Morons? Idiots? Stupid? Well, perhaps ....

Khjphoto

Khjphoto

New member
So two dealers have told me that Toyota "forgot" to include the Hitch plug in the
design and as an after thought it was placed waaaayyy back under the bumper!

Well ain't that convenient?
NO

So open letter to Toyota:

Please tell us that the chief design engineer is now a fry cook at a McDonalds!!


As to living with it; has anyone figured out a mod to fix this (*^*% mistake?
Thanks
 
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It's there for clearance.
A wire harness is the last thing you want to fetch up on departure.

Some of us think it's brilliant placement


I like the design input from your car salesmen though
 
I made a short extension that I zip tie to the receiver when I am actually using it. Otherwise the extension lives in a parts box. I was pretty disappointed that the first time I needed it (the 4 pin part) was rusted solid and had to be cleaned. I'm going to make a sacrificial plug to leave plugged in when not in use to protect the pins from the elements.
 
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Khjphoto said:
So two dealers have told me that Toyota "forgot" to include the Hitch plug in the
design and as an after thought it was placed waaaayyy back under the bumper!

Well ain't that convenient?
NO

So open letter to Toyota:

Please tell us that the chief design engineer is now a fry cook at a McDonalds!!

As to living with it; has anyone figured out a mod to fix this (*^*% mistake?
Thanks
Click to expand...

I was underneath the 4R yesterday while cleaning it up and found it. I was like, "What's this? Oh! That is a great location, out of sight and and out of the way, nice!" The only problem I saw with it is it might be a hassle if you ran one of those silly hitch brake lights, but other than that I like it.
 
Hey just posting what two dealers have said. I'm just a driver - not a brilliant engineer; it remains that the placement is indeed poor. With 30 years of product run, as you have stated, you would think someone would have figured it out. IT AINT CONVIENENT.
 
If it was in the bumper people would complain it's hard to make work in aftermarket bumpers. If it wasn't tucked up far enough under the bumper us offroaders would complain because we'd be tearing it off on rocks.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
Khjphoto said:
So two dealers have told me that Toyota "forgot" to include the Hitch plug in the
design and as an after thought it was placed waaaayyy back under the bumper!

Well ain't that convenient?
NO

So open letter to Toyota:

Please tell us that the chief design engineer is now a fry cook at a McDonalds!!


As to living with it; has anyone figured out a mod to fix this (*^*% mistake?
Thanks
Click to expand...

You must never have went off road. The placement is brilliant for what it is intended to do... keep from dragging it off.

Get a longer pig tail. Your problem solved.
 
3wbdriver said:
I made a short extension that I zip tie to the receiver when I am actually using it. Otherwise the extension lives in a parts box. I was pretty disappointed that the first time I needed it (the 4 pin part) was rusted solid and had to be cleaned. I'm going to make a sacrificial plug to leave plugged in when not in use to protect the pins from the elements.
Click to expand...

Is yours not covered like this? On mine it seems to have done a nice job protecting the pins.
 

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Khjphoto said:
Hey just posting what two dealers have said. I'm just a driver - not a brilliant engineer; it remains that the placement is indeed poor. With 30 years of product run, as you have stated, you would think someone would have figured it out. IT AINT CONVIENENT.
Click to expand...

Car salesmen generally don't know much about the product, in my experience, and will say anything they think you want to hear.

When I test drove the 4runner for the first time, I saw the "eco" light turn on and asked what that meant and if the truck had cylinder deactivation. He replied that it did have cylinder deactivation for better gas mileage. I hadn't heard about that at all and after about a minute on the internet back home I learned that the eco light does nothing but encourage you to not have a lead foot.

I bet if you told them, "Hey that placement really offers protection for off road driving," they'd respond by saying how toyota engineers really took that into consideration when they designed the 4runner and the location is 100% deliberate.
 
Knight-Errant said:
I bet if you told them, "Hey that placement really offers protection for off road driving," they'd respond by saying how toyota engineers really took that into consideration when they designed the 4runner and the location is 100% deliberate.
Click to expand...

A classic sales technique...the ol' "pssst...lemme let you in on a little secret" with a "boy, you are really smart" twist.

Almost as effective as the saleschick who touches your upper arm and says "do you work out?"

I'm sure the OP is far too intelligent to fall for any of these obvious ploys.
 
00Sebby said:
Is yours not covered like this? On mine it seems to have done a nice job protecting the pins.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Mine has the large part but not the small cover for the 4 pin connector. I'll have to get a closer look. Possibly it was sacrificed during a rock crossing?
 
We'll thanks to those of you with good information. I do tow a bit and with bad knees it is a ***** to plug in the hitch.

Not being a "wheeler"; my experience has only been fire roads, and some of the passes in SW Colorado. My "main" off road vehicle has three wheels. Can be seen in the "garage". Just ordered a TRDPro and hope to do Engineer,Alpine Loop, and others this September. Then pop down to Moab and run around there. From Moab slab it to San Luis Obispo, perhaps do the dunes at Pismo and
Then up to Alabama Hills for a couple of nights. Start back through Death Valley
And turn East for the long drive home.
 
Khjphoto said:
We'll thanks to those of you with good information. I do tow a bit and with bad knees it is a ***** to plug in the hitch.

Not being a "wheeler"; my experience has only been fire roads, and some of the passes in SW Colorado. My "main" off road vehicle has three wheels. Can be seen in the "garage". Just ordered a TRDPro and hope to do Engineer,Alpine Loop, and others this September. Then pop down to Moab and run around there. From Moab slab it to San Luis Obispo, perhaps do the dunes at Pismo and
Then up to Alabama Hills for a couple of nights. Start back through Death Valley
And turn East for the long drive home.
Click to expand...


That is a pretty sweet set up on the bike. I think the quicksand TRDPro looks great and especially purposeful with a gobi rack. I'm hoping I can drive out to CO and and Moab and drive some of those trails one day.
 
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Perspective is a funny thing; I once had a Tacoma with the plug hanging way down on a bracket. After dragging it many times (not really "wheelin", just on rough roads with washouts), it broke off and I was disappointed in the design. Got my 5th gen 4Runner and couldn't believe how smart the placement was!

Love that you not only asked a dealer a design question (the answers are priceless!) but you asked two different dealers.

Dan
 

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Yesterday was the first time I towed my boat with the new 4Runner. Just like the OP, I have bad knees and not near as young as most of you kids. When I hooked up the trailer wires to the poorly placed receptacle, I said a number of choice words about the "IDIOTS" that engineered this mistake. I get it that it may help off-roaders but that is no excuse to put the dang thing so far up under the vehicle that you have to lay down to hook up the trailer wires. I will definitely be installing a pig tail. Later, I may make a another bracket and relocate it to where it should be, IMO. As OP said, in the bumper would have been much better.
 
Khjphoto said:
We'll thanks to those of you with good information. I do tow a bit and with bad knees it is a ***** to plug in the hitch.

Not being a "wheeler"; my experience has only been fire roads, and some of the passes in SW Colorado. My "main" off road vehicle has three wheels. Can be seen in the "garage". Just ordered a TRDPro and hope to do Engineer,Alpine Loop, and others this September. Then pop down to Moab and run around there. From Moab slab it to San Luis Obispo, perhaps do the dunes at Pismo and
Then up to Alabama Hills for a couple of nights. Start back through Death Valley
And turn East for the long drive home.
Click to expand...

you'll find with a little practice, you can "find the hole"...

the door opens down on the 7 way to lock the plug in. If it really is bugging the living shit out of you, you can get a replacement unit from eTrailer (be sure to get the 18" extension model) and you can face it directly towards the back, albeit hanging down the width of the plug
 
Titanpat57 said:
you'll find with a little practice, you can "find the hole"...
Click to expand...

I just spit on it and mash it around down there, eventually it goes in. One hole or the other.

Actually that placement is brilliant and if you don't understand why it is there instead of hanging off the bumper, you should be driving a family truckster.
 
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