was zero clearance between the body and the bar. As my stepson works at the Toyota dealership and he took the car in he was less than happy too. To cut a long story short he has taken it back in this morning (the first day of his holidays) and head mechanic agrees that a s##t job was done and that the bar needs refitting. That will happen tomorrow and the scratch will have to wait until the New Year.

So, although they are willing to fix all the stuff ups my question is why the hell don't they do it right the first time? All up I will be without my car for the best part of three or four days which really ticks me off. Hopefully this will be the end of the matter.

My advice to others is to mention the fact that there has to be 15mm clearance before the job is started. It might save some heartache later. If only they read the instructions.

As for the bolt question asked earlier. Mine only has the one bolt on the inner side too. I'm thinking maybe to allow for some flexing.

Anyway, thanks to all. I'm an infrequent poster but pleased to be a part of a great site.

Merry Christmas
Ken

[BARRLIND Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close BARRLIND]

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

Thanks Granite
I thought that was the case. They had two goes at fitting the bar before the gaps and lineup was correct.
So they are improving as it took them 3 goes and I gave up in the end at the initial new car delivery.
Same old story different dealer same s##t.

[whiteman Member Find all posts View Profile Close whiteman]

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

Had mine done this week at Mike Carney in Townsville. Perfect job and car returned 2 hours early.

[Titfish Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Titfish]

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

The saga continues. I have just booked mine in for its third attempt. This is after the service people rang after the second to say it was all good and that the clearances had been checked. Upon picking it up I said I'll check it with a rule when I get home and if its not right then I'll be back.

I get home and its 7mm on the drivers side guard and 3 mm on the pasengers with 15 under the lights. I ring them up and the guy on the service desk suggests that there isn't much more he can do which sent me into orbit. My comment had something to do with I don't want him to do anything just get Toyota to do the job properly. He then suggested that I return with my tape measure. Needless to say I walked in armed with steel rule some 15 minutes later. Out comes old mate mechanic and agrees that there is zero clearance on passenger and 7 on driver. I then asked one question. "Who checks the work before it goes out?" He could not answer that. He then suggests that I should be happy if they can get both sides to 7mm gap to which I replied since when has 7 been the same as 15 = or - 2. He thought I was being unreasonable. Why should I not expect it to be the same as when it went in? He then said it was a shame that he didn't see what it was like before this was started and bugger me if I didn't have photos sitting on the back seat with before and after shots. When I showed him these he seemingly became upset saying that I had obviously been warned about it. I said, "Yep, the internet is a wonderful thing isn't it." He then cursed Prdopoint. Ha bloody ha.

The bit of info he did give though was that the bars are shockers and should never have been put on as the airbag models set up harmonics in the car etc.Maybe we should begin a class action for a refund and get ARB instead.

Also. He mentioned that it is a really hard job and they need to put shims in mine to get it right. My answer. I don't care if they have to line the bloody thing with house bricks as long it was done right the first time.


I think I might call toyota Australia.
Can anybody pm me the fitting specs for the bar plese? I feel I need to walk in with bigger bullets next time.
Sorry for the whinge.
Ken

[Titfish Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Titfish]

Re: Sovereign Bar Mount Recall?

I just spoke to Toyota Australia for 20 minutes and I may as well have sat out the front and had a chat with my letterbox. Can I access the specifications for bar fittment? No. All he an do is speak to the service manager and get him to call me. Don't bother thanks. I'll do my own dirty work and I definitely don't need his help to stick my head into a hornets nest.

PS The bars were apparently made by Bocar but he would not say that they were unsatisfactory from the beginning. When I suggested the ARB would have been a better option he stated that they have had to replace a lot of their mounts too. I bet ARB owners haven't been stuffed around as I have.

His other jem was that I'm the first person to have lodged a complaint about the recall process. Bull bloody S##t. If so then get on the blower any other dissatisfied customers and let them know of your experiences.