New to Prado- Snorkel

[navtejpaul Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close navtejpaul]

Hey all.. Finally after been driving Pajero from last 8 year and had 3 different Pajeros finally decided to move to Prado this year. Picked my 2019 GXL Prado last week and got ARB Bullbar fitted... It just 2 weeks of city driving so can't tell much in different rather then extremely expensive and no options as compare to VRX in Pajero.. I think which stand out is how crap music system is in Prado.. No Apple Play.. what on world Toyota lives in.. My wife bought new Honda Civis last year and she got MORE features in terms of driver assistance then this 3 time more expensive car.

On plus side I like how smooth it drives and also getting use to all time 4wd as well. I would need your advice on going with Safari or TJM Snorkel..??? I always had Safari on my Pajero but I like that curve design of TJM... any ups and down with both if anyone can share would be great..

Thank you All..

Regards
Paul

[RedAdventureWagon Member Find all posts View Profile Close RedAdventureWagon]

I don't know much about snorkels but I did read somewhere that Toyota don't allow Apple Carplay or Android Auto for privacy reasons - both want a stream of OBD2 data at apples/googles request and Toyota don't want to allow this. Don't know if that's true or not but I read it here https://www.motor1.com/news/239477/t...vacy-concerns/

However looks like they don't really care for this any more since some newer models are coming out with it. https://www.motoring.com.au/toyota-f...d-auto-118371/

If yours is a 2019 maybe they will update it for you when this is released for the Prado but don't hold your breath.

[canyonero Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close canyonero]

Hello!
I picked up my GDJ150R back in December last year. Ive done multiple trips on and off road completely stock. I think the car is fantastic, it suits my purpose down to a tee. Ive done a little off road driving in the past in anything from Suzuki Jimi, Patrol GU, FJ45 and Mitsubishi Sigma I plan to build up slowly with the vehicle.
Will definitely be going the Smart Bar to keep weight down for longer trips and looking at the snorkel myself.

Interested to know what you have looked out beyond the snorkel for waterproofing? stacks on the 120s but not much on the newer model. Your manual should say your drivable water depth is 700mm give or take depending on the terrain. (thats just below the standard tyre hight) i personally will not be pushing that line but want to spec the car to achieve up to 1m. Other considerations around seals need to be made also and with all the electrics in these vehicles i think it could be time well spent.

Are you looking to achieve similar and what have you found so far?

[Beggsta Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Beggsta]

For owners of 2018/19 GXL, VX and Kakadu models that have the auto levelling LED headlights you are wasting your time fitting a snorkel for the purposes of water crossings. My headlights in a 2 month old model that sit at or below the normal air intake failed the first time they got wet, with a replacement cost of $5,000. After 3 weeks of trying Toyota have made is absolutely clear that they will reject warranty claims where the water depth exceeds 700 mm, well below the height you would need to fit a snorkel.

They keep telling me the Toyota supplied snorkel is only meant to improve airflow and reduce dust intake. So basically unless you go for a GX, the newer models are not fit for tackling anything adventurous.

[canyonero Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close canyonero]

That sucks

Beggsta

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Beggsta ! Did you find out how the water got in? Was it only the lights you had trouble with? Im wondering if there might be a way to protect the lighting better.

[Beggsta Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Beggsta]

All the dealer has done is plug in the scanner and come up with the error code. When I raised this Toyota basically said it is up to me to prove of the lights might have been defective.

If I end up paying for the repairs I am certainly going to keep the failed lights and ECU so I can have a look at options to improve water protection.

Also need to keep in mind that you cannot fit protectors to these lights, so a stray rock will cost you $1,700 to replace a broken light.

On top of the parts, I have been told that the only way to replace the lights is to remove the bull bar.

Would have to be the worst light design ever put on a 4WD.

[canyonero Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close canyonero]

Thats huge! you had to replace the ECU also? did you get water in the cabin ?

[Beggsta Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Beggsta]

Sorry, each headlight has it’s own ecu. They are another $600 each. No water in the cabin. Basically has water up to the bonnet for < 5 secs.

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

That’s a load of shit! Has to be a fault in your lights or something and they should be warranting it ! I brought this car to do trips where there may be water crossings but now if I get to a crossing I have to either think it’s going to cost me a few grand or turn back and go another way !

i have seen some videos of newer shaped prados doing water crossings etc and that’s why I say maybe was something wrong with yours from factory ? Unless somethings been knocked when they put on the bull
bar ??

[Beggsta Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Beggsta]

In my discussions with the dealers service people and Toyota it seemed that my case was not unusual. The dealer staff made it clear that toyota had rejected the previous warranty claim they had for lights that had come into contact with water.

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

That is pretty shit if that is the case. That would mean we would have to be really careful of how we wash the car after offloading too. I generally get underneath and flood every crevice underneath that could get dust/mud/sand in it. I wonder where the ECUs for the lights are located. Surely the design cant be that bad.

On another note Re. the Toyota Genuine snorkel, the installation manual has clear instructions about getting "a water tight seal" at the joints, you would think this would mean that the snorkel is intended to be watertight.

Also Beggsa, im just throwing ideas out there now, would your issue be claimable under your car insurance as water damage. I've never had to make a claim but have heard of people damaging and even writing off their cars off road and being covered by insurance as long as where they were 4wding wasn't in a illegal location.

[Beggsta Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Beggsta]

The dealer and Toyota were very keen on me knowing that others had made claims through insurance to replace the lights. That is certainly an option but I am holding off until I have exhausted my discussions with the dealer. My excess is not small either.

[Kaukapakapa Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Kaukapakapa]

Beggsta was the head lights on or off in the water

[navtejpaul Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close navtejpaul]

but that's very strange to hear that lights go off in water and they are covered under warranty. Got my first check up coming soon after 1000KM will ask dealership about it..