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18 months ago, I bought a MY18 Prado which had been fitted with a 'Tuff' brand, 5 post bullbar. The design of the bar appealed to me given the regularity with which I travel in remote areas.
Not long after I purchased the vehicle, whilst towing a car on a trailer, the 'radar cruise control' and 'clean radar sensor' fault messages came up. The sensor was already so I returned the vehicle to Toyota to have the error diagnosed. The mechanic explained that he had 'recalibrated' the sensor and that I wouldn't have any further problems. He reckoned that the added weight caused by the trailer had caused the radar sensor to give a false reading, hence the problem.
All went well until several months later when towing a camper trailer, the same thing happened again. I took it back to Toyota and they recalibrated the system again.
The third time it happened, I'd had enough. I wasn't towing anything, nor did I have a heavy load in the vehicle. The lane departure, crash avoidance and radar cruise warnings started chiming and flashing continually. I went back to Toyota and told them that as they had sold the vehicle with the bullbar attached, then they would have to come up with a solution. The local dealership rang their technicians in Melbourne whose advice was to remove the bullbar and replace it with a genuine Toyota one....
I called Tuff bullbars who were very helpful and said that they no longer recommended their 5 post design for Prados as the centre post impeded the radar sensor (behind the Toyota emblem on the grille). They explained that relocating the sensor to beneath the main bullbar channel had not been as successful as they had hoped.
The sensor on my car has been fitted behind aluminium mesh under the bullbar.
I am very happy with the car and the bullbar and want to solve the problems I am experiencing.
Before I go cutting mesh and extending wiring looms, I'd be very interested to hear if anyone else has experienced this and how they came up with a solution...
I have added pictures of my Prado which shows where sensor is currently and a photo of a Kluger which has had the sensor relocated which may potentially be a solution.
Not long after I purchased the vehicle, whilst towing a car on a trailer, the 'radar cruise control' and 'clean radar sensor' fault messages came up. The sensor was already so I returned the vehicle to Toyota to have the error diagnosed. The mechanic explained that he had 'recalibrated' the sensor and that I wouldn't have any further problems. He reckoned that the added weight caused by the trailer had caused the radar sensor to give a false reading, hence the problem.
All went well until several months later when towing a camper trailer, the same thing happened again. I took it back to Toyota and they recalibrated the system again.
The third time it happened, I'd had enough. I wasn't towing anything, nor did I have a heavy load in the vehicle. The lane departure, crash avoidance and radar cruise warnings started chiming and flashing continually. I went back to Toyota and told them that as they had sold the vehicle with the bullbar attached, then they would have to come up with a solution. The local dealership rang their technicians in Melbourne whose advice was to remove the bullbar and replace it with a genuine Toyota one....
I called Tuff bullbars who were very helpful and said that they no longer recommended their 5 post design for Prados as the centre post impeded the radar sensor (behind the Toyota emblem on the grille). They explained that relocating the sensor to beneath the main bullbar channel had not been as successful as they had hoped.
The sensor on my car has been fitted behind aluminium mesh under the bullbar.
I am very happy with the car and the bullbar and want to solve the problems I am experiencing.
Before I go cutting mesh and extending wiring looms, I'd be very interested to hear if anyone else has experienced this and how they came up with a solution...
I have added pictures of my Prado which shows where sensor is currently and a photo of a Kluger which has had the sensor relocated which may potentially be a solution.