Blind spot monitor nonsense

What exactly is this recalibration and why do they need to be calibrated in the first place? I'm genuinely curious.

 

Run the kids over! Teach them to step behind a vehicle with white reverse lights on.. I got ran over on my bike when I was 11, luckily the bike saved my leg from being crushed and I got 20$ from it. BTW I never got behind a vehicle backing up again....Never lol

 

And trolls like you still need to comment on a vehicle you had or never have owned.. Gets real old. Like Tacoma owners going to a Tundra Forum and ask why his truck wont start...

 

I take your word for it, but find it odd. Since reading this post I've been looking for instances like this and am finding that cars are either in a mirror or directly visible through the side window as I'm looking at the side mirror.

Just curious; can you see the side of your truck in either side mirror while sitting in normal driving position?

 

Yes, I adjust the mirrors so the tiniest bit of truck is visible. Is that too close?

 

Yep. Too far inward. You want a very slight overlap of what can be seen in the rear and side mirrors. Generally the way to do it is lean toward the window and adjust the left mirror out to just show a bit of the side of the truck. Then lean toward the center console and adjust the right side mirror to just show a bit of the side of the truck. Sitting normal in your seat you should be able to see cars transition from rear view mirror to side mirror to direct visibility.

It is definitely a bit disconcerting at first, we're used to using the visible part of the truck as a mental "anchor". You get used to it though and soon realize how good the new setup is in terms of maintaining situational awareness with minimal blind spots.

I recommend backing into a parking spot at a busy parking lot so you have cars to the side and behind. Safe way to experiment. If you have a buddy who can walk around the car as well it's a bonus.

Couple of resources with pictures/illustrations:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots
http://www.cartalk.com/sites/default/files/features/mirrors/CarTalkMirrors.pdf

 

To those that have had issues with the BSM's, was the symptom total,failure or just different sensitivity on one side or the other? I recently got home from a 2000 mile trip with a fair a bit of snow and road debris, and felt like my right side monitor didn't always pickup vehicles as well as the driver's side, near the end of the trip. This is my first vehicle with any of these aids, and I like 'em. No substitute for good driving, but still useful, especially when it's 5pm in January in a massive freezing rain storm and some bozo in an Explorer comes zipping by with no headlights.

 

Mine was a total failure.... no power to the switch...
Cost them a new left sensor and wiring harness..!!

 

I bought my used truck, when I turned on bsm at the dealership, it had an error. The salesman told me to bring it back and they would warranty. Take it in for my 10k service and bsm and they tried to deny the warranty because there was mud. The asked if I went off roading (in my 4x4 Trd Off Road) , I told them that's just the shit I deal with going to work.

Luckily the salesman came through and said it wasn't working before the mud so the dealership took care of it.

I'm thinking someone needs to fabricate a mud flap for the bumper inners arg. New mud flaps arrived today so hopefully that helps.

 

I had OEM flaps on mine when it failed.... Maybe we need a "shit flap" to hang down in front of the rear bumper to protect the very sensitive pieces on this truck...

 

That's exactly what I mean. I may take a look and see what I can get in there.

 

I just got bit by the dreaded drivers side BSM module failure issue. 2016 Tacoma with 40,000 miles. The ECU threw a code stating that it lost connectivity with drivers side BSM module. It turns out that is the master module (the passenger side is the slave) I should have know to ask my local dealership what the replacement cost was prior to scheduling an appointment. Good old West Herr Toyota charged me $135 to "take a look at some stuff and come up with a potential diagnosis" in other words, read a code. It was only after that I was told the sensor is ~ $1000! Seriously?! Safety system failure on a 3 year old truck is already unacceptable, but to shaft the customer with a $1000 replacement part. Guess I am waiting for an aftermarket component.