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Watch out for warping dash

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by priusinterested, Mar 23, 2006.

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  1. priusinterested

    priusinterested New Member

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    Just a bit of advise to others as I have seen others mention their dash warping a tad. My 2004 Prius experienced this problem and it eventually messes with being able to open the upper glovebox. Toyota will not cover repair even with extended warranty. Damages are $850 for dashtop and new glovebox. Take it in at the first sign before 36K miles!

    It seems Toyota regional when contacted by dealership saw no problem with a dash warping in just 2 years. This being my first Toyoya... 4 trips for recalls, faulty MFD, broken air compressor and condensor... Oh ya what a feeling.

    First Toyota and a strong possiblity my last.
     
    #1 priusinterested, Mar 23, 2006
  2. djasonw

    djasonw Active Member

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    First post and probably your last.
     
    #2 djasonw, Mar 23, 2006
  3. priusinterested

    priusinterested New Member

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    Settle down. First post yes. First poor experience no. Bottom line it was both a gripe and an advisement that it is not covered by extended warranty and it expensive I am not the first to have seen this problem as I searched the boards so this is not some troll here.

    I do not think it is reasonable to see this type of damage in two years. Do you?
     
    #3 priusinterested, Mar 23, 2006
  4. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    It's the first post I've seen about warping dashes needing replacement...care to point to some of the other posts on this topic? Clearly it's not reasonable that this occurs, but it's certainly not a "common" problem though quite unfortunate that it happened to you.

    The 4 recalls...so the hell what, really? Were any of them critical? Nope. Frankly I appreciate Toyota being on top of thing. You knew your '04 was new technology and if you're bright at all you'd have anticipated that there might be little issues that would arise over time. How many recalls have there been since the mid'05 MR? Zero.

    The problems you mention are not problems with "Toyota", they're problems with a new model car that happens to be one of the most technically conplex and advance vehicles on the market...IMO they've done an astoundingly good job of putting an excellent product on the road and addressing the minor issues that arrise with alactrity.

    If you want to be as safe as possible you should worry less about whether the car is a Toyota but rather the track record for the particular model. New model, more likely it will have recalls and minor issues to be fixed. Older proven model (ie Camry (Pre-'07)) less likely.

    You can and will, of course, do what your heart tells you, but you're in a distinct minority amongst Prius owners...it had the highest customer satisfaction rating among all cars for the last 2 years in Consumer Reports.

    Oh yea....Welcome to PriusChat :)
     
    #4 efusco, Mar 23, 2006
  5. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    please post a picture of the warpage so we know what to look for. Thanks in advance.
     
    #5 Frank Hudon, Mar 23, 2006
  6. priusinterested

    priusinterested New Member

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    #6 priusinterested, Mar 23, 2006
  7. priusinterested

    priusinterested New Member

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    Frank, Car is still in the shop.I will hold off on doing a dash replacement, and when the air is fixed I will post pictures. The right side above the upperglovebox is slightly raised and it caused the door of the glovebox to bind against th edge of the dash. This in turn will stress the plastic more over time. Thanks for the civility. I will post pics in a few days given they can replace both the compressor and condensor in that time.
     
    #7 priusinterested, Mar 23, 2006
  8. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Hard to read your post, but I assume you meant to address this paragraph to me?

    Also, I'm trying to decifer the last sentence. Are you saying that you've had to pay $5000 for repairs? Why? For what. You mentioned the $850 for the dash, but none of the other repairs/SSCs you mention should have cost you anything, esp. if you have the Extended warranty...which you imply that you do in the first post of the thread.

    If they charged you for the MFD replacement you should fight that...others have successfully done so out of warranty. Clearly that is an expensive part that shouldn't just quit working.

    Thanks for pointing out the thread where Rick mentioned his dash warpage, he also had issues with the fins on his brake-lights melting/warping due to exposure to the intense AZ sun...Toyota addressed that problem with the chrome colored brake light fins. Since they've also changed the dash texture/material perhaps they've addressed the warping of the dash issue as well. I wonder what Rick's ultimate outcome was of that situation?

    I think you should, definately, try to get Toyota to cover all or most of the cost of fixing your dash, it takes some bitching and moaning sometimes but in most cases reported here they ultimately give in to save the bad press and disappointed Prius owners. As I said above, I'm sorry you're soured on Toyota, but I don't think you're going to find a car company with 100% satisfied customers. My Fords have all had recalls (a minimum of 3 for each I've had). They've all had stuff break. IMO it's part of car ownership to expect this stuff to some degree. Everyone's expectations are different, and if yours were higher then you'll be disappointed, if they're reasonable then you're likely satisfied. I'm quite satisfied, Toyota's done everything I've asked and needed and I have a great car to show for it.
     
    #8 efusco, Mar 23, 2006
  9. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    priusinterested,
    Don't take your harsh welcome personally. PriusChatters tend to be a protective bunch, especially when someone new starts their PriusChat career with something the ultra <s>liber </s>. . . :huh: , um, protective amongst us equate to blasphemy.

    Besides pictures which would be helpful, please place your location in your Priuschat profile. Your location for this type of post can shed extra light on the subject. We don't know if you are from International Falls, MN or Yuma, AZ . . . and your ambient temperature can make a big difference in this case.

    Welcome. Thanks for the heads-up.
     
    #9 Sufferin' Prius Envy, Mar 23, 2006
  10. jbarnhart

    jbarnhart New Member

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    So his post was a little critical? Why are "we" Priuschatters being defensive?? I for one appreciate the "heads up" in the message. People who live in warm climates might think of getting the window shade from the PC store. (Like I did a couple of weeks ago.)
     
    #10 jbarnhart, Mar 23, 2006
  11. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    hm, that does suck about your warped dash. however, at least toyota's being up front and fixing things with those campaigns...

    and unlike with some other unnamed manufacturer, your car didn't burst into flames in your garage due to a faulty ignition wire that your manufacturer didn't care to tell you about but full well knew themselves... and you didn't have to take unnamed manufacturer to court multiple times to compensate for losing your car and house... and on and on.

    would you rather they knew of the issues and then refused to acknowledge or fix them? because other companies have gone that route. and you can buy a car from them REAL cheap nowadays.

    and... 4 recalls???? um, the gas filler and whatever you mean by the "taillight connectors" weren't recalls, unless you're referring to the brake light switch. ssc-50p was a recall. and the mfd failure (also not a recall) should have been covered by warranty or cost you under $400 (if anything at all) with the refurb exchange program. so where's this magic $5000 number coming from?
     
    #11 galaxee, Mar 23, 2006
  12. BT Tech

    BT Tech New Member

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    How much is the upper glove box raised? 1mm 5mm 25mm?? The reason I ask is because there are two bolts behind the glove box and when loose will allow you to raise or lower the upper part of the dash where you are describing.

    I have had the dash of my car out more times than I want to admit and what you are describing as "warping" is not easily accomplised with this dash design.

    My best guess is that one of the clips that holds the dash came out and is not fastened securely and has caused this issue you are describing.


    Thanks!!

    Brian
    BT Tech
    305-652-3115


     
    #12 BT Tech, Mar 23, 2006
  13. priusinterested

    priusinterested New Member

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    No I have mananaged to avoid the total cost via the warranty. The dash issues will become one I will pursue with Toyota. Sorry to not have all the paperwork handy on all the services but this is the 5th time in the shop for repairs. The car never saw the outside temps as in Arizona ( I am in San Jose CA ). So temp alone is not the issue. The dash material used is suspect.

    It is fine being an fan of the car. I had been as well and still love much about it, but I have to be realistic with regard to future costs as the car ages if this is the early trend.


    Recalls, silent service campaigns... it amounts to the same for me. More downtime waiting for the car to come out of the shop. I appreciate the factory trying to make things right, but in this case I feel the product has a flaw they should make right.

    I hope to find this issue might be as much a dealer issue as it is a product issue. Once I get to discuss this with the regional office I might stand a better chance. If I were to repeat this a dash mat might be a good idea.
     
    #13 priusinterested, Mar 24, 2006
  14. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    good point, Brian... a very good possibility.

    or maybe one of the alignment tabs that centers the pieces as they fit together isn't seated correctly.
     
    #14 galaxee, Mar 24, 2006
  15. priusinterested

    priusinterested New Member

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    I wish it were the clips. I watched as they lifted the dash and it is warped upward. It will no longer fully seat and sticks up right at the top of the glovebox.
     
    #15 priusinterested, Mar 24, 2006
  16. BT Tech

    BT Tech New Member

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    Not to doubt what you are saying but it seems near impossible that it would warp upwards in the area you describe. The reason I say this is because the passanger airbag module mounts to the dashboard right in the area you are describing. This module is NOT light weight and if anything would pull the dash downwards, not up like you are describing.


    Thanks!!

    Brian
    BT Tech
    305-652-3115


     
    #16 BT Tech, Mar 24, 2006
  17. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    SSC= special service campaign= recall. brake light switch, ssc40d, ssc50p are the only 3 we know of that only apply to certain vehicles.
    TSB= technical service bulletin= performed if someone comes in with a complaint related to a problem documented by toyota enough times for them to put out a standard solution to save technician time. not required and performed on a case by case basis.

    so you're saying that by fixing these things and updating the new production vehicles, they aren't making it right? what else is there to do but fix the problem? i'm just trying to understand what you want above and beyond having the fixes done as they're identified.

    as far as tech time goes... the MFD thing takes maybe an hour start to finish, diagnosing, pulling out and putting back in, with paperwork... ssc50p around 2.5 hours... brake light switch around 5 minutes... filler tube maybe an hour. much beyond that and you need to find a less busy dealership or a more efficient tech.

    it's always good to get a second dealer/tech's opinion if you're not sure. ask around for recommendations of good dealers and techs in your area. some people really know the prius, others don't give a hoot about 'em. have them check out the other possibilities mentioned here. then go to region if they can't come up with a solution. you don't have to have work done by a dealer you don't trust and you don't have to stick with the first dealer you go to. that's a common thing people just assume.
     
    #17 galaxee, Mar 24, 2006
  18. priusinterested

    priusinterested New Member

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    Brian,

    Thanks I will print your comments and spend some time with the dealer tomorrow. They are resistant to say the least. I had taken the car in last week and they returned the car after the entire day with no resolution. I took the car in today to the dealers service manger to see if he might see things differently. Might the impingment between the raised dash and the glovebox potentialy interfere with air bag deployment?

     
    #18 priusinterested, Mar 24, 2006
  19. priusinterested

    priusinterested New Member

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    50P was 10hrs to get car and that was with an appointment
    MFD took 3 days and gas filler fix was done as well also with a prior appointment to request they order the parts in advance.
    What I want is simple. A flush dash, a glovebox that will open and not pay thru the nose for something most people never experience on a 2 year old car. Clearly by your time table this dealer is not getting it done in a timely fashion.

    If many of you have had a flawless experience then great. Mine has been very different. I am a member of a local Prius board so I will check locally for a better reviewed shop.
     
    #19 priusinterested, Mar 24, 2006
  20. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    Arizona, San Jose I am not sure how that applies to the PNW though I am aware that San Jose is a bit cooler but not are temps. I would like to see a lot more information to help all of us. I may drive to Montana this summer and it can get a bit hot there, if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
     
    #20 hdrygas, Mar 24, 2006
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