2022 RAV4 stolen

[Strangely Brown]

1 hour ago, Parts-King said:

As I have mentioned previously, this is NOT CURRENTLY available nationwide, it will be released in due course, I have no idea why, but please don't blame your dealer 

I spoke with my dealer today and they have has no notification about it from Toyota. They were able to verify the part number I provided as existing but they could find nothing relating to the customer campaign number or any TSB.

They are going to ask Toyota directly and we will wait to see what they say.

[Strangely Brown]

12 minutes ago, Terry10 said:

That was not the question ! ( with respect ) I asked if these two plates stopped access via the under wing liner and the pulling of the front bumper forward .

both give access to the plug in question.

SO, DO THESE PLATES STOP ACCESS BOTH WAYS OR JUST ONE OF THEM??
If both ways then brilliant and if only one then we still have a problem.

I totally understand that it won't stop the thief from trying but would rather have a slightly damaged car than no car at all.

regards Terry.

With respect, the question you asked was answered although I could have made it clearer. The plates will not stop the thief attacking the car. i.e. they can still pull the liner down or the bumper forward or anything else they wish to try. The plates cover the plug on the headlamp and prevent access to the locking tab. They can still "get at" the plug but are unlikely to be able to disconnect it without further tools or damage to the loom and all that with very limited access and vision.

If the thief attempts to steal the car with the plates fitted then I would suggest that they are likely to fail and the end result would be that you keep the car, albeit damaged.

Better than the alternative? Probably yes.

[Terry10]

2 minutes ago, Strangely Brown said:

With respect, the question you asked was answered. The plates will not stop the thief attacking the car. i.e. they can still pull the liner down or the bumper forward or anything else they wish to try. The plates cover the plug on the headlamp and prevent access to the locking tab. They can still "get at" the plug but are unlikely to be able to disconnect it without further tools or damage to the loom and all that with very limited access and vision.

If the thief attempts to steal the car with the plates fitted then I would suggest that they are likely to fail and the end result would be that you keep the car, albeit damaged.

Better than the alternative? Probably yes.

I would say that these plates ( and admit I haven't had sight of them yet ) would block access via the wheel liner, however if they don't stop the front bumper from being pulled forward then it's only half a job.

I originally had my car into a body shop when this all started some time back and had a long conversation with the body shop owner and an auto electrician. They actually took my wing liner down at the time and it was unbelievable how easy it was to get at said plug. 
The bottom line question is : Do these plates slow down BOTH of these entry methods or not? As said if it helps slow both entry methods then brilliant.Anybody out there know the answer??????
Terry
 

[Grumpy stumpy]

37 minutes ago, Terry10 said:

I would say that these plates ( and admit I haven't had sight of them yet ) would block access via the wheel liner, however if they don't stop the front bumper from being pulled forward then it's only half a job.

I originally had my car into a body shop when this all started some time back and had a long conversation with the body shop owner and an auto electrician. They actually took my wing liner down at the time and it was unbelievable how easy it was to get at said plug. 
The bottom line question is : Do these plates slow down BOTH of these entry methods or not? As said if it helps slow both entry methods then brilliant.Anybody out there know the answer??????
Terry
 

I have had both plates fitted last week and answer to your question is as above, no they will not stop access via the wheel liner or front bumper it just stops the plugs being removed from back of lights.  I too am amazed how easy it is to access the inside of the engine bay via the wheel liner . But I would rather still have my car with a little bit of damage then not at all so they have to help .

you can see the inner wing material and the stainless steel plate with nut and bolt covering the plug in question, passenger side one.

[Terry10]

22 minutes ago, Grumpy stumpy said:

I have had both plates fitted last week and answer to your question is as above, no they will not stop access via the wheel liner or front bumper it just stops the plugs being removed from back of lights.  I too am amazed how easy it is to access the inside of the engine bay via the wheel liner . But I would rather still have my car with a little bit of damage then not at all so they have to help .

you can see the inner wing material and the stainless steel plate with nut and bolt covering the plug in question, passenger side one.

Thank you for that, appreciated. What I was trying to get at was if by pulling the bumper forward for instance that that action would then move the headlight forward and make the plug accessible for removal. I get the impression that the plate must cover the plug partially and is attached to the rear part of the headlight in some way therefore moving with the headlight.

If that is the case then a good result. 
regards Terry

[Rigsby]

21 hours ago, George22 said:

Just got the following reply (within 24 hours) from cr@toyota.co.uk Customer Relations, so I'm booking it in asap at a cost of £70 for the labour.

Hi George

Thanks for getting in touch.

Your vehicle has a number of theft deterrent devices, an immobiliser, intrusion alarm, motion sensor alarm and tilt detection sensors.  Unfortunately, new theft methods and tools are continuously being developed by organised criminal gangs to gain access to - or steal the latest vehicles.  This is a challenge the entire automotive industry is facing. 

We are continuously striving to improve our vehicles and whilst, regrettably we cannot guarantee that these efforts will eliminate all criminal activity and theft, our design team will continue to work with the police and insurers to develop technology and components to try to prevent vehicle crime. 

However, we do have an extra measure in place that can be fitted to your vehicle. We are happy to provide the part (Protection plates) free of charge. However, the labour for fitting would need to be paid for at a set rate of £70. If you would like me to arrange this with your nearest Toyota Centre, please confirm. It would also help if you could provide the Toyota Centre you would like to visit. If you do not know your nearest Toyota Centre, please provide your postcode so I can find this out for you.

I hope this helps and thank you for contacting Toyota GB. 

Kind regards

Customer Support
Toyota (GB) PLC  
Distributor of vehicles, parts and accessories for the UK

I’ve just received the very same email back from cr@toyota.co.uk within 30 minutes of contacting them.

[George22]

38 minutes ago, Rigsby said:

I’ve just received the very same email back from cr@toyota.co.uk within 30 minutes of contacting them.

Probably more and more customers asking for the same thing  👍

[SO8]

On 10/17/2023 at 8:02 AM, Dm800 said:

Which Stoplock are people getting, Elite (too sloppy but easier to fit) or Pro ( tighter fit but manageable). 

I used the Pro as it was a snug fit on my MY2023.  The Elite was too sloppy indeed !

I also added a wheel clamp (I posted pics of that elsewhere).

I have actually sold my PHEV after a colleagues RAV4 was pinched in minutes.  It is a shame Toyota have left the car more vulnerable than most.  Where I live they seem to be being targetted thus it has been sold.

I need to sell the wheel clamp and the unused 19" space saver now as they are not needed ... so will be up on the classifieds soon.

[ernieb]

1 hour ago, SO8 said:

I used the Pro as it was a snug fit on my MY2023.  The Elite was too sloppy indeed !

I also added a wheel clamp (I posted pics of that elsewhere).

I have actually sold my PHEV after a colleagues RAV4 was pinched in minutes.  It is a shame Toyota have left the car more vulnerable than most.  Where I live they seem to be being targetted thus it has been sold.

I need to sell the wheel clamp and the unused 19" space saver now as they are not needed ... so will be up on the classifieds soon.

The PHEV and HEV ‘22 model onwards are not vulnerable as far as we currently know.

[Grumpy stumpy]

4 minutes ago, ernieb said:

The PHEV and HEV ‘22 model onwards are not vulnerable as far as we currently know.

Is this written down anywhere or official as my dealer still went ahead and fitted the plates , mine being September 2023

[Strangely Brown]

11 minutes ago, ernieb said:

The PHEV and HEV ‘22 model onwards are not vulnerable as far as we currently know.

Not sure about that. With the model change in 2023 it is more likely that it is MY23 and PHEV that use signed comms. I doubt that it would have been retrofitted to MY22 cars.

If that were possible then, in theory, it should be possible to retrofit to all earlier cars, albeit at a likely prohibitive cost.

ETA: I am not 100% convinced as to how true this "invulnerability" is. I am aware that a group of researchers say that is the case but unless someone with access to the kit used and the affected vehicles can test we still don't know for sure. Further, if this were the case then the TSB would have details of which vehicles it applies to. When that becomes available we will know more.

[George22]

34 minutes ago, Grumpy stumpy said:

Is this written down anywhere or official as my dealer still went ahead and fitted the plates , mine being September 2023

I emailed Toyota Customer Relations and they said to get the plates fitted to my 2022 PHEV, so I’m not taking any chances and will fork out the £70 for the labour. 

[Terry10]

1 minute ago, George22 said:

I emailed Toyota Customer Relations and they said to get the plates fitted to my 2022 PHEV, so I’m not taking any chances and will fork out the £70 for the labour. 

 

1 minute ago, George22 said:

I emailed Toyota Customer Relations and they said to get the plates fitted to my 2022 PHEV, so I’m not taking any chances and will fork out the £70 for the labour. 

Yep, not worth the hassle for £70. Had conversation with my local dealer over the last couple of days and the car is now booked in to have the plates fitted next Tuesday.

Feel a lot happier now

Terry

[Dm800]

4 hours ago, SO8 said:

I used the Pro as it was a snug fit on my MY2023.  The Elite was too sloppy indeed !

I also added a wheel clamp (I posted pics of that elsewhere).

I have actually sold my PHEV after a colleagues RAV4 was pinched in minutes.  It is a shame Toyota have left the car more vulnerable than most.  Where I live they seem to be being targetted thus it has been sold.

I need to sell the wheel clamp and the unused 19" space saver now as they are not needed ... so will be up on the classifieds soon.

Was it a Bulldog EM500SS?

[Rav Rob]

Question. it looks as far as I can tell from posted pictures, the plates can be fitted from within the engine bay so no need to remove the arch liner?

In which case I might engineer my own solution.

[Terry10]

8 hours ago, Rav Rob said:

Question. it looks as far as I can tell from posted pictures, the plates can be fitted from within the engine bay so no need to remove the arch liner?

In which case I might engineer my own solution.

Already did make my own but now going for the Toyota plates as I suspect that insurance companies will require the official version in future.

Terry.

[Rav Rob]

3 hours ago, Terry10 said:

Already did make my own but now going for the Toyota plates as I suspect that insurance companies will require the official version in future.

Terry.

Maybe, although if they were that interested they would have put restrictions on like Ford Fiestas requiring a steering lock to be fitted as their theft rate is appalling as its so easy. But I have not come across anything when insuring our one.

Were you able to apply your own 'fix' from inside the engine bay?

 

[Terry10]

5 hours ago, Rav Rob said:

Maybe, although if they were that interested they would have put restrictions on like Ford Fiestas requiring a steering lock to be fitted as their theft rate is appalling as its so easy. But I have not come across anything when insuring our one.

Were you able to apply your own 'fix' from inside the engine bay?

 

Hi. Yes, it's fitted with the bonnet up and I can remove it in about a minute. If it will go back on after those plates have been fitted then I will put it back.Quite honestly I can't see me being able to but we shall see.

As far as insurance goes I think that it could go either way in that if enough people go for the plates then the scroats will give up on the Rav 4 and the theft numbers will drop.Time will tell.

Terry

Terry

 

[SO8]

On 10/19/2023 at 8:30 PM, Dm800 said:

Was it a Bulldog EM500SS?

No, it was the bigger one, Bulldog EM4x4SS .  My car has 19" wheels and the smallest one doesn't fit.

https://www.safe.co.uk/products/em4x4ss.html

[Adaml99]

Great that these plates have become available from Toyota. I highly recommend all RAV4 owners to get it fitted. Anyone who is on the fence about paying £70 should just go for it because it’s a small price to pay for something that may save your RAV4, your wallet and your mind.

Four weeks on from when mine was stolen in London, even though I’ve now finally received my insurance money on Friday, I’m left with my insurance premium being £700 extra each year for 5 years (even with protected NCD).

I still don’t have a car and the amount of stress and hassle this has caused has been unreal. Also, interest rates are a lot more for PCP than what they were in 2021/22, so it all adds to the extra cost.

So do yourself a favour, get the plates, get the stickers, get a third party tracker, get a steering lock, get a wheel clamp, hide some AirTags down the seat. Do all you can to prevent this because getting your car stolen is absolutely awful.  Even if the law of averages are in your favour, it’s just not worth the risk, especially when this vulnerability is easy to perform from even the most novice of car thieves.

One other thing this experience has taught me. Really think about what you have left inside your car when it’s parked up and left. Remove any paperwork with your name and address on it, and any valuables or sentimental possessions you sometimes leave in your vehicle, even if they are in the boot or not on-show. My car wasn’t too bad but I’ve spoken to a few people and they say they leave all sorts of things in their cars and not think twice about it! With identity fraud being just as prevalent, it’s best to clear your car with anything personal. 

[Terry10]

Hi all, well I have had those plates fitted today so well pleased. They are a snug fit to that plug! In fact they are so snug that I have just fitted my invention back on so double whammy ( I have it so may as well use it)

Well worth the £70 so as Adam above says just do it for peace of mind and save yourself a lot of hassle.

If you live outside the London/ midlands area then you may have to apply a little pressure to your local dealer as mine didn't know there was a security issue until I told them and they looked into it, thereafter they were very helpful and it moved forward very quickly.

Terry

[macman81]

Are Toyota going to offer VH-R owners a similar headlight security plate to the RAV-4? The vulnerability seems to be similar, with the same type of plastic inner wheel arch.

[FROSTYBALLS]

31 minutes ago, macman81 said:

Are Toyota going to offer VH-R owners a similar headlight security plate to the RAV-4?

Ask Toyota GB.

[Andy427]

i spoke to our dealer yesterday and they looked into it and came back within a couple of hours. Plates being fitted tomorrow 2 days after first raising it with them. As said i don't think dealers outside London are aware of the technical service bulletin.

You will never stop a determined thief (Sc**bag) but A little bit of peace of mind, have ordered the stickers highlighted here as well as deterrent, a shame Toyota dont supply official ones with the plates for the car.

[Strangely Brown]

1 hour ago, Andy427 said:

i spoke to our dealer yesterday and they looked into it and came back within a couple of hours. Plates being fitted tomorrow 2 days after first raising it with them. As said i don't think dealers outside London are aware of the technical service bulletin.

You will never stop a determined thief (Sc**bag) but A little bit of peace of mind, have ordered the stickers highlighted here as well as deterrent, a shame Toyota dont supply official ones with the plates for the car.

The TSB has not reached my dealer yet, or indeed any information about the campaign. He can see that the plates exist via the part number and that they are "available to buy" but without some official notice from Toyota there is nothing that they can do "officially". I have emailed cs@toyota.co.uk but have had no response as yet.

Is there any chance you could get the TSB number from your dealer when you go in tomorrow? I am trying to find something that my dealer can use as an "in" to get Toyota to open up.

Cheers.