URGENT: warped dash problem on '04 ('05?)

Well, I recently noticed I have the problem too now, and thanks to Evan over at PriusOnline, was referred to this thread. I haven't used the upper glovebox for months, but wanted to see if I left some CD jewel cases in there when I pulled out my CDs out of the changer. Sure enough, the lid opens about 1/2 way, then doesn't have enough lift to continue. I can help it along, then it binds. The spring issue make a whole lot of sense for these symptoms. I now have 65K on the car, which was purchased new in August 2004. I have the new display, since it toggles screens with the Info button, so mine escaped a lot of the problems that came up in 2004.

Galaxee, I have two questions:
What TSB needed the glovebox to be removed, or were you referring to the steering recall when talking about 'the TSB'?
Will I have a problem getting Fidelity to cover this? (for the rest of you, SE distributors don't use Toyota for extended warranty).

I am not going to spend a whole lot of money to get this fixed, but if I can get this fixed for free, I'll certainly take advantage of it.
The only work I've had done on this car besides maintenance was the exhaust CEL problem, whihch only requires more driving and clearing the code, the 50P and the steering recall.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DanMan32 @ Sep 12 2006, 09:01 AM) [snapback]318259[/snapback]</div>

Dan,

The Toyota Ext Warr doesn't cover it, so I doubt the Fidelity will, as 3rd party are generally more restrictive than factory EWs.

FYI, if you buy another Prius, just get the Toyota EW through Troy at Greenfield. While the SE doesn't sell the Toyota EW, they accept it for work. When I told my dealer in the SE Region what I could get a factory EW for, they didn't even attempt to sell me their EW.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DanMan32 @ Sep 12 2006, 10:01 AM) [snapback]318259[/snapback]</div>

Hi Dan

the tsb we referred to was the fuel filler issue, they remove the upper dash to replace something up in the info cluster and if it's reinstalled incorrectly it can mess things up. iirc this is what happened to priusinterested.

i'll ask DH tonight about the southeast warranty (though we may not actually be on the boards much tonight). i have a feeling that if the national warranty is denying claims that fidelity will do the same.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(talonts @ Sep 12 2006, 10:43 AM) [snapback]318283[/snapback]</div>

Yeah, I know that now, but up to a month or so after buying the car, I didn't know all this.

Just pulled the lid assembly. Sure enough the spring catch did break, so the spring let go on the left side. Also found the part of the hinge holding the friction pin is also cracked. Right side spring catch is holding but obviously deformed, and could break later. i figured I'd have to fix this myself.

I'll have my dad look at it when he gets back in town in a few weeks. He's pretty resourceful in fixing such things.

 

yep, definitely a negative on the southeast warranty covering any of that.

let us know how the at-home fix goes!

 

OK, you've all got me looking at the glove box/dash every day waiting for it to blow up. Does anyone have the procedure to take the upper glove box out so I can epoxy the springs before I need to post my complaint?

Wayne

 

instructions are in post 3

 

I may have some good news coming in on the warped dash situation. Not sure but there has been a response by Toyota Corp. Will keep all posted.

 

Wonderful news! My dash is fixed and my upper glove compartment is fixed. Thanx to PriusChat! I communicated with the TMS rep that was on this thread or other threads on this site. The Toyota TMS guy told me to take in my car to my local Toyota Service Dept and see what they say. I was refused. Shortly after reporting what happened I got a call from Toyota directly. Took my car in on an appointment and had the Corp. Rep for the area look at the problems and spoke with the service mgr at the local Dealer.

They offered to replace my dash if I paid for 2 hrs labor and if I wanted to I could pay for the upper glove compartment at $153 and they'd install that at the same time for the same 2 hr. time allotment. I then called Toyota Corp and told them the verdict. Toyota Corp said if I paid the bill that they'd reimburse me for the upper glove compartment pats. In the end, all is fixed like new for 2 hrs labor (approx $200 out of pocket). This took a lot of patience on my part. It wouldn't have happened without the wonder of the internet and PriusChat.

 

That's good to hear that you are satisfied with how your case was resolved.

It is still hard to swallow having to pay $200.00 out of your pocket to redress a problem that CLEARLY is a manufacturing defect in design and materials. The fact that the 2006 part revision shows some attempt at reinforcing the spring seat in the upper glove box door indicates that the right department at Toyota was aware of the problem.

Toyota.com talks a lot about creating and maintaining a good "customer experience." When you think about it, the dashboard directly faces the customer for the entire time that they are in the vehicle, every time they are in the the vehicle. Talk about creating a customer experience... this is not the kind of problem prone design that Toyota should overlook, regardless of miles.

There probably isn't much of a risk regarding the passenger air bag, but with a warped dash and inoperative glove box staring a customer in the face everyday, the risk for Toyota occurs when the customer reaches into that broken/epoxied glovebox for the registration paperwork at tradein time... an act which might occur on the Honda Hybrid dealer's lot instead of Toyota, if the customer's legitimate and apparently quite common concerns are ignored.

 

Very Well Put CBS4, Very well put,

I sold out on my post to this thread because I was able to pay labor cost. Can't remember now but I think it was more like $120. Anyway, it took a lot of patience and steadfastness and a sort of a "Deep Throat" connection that occurred with Toyota Corp. via the power of PriusChat and my persistent postings. Acknowledgement goes to Toyota for fixing the problem. Too bad It took a squeaky wheel to be so loud (The Air Bag Concern) for them to contact me. As far as the Air Bag concern, what would or could be a more important concern than that. AND, unless they have crash tested many Prius's with the same dash board default there is no scientific proof that the integrity of the Air Bag Deployment wasn't a concern. Loose springs and sharp screws in the general area. It was all I had to stand on. You see before the air bag concern it was simply that my car was out of warranty and the extended 100,000 mile warranty purchased from Toyota didn't cover "interior trim problems" which is how the problem is addressed. Oh by the way, it is amazing to realize how far the dash was warped until you see it again the way it is supposed to be.

What Toyota should be looking at is your logic in your post CBS4. Very well put. I now can open my upper glove box when others are in my car with me, and not be embarrassed.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cbs4 @ Dec 14 2006, 10:51 AM) [snapback]362237[/snapback]</div>

 

<div align="left">I'd like to thank ghostofjk for his investigative work - I noticed the dash warping a couple of weeks ago and it was identical to what is described in this thread.

I took it to a dealer (Magnussen's in Palo Alto) and two service guys said that they had never seen anything like it. They queried if I had been in an accident. They brought the Prius tech out and he said in a rather nonchalant manner, 'one fo the springs is probably broken'. Even though I don't have an extended warranty, I asked if it would help (I'm at 81k miles). "Nah. They wouldn't cover this," was the reply.

I took the upper glove box apart (quite easily) and fortunately I had enought plastic left so that when I shoved the spring edge in what remained of the hole, it stayed there. Put some epoxy on, let it sit overnight, and voila! The job seems to be done. Residual warp remains, but at least the source is gone. The glove box still doesn't spring open all of the way as it should, but I've really only opened it 10 times in 3 years anyway.

I echo the sentiment that it is a design flaw, as it seems as though the plastic is very flimsy. I doubt that the fuel filler replacement is the cause, but perhaps taking the glove box out more than once weakens the plastic beyond its limits. You've got a high source of tension (spring) contained by a flimsy piece of plastic. Combined with miles of vibrations and rattling - I'm guessing we'll see many more of these breaks as others' cars approach 2-3 years...</div>

 

Well, I'm another victim of the warped dashboard. Mine is also a broken spring problem. We have the 04 and just crossed 36K. Dealer quoted us two hours at 100 bucks an hour just to investigate, no repairs! Not covered by extended warranty, of course. So, I looked for alternative ways to repair. Thanks to Prius chat and Post #3, I removed the top glove box, carefully, by prying loose the two screw covers. Then, removed two phillips screws. Carefullly pried the box loose. Just pull it slightly forward as you will then need to pinch a small white clip that attaches a batch of yellow cabling. After detaching the white clip, you should be able to lift the glove box away freely.

I then covered the plastic on the dash with a towel and applied pressure with a clamp to correct the warping from the spring clip that had been pushing against it.

Upon investigation of the springs on the back of the glove box, yes, both had broken free from their cheap plastic holders. I carefully forced them both back into place and then coated them with an epoxy I purchased at Orchard Hardware for five bucks. Make sure to get the epoxy that bonds to plastic. I carefully applied the epoxy to the opened glove box, to take the pressure of the springs. Then, I let set for twenty four hours. Then, simply reattach the white clip, push glove box back into place, put the two screws back in, careful not to apply to much pressure or you will strip the screws. Then cover the screws with the tabs provided and viola: NO MORE WARPING DASH AND NO MORE BROKEN SPRINGS!

I've only had mine back in for about two hours, so I'm leaving it up until I'm confident it will hold. Still worried about long term pressure of the springs against the epoxy, since the greatest pressure is applied while closed, and you can't drive around with the thing open all the time, can you.

Keep you all updated on if this quick fix works. This only cost me $5 and two hours of my life, as opposed to $300 without a real solution from the Toyota dealer. By the way, the dealer won't be getting anymore of my money, since they have been shabby so far, and I have drawn the line with the lastest line of BS and I will subsequently seek another dealer for future assistance. The dealer is Florin Road Toyota of Sacramento. Stay away, they are disorganized and inconsistent. Quoting me $300 and acting like they thought I was from another planet when I showed them this problem indicates they are not really interested in helping me fix this, or any other problems with my Prius.

Sorry, no pix, but there are excellent photos in other postings for this problem that helped me cure my warped dashboard blues.

 

well well, how 'bout that. our springs just went kaput on our '05 at 34k miles/2 years 4 months in the southeastern climate. one day the glovebox opened, the next morning it just wouldn't open all the way. and now the dash does have that warp thing going on.

fortunately we're just under 36k after all that driving and will be able to get it replaced under warranty.

 

[duplicate post deleted]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LoveourMPG @ Apr 13 2007, 03:29 PM) [snapback]422999[/snapback]</div>

Way to go Gallaxee, Sounds like you lucked out with the warranty! You know . . . these car mfgr's are smart. the extra I paid for the 100K / 10 yr warranty is going to just about break even with the assistance in labor and parts. GOOD LUCK ALL YOU GREAT PRIUS OWNERS.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LoveourMPG @ Apr 13 2007, 03:29 PM) [snapback]422999[/snapback]</div>

 

well that was easy. DH opened the repair order while he had a free moment at work, collected the part and got it all ready to go. i went in and brought him lunch, and he replaced the upper glove box door before i left.

just the spring on the right side was broken, the left side was still okay. warp in the dash is gone now. that was a close call, another week and we would have been out of the 3/36 warranty.

 

Thanks everyone, my Aussie car has the same symptoms in mirror image.
I'll pull tha glove box out tomorrow and cable tie the spring down after drilling 2 holes in the back of the glove box. I don't trust epoxy on plastic. I'll tie both springs down.

 

I have the glove box problem also. My 2005 Prius has almost 28,000 miles on it. Is the repair covered by my warrantry?

Thanks in advance,

Michael

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mlott @ Aug 23 2007, 10:16 PM) [snapback]501370[/snapback]</div>

It's covered under the initial 3yr/36K mile warranty, so I'd recommend you get it in NOW, so they can order the part, especially if you bought your 05 in late 04.