Damaged rear sensor

[brian.bozo]

Hi all.
I have a LS-U 2021 Dmax.
We've been travelling for some time with our lightweight camper trailer in tow. Many of our kilometres throughout WA has been on unsealed roads.
With a trailer attached, the dash shows the driver that the rear sensors are disable by displaying the P))) indicator light.
This has been the case until recently when the light would disappear and reappear intermittently. The connections were checked but found nothing.
Then the warning light would come on and a display (briefly & only on start-up) that there is a sonar failure. This warning would come on and go away intermittently also.
Then, both the warning and tow displays are on full time with and without a trailer attached.
Now that we're home, and with the car cleaned up and spare tyre removed (for repair), I can see the problem.
The wiring harness for the rear sensors has been bombarded with gravel stones and broken the insulation away from the wiring and broken one of the wires. The harness, the connections and the sensors are completely unprotected.
Really crappy design flaw.
So.....have a look at your own vehicle. If the wiring is good, then find a way of protecting it from stone damage. If it's getting hammered, then find a way of insulating the wires (liquid insulation fluid?) before they short out, fail or break, then protect them from further damage.
When I get mine repaired, I'm fixing a sort of panel in the space that's behind the sensors to stop it happening again.
I'm taking it to the dealership tomorrow, but I'm guessing that'll be a waste of time......

Update.....Surprisingly, the dealership booked the car in for repairs. They said they would attend to this under warranty and replace the rear wiring harness. Wow. Great. So, I left the car with them when I had to travel out of state.
On my return, I went to pick the car up and was told that they had "repaired" the wiring (soldering and heatshrink and insulation tape) and would now apply to have those costs covered by warranty. They say that the damage was caused by the lift kit that's been installed and unlikely to be covered by warranty. If not covered then, well.....?
I'm expecting a bill for the work but, considering the grief they've give me in the past (I've posted the issues on this forum) they're unlikely to get paid.
Outcome is disappointing, but not unexpected.

I contacted Munji Engineering to let them know there's an opportunity for them to manufacture a wiring protection guard for the Dmax rear bumper. He said that he'd been approached already, but he says the easiest and cheapest way to protect the wiring is a pool noodle. Who'd have thought!! Great tip.
Hope this helps some of you folks.
Cheers.

[Bob]

Would it be possible to fit split loom conduit over the exposed sections of the harness?

[mydmax]

G'day Brian.
Good to have it repaired but the dealer blaming the lift kit is a tall claim. If anything, the lift has taken the rear further away, ie, higher than before and so beginning to remove it from stone attack. Ask them to prove that claim and get them to explain HOW the lift has made it happen.
I bet they can't!

[Tink]

My rear bumper and all the stuff, including the rear cross traffic alert sensors, installed in front of it, has been sandblasted from dirt roads. And yes, my lift (only 50mm) is partially responsible. The lift also raised the mudflaps which allowed more stones to go through to the rear. IMHO, if you lift, you need to extend your mudflaps.

[brian.bozo]

Exactly, Tink.
I've got some conveyor belt rubber fixed up in the rear bumper area so that NOTHING can get in there now......except, maybe, mud & dust.
I guess I'll still need to check in behind the "shielding" every now & then just to be safe.
Thanks for the comments.