Prado 90 series safety issues
Submitted: Monday, Apr 18, 2005 at 15:22
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Member - Des
Since I am thinking of getting a 90 series Prado later this year, I looked at its ANCAP crash
test results (on a vehicle without airbags). They make sobering reading:
56km/h full frontal
test:"The driver's head hit the steering wheel with a severe impact. The passenger's head hit the grab handle. Protection from serious head injury was poor for both the driver and passenger. The driver's knees hit the dash, ignition switch, steering column support and fuse box. The passenger's knees hit the glove box."
60 km/h offest
test:"The driver's head hit the steering column with a severe impact and protection from serious head injury was poor. The passenger's head hit the dash and protection from serious head injury was acceptable. The driver's knees hit the dash. The passenger's knees hit the glove box."
The moral of this story seems to be: only buy a vehicle with airbags.
In the offset
test, ANCAP made this observation:
"The tailshaft pushed sideways into the central fuel tank and there was a major fuel leak. Toyota Australia has advised that in September 1997 and April 1998 various underbody design changes were made to the Prado. The possibility of fuel leakage should be reduced for vehicles with these changes."
The idea of the fuel tank being "shafted" in a 60 km/h offset crash is a bit of a worry. I don't fancy an inferno from a minor collision.
Does anyone know whether the changes made by Toyota in Sept 1997 and Apr 1998 fixed this problem? Is there a build date after which you can be more confident?
Reply By: Member - Davoe (WA) - Monday, Apr 18, 2005 at 15:53
Monday, Apr 18, 2005 at 15:53
dont crash -
AnswerID:
107252
Follow Up By: BenSpoon - Monday, Apr 18, 2005 at 16:32
Monday, Apr 18, 2005 at 16:32
Davoe, you've single handedly halved WA's mortality rate.
Well done mate.
I dont know if it is really that much to worry about in regards to a minor accident- at 60km/h its hardly a "minor accident". Its not as though you are just going to put a broken bumper in the boot and keep on with your daily chores- just look at the HIC figures.
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Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (WA) - Monday, Apr 18, 2005 at 16:37
Monday, Apr 18, 2005 at 16:37
maybe I just dont think enogh but I have been driving around in so called death traps for years (cm valiant, Nissan campervan, Landcruiser campervan) and crashing them is usually the last thing on my mind I guess that gos to show maybe I should think about what ifs more but then what funs that?
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Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Monday, Apr 18, 2005 at 19:47
Monday, Apr 18, 2005 at 19:47
I think Davoe meant "don't crash into a brick wall at 60kph". This is the only valid conclusion you can get from ANCAP studies.
And to put it into perspective, driver error, motor cycles,
young drivers, alcohol and speed are much bigger factors in MVA deaths and injuries.
The results from these studies do not translate to real life vehicle to vehicle crashes, where vehicle mass and momentum are big factors.
Anyway, airbags are an asset on any vehicle and on the 90series Prado, they were standard on the upmarket VX and TX models and a safety pack option on the RV and GXL. All airbagged Prados have ABS. I'm not aware of what changes happened thru the Prado series, but I know the 2002 Prados passed the tests for that year.
Cheers
Phil
AnswerID:
107277
Reply By: geocacher (djcache) - Monday, Apr 18, 2005 at 21:35
Monday, Apr 18, 2005 at 21:35
From 2000 or 2001 (I can't remember which) four wheel drives finally had to meet the same crash tests as cars in Australia.
If you can afford to buy a few years younger there are potentially benefits, though most of the manufacturers were gearing toward meeting the specs in the last few years before they had to.
The 56kmh immovable barrier
test is the equivalent of hitting a parked car of a similar mass at approximately 120kmh. It's not even close to a head on on the highway but I wouldn't want to be in a Commodore or Falcon for one of those either.
At the end of the day it all comes down to fate. When your numbers up it's up.
Dave
AnswerID:
107300
Reply By: Wizard1 - Tuesday, Apr 19, 2005 at 08:51
Tuesday, Apr 19, 2005 at 08:51
You need to bear in mind that crash
test dummies do not react the same as a real human passenger unless they are unconscious or a paraplegic.
I tend to brace up a little if my senses, you know eys, eras, etc tell me the vehicle I am in control of is about to collide with another object.
I have had a collision , caused by another driver...I drove away, they got towed away, and I don't have airbags.
Yes they are a great safety feature, but I'm not constantly worrying about whether my head will hit the steering wheel, I actaully drive so I don't hit stuff.
The 4 Dr Wagon Prado available in Australia is actually a 95 Series. 90 Series are a short wheel base 2 dr available in Japan
Wizard
Prado TD (no air bags or ABS)
Gold Coast
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107346