Hi everyone,

The pop up hood system on my 2018 IS300H burst while driving on a "bumpy" road (constructions nearby), I knew the road was not in perfect conditions and was driving carefully.
I did not feel any major bump/hit, only was alerted by the explosion of the pop up hood system.

Long story short:

1. the front bumper and sensor that triggers the pop up hood system had been replaced in 2022, I rear ended another car (but the hood didn't "pop" that time).
2. I took the car to the Lexus dealership that replaced those parts to check if it was bad assembly or part defect
3. Initially they confirmed that no damage was visible on the front bumper, but was later told everything was fine with the sensor and assembly of the parts, and there was some scraping under the front bumper, so I'll have to pay the full repair

This lead me to question and request some information regarding the operation of the pop up hood system which I hope you can help me with since I'm being told the detailed report and other info is "confidential":

• Do you have knowledge of the pop up system activating by driving over a hole or speed bump?
• Is there a minimum speed at which the system activates? I've scraped the front bumper multiple times while parking and it never popped up.

Any help/feedback will be much appreciated!

 

What is the pop up hood system and when was it initiated?

 

It’s a European thing required by some countries (I know UK for sure), to protect pedestrians somewhat when you hit them. The hood (bonnet) pops up to shorten the distance the person falls before hitting your hood, and also somewhat cushions their impact. Not installed on ROW (Rest Of World) cars. Special sensors behind the bumper trigger the hood to pop up (usually an explosive charge, like an airbag deployment).

 

Very well put. I had no idea it was an European thing. Thanks.


Also here's a video showing the system:

 

That's amazing.

 

It's hard to share that enthusiasm when I'm being presented a 7k€ repair bill for not hitting anything. Each "piston" that lifts the hood costs ~1500€

 

Holy crap! Get the part number and search online, you might get a better price.
The similar function Jaguar part, if I needed it for my other car, ranges between $150 and $270 online. A totally different design, as the Jaguar hood already opens in the desired direction to cushion the pedestrian. But if you notice the price spread, it pays to shop around. Good luck.

 

It seems to be this
https://www.amayama.com/en/part/toyota/5346053021

 

Ok you’re posting 2 threads about this. I left a link to a potentially cheaper source in the other thread.

 

I posted on the other one by mistake

 

Ok, so here’s the link to a possible low priced source, but no idea if they’re to be trusted:

beeseiko website

 

Wow! Never heard of this. Seems a great idea except when a bumpy road triggers it.