Safety Concerns - Ipod Port Location

[Phil0600]

I bought a Toyota Auris four weeks ago & went for the Technology pack so that I could use my i-pod rather than having a CD auto-changer fitted as I had done on my last five cars. My intention was to leave the i-pod permanently connected in the car.

Having been out this morning I left my car on the driveway for about 2½ hours, during which time the sun came out and was very strong. I needed something out of the glove-box and when I went to get it I was very concerned to discover the level of heat in the glove-box was quite excessive. I felt the i-pod and it was extremely hot! I became immediately concerned that had my car been parked all day somewhere in direct sunlight there is a possibility that the excessive heat could have caused the Battery to explode. Indeed, the instruction booklet supplied with the car specifically says “Do not expose the adapter nor the ipod player to direct sunlight or excessive heat …” Whilst the location of the i-pod port (on a little shelf at the top of the top glove-box) is quite handy, it is also potentially dangerous – given the fact that the lid to the glove-box is made of quite thin plastic which is totally susceptible to direct sunlight coming through the windscreen.

I mention this here in the hope that anyone else who has the Tech Pack & uses the i-pod port may be made aware of this potential problem. I have today contacted Customer Relations at Toyota GB & also my local dealership who said they will make a note of my concerns. Clearly a ‘fix’ to this problem is needed and the most obvious solution would appear to be some kind of insulation to the inside of the glove-box lid.

[Nir Hendler]

I also have an Auris for about 3 weeks now, and i also you the Ipod connector (Toyota original).

I live in Israel which is a very HOT country. i can tell you that in my previous car, Corolla 03' Hatchback, i also used the ipod in the car and left it there all the time.

untill today i had no problems with the ipod and it was exposed to direct sunlight many times. just this week there was a very HOT day, my auris Temp Indecator said it's 38C outside and the car was very very hot inside.

So i can tell you from my experience that i had no problems keeping the ipod in the car during extremlly Hot summer and last few days.

[Phil0600]

I also have an Auris for about 3 weeks now, and i also you the Ipod connector (Toyota original).

I live in Israel which is a very HOT country. i can tell you that in my previous car, Corolla 03' Hatchback, i also used the ipod in the car and left it there all the time.

untill today i had no problems with the ipod and it was exposed to direct sunlight many times. just this week there was a very HOT day, my auris Temp Indecator said it's 38C outside and the car was very very hot inside.

So i can tell you from my experience that i had no problems keeping the ipod in the car during extremlly Hot summer and last few days.

Hi Nir

Thanks for your reply. I’m reassured that you haven’t experienced any adverse consequences with your ipod – quite obviously the temperatures you experience in your country are consistently much higher than those we get in the UK.

However, given the cost of some ipod’s and the fact that their instruction manuals - and Toyota’s own user manual - warn against exposure to high temperatures, I still remain concerned about this matter & will keep pushing it with my local dealership (if they don’t get back to me). In the meantime, to be on the safe side, I’m just going to disconnect it and put it somewhere in the shade when I’m leaving the car parked in strong sunshine (I’m not really happy about having to do that as it means additional wear and tear on the docking connection).

Thanks, again, for your interest.

Phil

[moonstone mart]

If you think it is such a big problem i would suggest fitting some heatproofing or similar yourself. I dont see Toyota doing anything about this as i dont think they will see it as a problem considering the amount of sun/hot days we have in this country lol.

Mart