Toyota Prado Problems

There is nothing to suggest there is a problem with the Triton, but it’s worth checking the owner’s manual to familiarize yourself with any recommendations Mitsubishi makes about towing with the Triton. That way you will minimize the risks of having a problem.

It’s damned annoying, and looks terrible, but if the cracks are cosmetic only and don’t affect the function of the airbags or anything else in the dash area there’s not much you can do about it. The car is well out of warranty and Toyota would say, I’m sure, that it is simply wear and tear.

It's not something that has been reported to us here at Carsguide, so it would seem it's not an issue that is worrying other owners. I would suggest you find another owner of a similar car and ask about their experience, and drive their car if they would let you. That way you would have an idea if it's just your car or is more widespread. I would also suggest you consult a brake expert, one that could assess your brakes and give you a report you could use if you want to pursue it with Toyota. Contact the RTA and ask for a list of their accredited engineers and go to one of them. I wouldn't be upgrading the brakes yet, as you say it would possibly impact your warranty, and in any case it's something Toyota should do if indeed there is a problem.

We have passed a number of these reports on to Toyota for their response and last week we received this comment from a Toyota spokesman: "Toyota acknowledges owners comments regarding the ATM light illuminating when towing heavy loads. We are currently investigating the issue. However, we wish to advise, the ATM light only indicates high oil temperature. Owners who experience this condition should follow the 'Owners Manual' instruction, as well as ensuring airflow to the radiator is not blocked."

The gearbox is sealed in production and it's not meant to be serviced for "life", but what "life" means is anybody's guess. Oil is the lifeblood of an auto transmission and Andrew of AW Automatics is of the old school, which advocates changing the oil every 20,000 km, particularly if the car is being used for towing. On that basis you would be well advised to have it changed.

Few car companies actually recommend you fit LPG systems to their cars because they don’t have control over the installation and equipment used. You need to be aware that your new car warranty will be affected if you fit the system, and that Toyota will not cover anything that has been modified in the course of fitting the system. For coverage of those items you need to talk to your installer. But the Prado can be converted successfully and many have been done. The Impco system is a quality one from a long established and well-respected company in the LPG business.

There’s not much you can do, it has to be fixed and that requires a replacement computer. A secondhand computer might well do the trick, but it is, after all, secondhand and there’s no guarantee with it. I would be tempted to go for the new part, which would come with a warranty and give you some peace of mind.

The problem you have is that deterioration of the finish is regarded as wear and tear, so to get a warranty claim up you need to show that the degradation of the finish on your bulbar is beyond what would be regarded as "fair" wear and tear. To do that you could collect photographs of other vehicles of a similar age that clearly show yours is worse and mount a case based on that evidence.   Ultimately though I reckon you won't be successful. I would recommend you go to a retailer handling truck accessories and get   their advice based on the actual condition of your bar.

Both suggestions are good ones, particularly if you do a lot of towing. The external cooler will keep the temperatures under control and regular fluid changes will ensure you always have fresh fluid in the transmission.

When unloaded the tyres should be inflated to 200 kpa (29 psi) front and rear, but when loaded the recommended pressure is 200 kpa (29 psi) and the front and 220 kpa (32 psi) at the rear. If you open the driver's door you will find a sticker on the door pillar with the recommended tyre pressures, and you will also find it in the owner's manual.