Very odd. Today I open hood to replace air filter and the hood prop rod was not in it's retainer clip, was just flopping around.
Hood Prop Rod Issue
Rav4-lim
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I never called anyone "stupid" -- I chose a more colorful adjective. However I stand by my position that anyone who does not open their own hood regularly to check their own fluids and do their own general inspection cares nothing for the welfare of a $30K plus automobile. Such people think of their cars much as they do the clothes washer or dish washer at home --as an appliance. They rely upon "service personnel" to deal with these appliances. They are too "effete" (don't want to get their hands dirty) or ignorant or lazy to learn how to check their own dipsticks. I apologize to those offended by my previous use of the term "doofus". Perhaps the Victorian phrase "pantywaist" would much better describe those who are too effete or prissy to open their own hoods and must rely upon others to check the oil and washer fluid etc. for them. I guess they either go to the dealer or get their chauffeur, butler, maid or next door neighbor to do it for them.
Look up the definition of doofus. I've personally done a ton of mods to my car, so I choose to do the work I want to do and have work I don't want to do done by someone else. You know nothing about me yet you disparage me and everyone else that don't or won't conform to the way you choose to maintain your car. If having someone else change my oil and check other fluid levels makes me a pantywaist then I'm guilty as charged by the judge, jury, and executioner Tazio. You wear your ignorance well.
It has been a long time since I have seen a full service gas station, where they check you fluids while you get gasoline. All the gas stations in my area are self service where you must do everything yourself. Where are you finding these full service stations to regularly check your fluid levels, or are you relying on the regular maintenance schedule and not having regular checks of the fluids?
If this is directed at me the answer is New Jersey. Yes they have full service stations, in fact all stations in NJ pump the gas for you. Anything else you need to know ?
As for the Prop Rod vs. the Hood Struts Toyota looked at both and compared, Which is cheaper? Prop Rod. Which is lighter in total weight, Prop Rod vs two Hood Struts? Prop Rod. saving a few ozs. in weight does add up to better fuel economy. Which is more likely to fail in longterm usage? Piston Hood Struts. Multiply this over how many thousands of vehicles produced. So the winner is the Prop Rod.
It's hard to reconcile your claims and testimony. How can someone who has done a "ton of mods" to his RAV not check his own oil on the dipstick? Makes no sense to me. I rest my case vis a vis "pantywaist." Everyone who owns a car- be it a RAV4 or something else-- should learn how to check the oil on the dipstick and do it regularly. The hood should be opened by the OWNER to do a simple inspection for fluids, rodent or other damage etc. periodically and certainly more often than "3 times in 2 years" -- that's ridiculous! To rely upon random and uncaring and untrained persons; what used to be called a "grease monkey" (when I was a kid in the 1950's) at a New Jersey gas station (as you claim to do) to check the fluids on a $30K plus RAV4, is simply asking for trouble and in my humble opinion "nuts".
I can do this all day Tazio. Don't know what your obsession is with the cost of the car. 2019 Hybrid cost me way less than $30k though. It's my work car and not the most expensive I own or have owned. 2 years old on August 12th this year. 2 more years it will have 100k miles and be someone else's car when I sell it or trade in for new. I'm old but you're a cranky obsessive old man set in his ways. I've never pulled the dipstick once on this car and probably never will. Trusted mechanic of 20 years services my vehicle and I've become a personal friend of his. Eliminates the need for a self proclaimed gas station grease monkey like you. I've posted pictures on this forum of some of the improvements I've made and notice you have given a thumbs up on some. My last photo post a few days ago that you gave a thumbs up includes my NJ license plate. Maybe you could upload some photos of your Rav while checking the dip stick and removing the rodents. I don't have any rodents at my house.
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So why did Toyota add back the hood insulating pad if a few ounces makes a diff?
You know how much fuel savings there is by removing a few ounces? The answer is, you/they don't have equipment sensitive enough to detect the diff. The only premise to base it on is, less weight means less fuel use, yet you can't quantify the savings.
That said, they used a prop rod for saving a few ounces, and then later added a hood insulating pad that weighs 4+ pounds?
I highly doubt prop rod was for "fuel saving" reasons. More like its one steel cheap rod vs two piston-rods that can fail. But fail rate on them is very very low, my Lexus piston-rods are OEM and 16yrs old, they have not yet failed.
I think the hood insulation pad was added after reviewers and possibly owners complained about engine noise. Maybe when designing the car they thought it wasn't needed, I know engine noise doesn't bother me at all.
Edit: About the hook prop vs struts.. I like that the prop will never fail, but it can get in the way when working in the engine bay. Sooo pros and cons to each, not sure which I'd prefer to have.
Edit: About the hook prop vs struts.. I like that the prop will never fail, but it can get in the way when working in the engine bay. Sooo pros and cons to each, not sure which I'd prefer to have.
You make a good point but not all Rav's didn't come with the insulator. I don't know if anybody ever figured out what determined which vehicles got them and which didn't. I got an LE H which is the lowest level trim possible and had one. I think some higher trim levels didn't.
I have a 19 so I don't believe that was true. There were buyers of 2020 models complaining about no insulator.
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From some online gooling, seems like the Hybrids got it, rest did not, then later all got it.
Apparently 2021 Corolla's don't have one either. Not there for fuel savings, or not there because it's $4 less per vehicle for Toyota?
A few years ago some that didn't get it did their own insulation and one poster purchased the factory insulator. Most said they couldn't tell the difference as far as sound deadening. Have to think it may help the hood paint last a little longer though specially for vehicles with dark metallic.
This conversation has probably run its course. But to make one more comment, my money is on cost savings vs weight reduction. It’s just strange since my last two Camrys had the pistons. I had a guy try to push down the hood of a car with a rod support and it tweaked the hood, so I just don’t think they belong on a car that’s appx. 40 grand out the door. Otherwise I love my new RAV4!
It is possible that there was a shortage of Hood Insulators/Blanket, but had enough that if customer wanted to add it later could, v/s not having any in stock or enough for the production line.
I just added prop rods the other night. i do like how they raise the hood on its own, not so much closing it, not everyone will have a rag to close it...
I just added prop rods the other night. i do like how they raise the hood on its own, not so much closing it, not everyone will have a rag to close it...
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2,626 Posts
Hence why every vehicle (make/model/year/trim, less the options packages) should have a complete build list of the standard items. Same make/model/year/trim where some have it and some don't, makes the don't-have buyers feel a bit ripped off.
I know Suburu will not advertise some options for some 2023 models, because the parts needed are hard to get for production stream, so to avoid a cust having to wait for chips or parts to complete an option (which means vehicle sits and waits), Subaru just removes the option.
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