120 Prado/ risk of water ingestion with factory B/Bar @ ExplorOz

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120 Prado/ risk of water ingestion with factory B/Bar

Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 01, 2004 at 15:54

Bazza

G'Day all,
Further to recent posts on this subject .......... Seeing that my Prado is due for it's 20thou service I thought I'd take the opportunaty to mention the article on this, posted on the Lcool web site. The responce was interesting. The gentleman on the Toyota Customer Service line, after reading the article, responded by stating that the dealer must have installed the bar incorrectly and trimed too much inner guard away ..... and the dealer's Service Manager stated that "we follow Toyota's fitting instructions".
Hmmmm, one all so far!
To the dealer's credit, he did say that he would follow this up with Toyota and get back to me, as he found it a "bit of a worry". He also suggested that everyone with a 120 fitted with the sovereign bull bar should inundate the Customer Service line, asking for answers.
Regards,
Bazza.

AnswerID: 61207 Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 01, 2004 at 17:15

DrewT replied:

excellent idea. i couldn't get through to toyota by phone but posted an email via their webpage at: http://www.partsservice.toyota.com.au/portal/contactus/form. i would be interested to hear from anyone that gets a response from toyota, or knows of a fix

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AnswerID: 61228 Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 01, 2004 at 18:18

Member - StevenL replied:

Yeah I would also be interested in how this turns out and will take it up with my dealer at next service. The guard liner does not seem trimmed at all on mine but there is a big area where water can get in.

DrewT, sorry I did not get back to you last week, I was on a business trip to Darwin.

Steven

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Playdoe GXL TD Manual with lots of MUD

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Reply 2 of 4

AnswerID: 61339 Submitted: Wednesday, Jun 02, 2004 at 13:32

Joe replied:

HI Guys,
Jusr a bit of feed back. Just back from 3 days away and cleaning off all mud to find the drivers side inner guard front section loose. The plastic plug holding the inner side has popped out, leaving the front section of inner guard flapping.
I feel it has done so due to pressure on it from going a little to fast through deep muddy water.
I of course have the factory bull bar, but fitted a snorkel from the start.
I have also had the inner guard drop on the passenger side, due to plastic ties used by the dealer breaking.

The way the dealers have carried out this intallation would leave you at risk even with puddles on the black top.
I feel that if you have a factory bull bar you now need a snorkel to guarentee your engine protection due to the inner guard no longer being secured at the front as it was with the original setup.
Regards
Joe

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FollowupID: 322827 Submitted: Wednesday, Jun 02, 2004 at 14:32

Bazza posted:

G'Day Joe,
I agree with you 100% regarding the need for a snorkle with this set-up. Unless Toyota or it's dealers are willing to come up with a different fix to solve this problem, a snorkle will be the only option, even though I was'nt planing on fitting one.
One interesting comment the gentleman of the Toyota Customer Service line made when I asked what their position would be if I turned up with a drowned motor, after making them aware of my concerns ... he said
"we will argue that it most probably happened because you exceeded the stated wading depth and speed".
In my view, if they car'nt / wont come up with a fix, they should subsidise the cost of a snorkle to all customers with this issue.
Regards,
Bazza.

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AnswerID: 62201 Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 08, 2004 at 10:51

DrewT replied:

got a particularly useless response from my email to Toyota:

"Thank you for your Internet enquiry, received through the Toyota website. We
have received your e-mail and you should contact your nearest Toyota
dealership. If you have any more queries please do not hesitate to contact this website again.
Thanking you
Toyota Enquiries - Internet"

yep .. if i have any more enquiries requiring a useless answer i'll be sure to call!!!

I have now sent a message to my local dealership

Please let me know if anyone gets a worthwhile response/follow-up to this issue (drew.thornton@txu.com.au)

Reply 4 of 4

FollowupID: 323565 Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 08, 2004 at 11:04

Bazza posted:

G'Day Drew T,
With reference to my oridginal post ....... my dealer's service manager has arranged for Toyota's tech. engineer to attend his shop and comment on this issue. He will then report back to Toyota with his findings. This may or may not come to anything ... but at lest it's a start. I think all us 120 owners will need to keep up the presure with Toyota to have any hope of a resolution.
Regards,
Bazza.

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