Outer Limits 4x4 Board

About 4 weeks ago i did a simpson desert trip with 7 vehicles 3 rangies, 2 90 seriers Pardos and a GU partol. About a week into the trip i drove up one of the 100 sand hills we had driven up in my old 88 ranige, my brother in his 2year old prado followed my tracks up the same hill. About half way up the hill everybody hears a BAG! and the prados done a rear diff.

So we call the nearest Toyota dealer they say "if you can still drive it then take it to Brisbane and we will have a look" so we drive home back to brissy.

After 2days in the workshop Toyota says that the problem was caused by water in the diff and it won't be covered. My brother replies back saying that the car was given a full service (diff oils changed) by toyota 2days before we left for Bridsville. Toyota then says the problem was caused by driver error and it won't be covered.

I can't see how this problem was caused by driver error as second gear low range was used, the revs didn't climb past 35000rpm (its a 3.4 petrol) and the hill wasn't even hard!

The last option we have is a friend in Carins filmed the prado going up the hill, hopefully toyota will see it wasn't driver error and it will be covered. But the film will take a 3 dyas to get to brissy and the car has now been in the workshop for 3 1/2 weeks.

I am a little surprised in the way toyota has delt with this problem because the other prado owner on the trip had broken a front diff in the past and it was covered no questions asked.

Toby.

so they said it was water first, then they said it was driver error?

I dont see how driver error could kill a rear diff, even on a prado. The diff should be realtively indestructable, especially in sand!

water can and will kill a diff however, did you do any creek crossings in your trip?

I would be speaking directly to the service manager, and if he gives you the same runaround, speak to the regional toyota manager.

No water crossings, no rain in the desert but it rained rained like you would not believe on the way home. Flash flooding around Towoomba so i guess thats how the water got in. Thanks for the suggestions i'll pass that on to my brother.

Toby.

what actually let go in the diff ???

What actually is driver error? You might have been using the vehicle for what it was made for, that is offroad driving.
Warranty claims in the first instance, handled by dealers. I would be asking the dealer to put the reason for not paying the warranty claim in detail in writing and then approaching Toyota directly. That really is crap. You buy a vehicle with a warranty which means if it breaks, they should fix it.

when you say toyota says they will not pay, is it the dealer denying the claim or have they put it to TMCA and it has been rejected by a feild assessor ?

I would definantly speak directly with the service manager. If he does not give you the answers you want, speak directly to toyota's head office, and make sure you follow up all phone calls with a letter in writing.

A letter will get you much better results as often they do not take phone calls seriously. A Letter is official.

Demanding the reason they are denying it as a warranty claim in writing is also a good idea.

I cannot understand what driver error could constitute a diff breaking. The diff in a prado is not the most indestructable thing, but it is definantly strong enough to handle sand. The only time id think it would break would be under sever torque loading, like bouncing yourway up a rocky hill or something. Definantly not in sand.

I'm not sure as to what the prob with the diff is but ill find out for you. It sounded like somthing let go in the crown wheel. We didn't find much when we dropped the oil (no water) only a small peace of metal.

Thanks very much for all the suggestions, especially the "get it in writting" ill keep you updated as to what happens.

And just for the record the other 90seriers 3.0LD performed great on the trip and went up the same hill same speed without a problem.

Toby.

did you drive the truck all the way home with the diff center still in ??

Yep drove all the way home with the diff center still in. We thought about pulling the axles and removing the diff but the prado seems to have the axle and bearings in the same unit. the only thing we did was remove the drive shaft to try and lessen the strain all be it a little. Locked the center diff and drove home front wheel drive. Toyota told us to drive home if we could.

You could tell toyota that the diff breather may have cause the problem then, because my dads prado (the one on the trip) had no water in the diff, when we changed the oil after the trip.