I took a close look at my '04 today and noticed that the black "fins" at the top of the right-rear tail-light assembly were deformed. An apparent result of over heating brake light lamps. I read about this in this very forum about a few months ago but hoped it wouldn't happen to mine. I've only got about 15K miles on it so I'm requesting that others take a close look. If you find a similar problem please respond to this thread. A recall may be "in order". (see photo) It isn't that obvious so take a good look. The left one is beginning to warp also but not as badly. Toyota Corp. is on the alert.
It's not the brake lights that overheat the plastic. I mean, they're LEDs. It's more of the high heat absorbed from the sun.
take it to the dealer and tell them to replace it. This is the only way that Toyota will recognise that there is a problem with the tail light design. This has been reported lots of times, mainly from the southern states where the tail light hot soaks from sunlight and the plastic melts. If it partially obscures the brake led's it's time for a new one, as that constitutes a safty hazard.
Definately. This is much more common on cars in hotter/sunnier climates and on cars that are routinely parked outside during the day. My 2 year old Prius shows no sign of warpage but has only spend the day sitting in the hot sun a handful of times over that 2 year period. Seems to be a combination of the heat absorbing properties of the black fins, maybe some heat intensification by the curved clear lamp (like using a magnifying glass to fry a bug), and probably a little greenhouse effect as well. Also, you might be wise to wait about 3-4 months to complain, or at least to have the repair done...you may be able to get the new chromed fins instead of more of the same black. It is, of course, possible that Toyota has changed the material used in the early '04 Prii to one that is more heat tolerant. Anyone with an '05 seen this problem?
Mine started melting a long time ago, but I waited until the Parts Department told me there was a re-designed part available, and I had them replaced about a week ago. The black plastic portion on the new ones does look different. It's unlikely they'll give you an 06 set because I'm sure they made a production change sometime during the 04/05 run and have a black part that doesn't melt. Another thing to be sure to check on 04s is sagging headliners. Again, it's most apparent in warm climates, and, on mine presumably because it's black. It seems the glue used to secure it gives way when heated enough. They changed the 05s by putting two little buttons in the headliner, but they also apparently changed the 04 replacements, it seems by speccing a different glue. I posit they were using some new Low VOC glue originally Some people seem to get 05 style replacements, I got a 04 style, but I verified that they used the re-designed part number, so we'll see. Be sure to check the headliner before 3/36 because it's only covered under the basic warrantee. Even if you have the extended warrantee, the headliner is considered 'trim' and is not included.
Where was this thread last week when my car was still under warranty? I'm not even going to go look now...
What do you mean by sagging? Is it supposed to conform to the shape of the car, or is it supposed to 'hang' down in the center of the car? Mine might have always sagged in that case.
In some places there are air gaps above the headliner, which seems to relate to the spaces between braces, but it should be 'flat' across the top of the car. Mine started bowing down in a line from front to back, which got progressively worse until the detached area actually reached the front of the read dome light and began pulling down on the front of the light. It was tight at the edges, but bowed down significantly in the center line, and I had several inches of 'play' where I could push the center bow up. I told them when it started last year that I wanted it recorded, for warantee purposes, so they wrote on the service order something like "Customer States Headliner is beginning to sag, will request replacement if it gets worse" - I figured that was a good way to hedge my bets. I would recommend looking at an 05 if your dealer has one on the lot. They have two little push-buttons in the headliner which apparently help take the load off the glue. The one they put in mine doesn't have those, but it is a different part number from the original. The parts guys classified it as a parts revision, where the 05 is a different part. Kind of like a "Dot Rev" (Headliner V4.1). Some people witn 04s have reported getting the 05 part with the buttons. There haven't been any reports of 05's sagging that I know of. On my replaced one, there is are some spots with air above, but it it completely flat from edge to edge (starting where the curve up from the doors ends), instead of bowing down significantly in the middle. Word of warning though. It's unlikely that they will get the new one in perfectly, and in mine there are a couple of minor creases at some edges, and a tiny dent or two that look like they came from installation. So, if yours looks good, and isn't getting worse, I'd consider not messing with it. You may not be happy with the replacement. In my case though, it was eventually going to start hitting my head so I didn't figure I really had much choice
Since it's the brake lights, if nothing else I'd argue that it is a "Safety Issue". I'd definitely think it would be covered under the extended warrantee.
There was a materials change some time inside the 04 model year with reagrd to the brake lights. 05s don't have this problem and only a portion of 04 manufacture have this problem. A new set of tail lights will be covered under the 3/36k standard warranty and under the extended warranty.
Well, I guess I can live with the sagging headliner. I had wondered about that and could have sworn it wasn't there this time last year. It kinda reminds me of my '87 Cavalier now.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jeromep @ Oct 21 2005, 05:02 PM) [snapback]143888[/snapback]</div> Has anyone replaced the melted black fins (or the whole tail light assmbly) with the chromed 06 fins? I have an early 04 with this problem and wondering if I can get a set of 06 tail lights, if they fit and can be covered under the warranty. Thanks, Tosh
