Ask Smithy Xtra Prado dash crack

Toyota has told us that some customers have reported “dashpad vinyl surface deterioration on some older model Prado vehicles.” They go on to say that “the dashpad vinyl surface is purely a cosmetic finish that can be affected by the general care and maintenance afforded, however the condition of the surface will not affect the structure or operation of the passenger SRS airbag in any way. Toyota provides a comprehensive new vehicle warranty and our customer satisfaction policies provide for Dealer evaluation and individual case-by-case assessment well beyond this period.” If indeed it is only the vinyl covering that is affected there’s no affect on the airbag operation and there’s no reason the car should be deemed unroadworthy as some owners have told us their’s have been. If it is a more deep-seated problem affecting the structure of the vehicle then I think there is a risk to the operation of the airbag and is certainly worth following up. As Toyota told us dealers are able to assess older vehicles like the early Prado, so if you are concerned that the operation of the airbag in your vehicle might be affected by the cracking have your dealer check it.