[ph03n!x]

Twitter user Nilesh bajaj tweeted this tagging me - apparently radiator fan malfunctioning caused this, and a new Thar was given as replacement.




I am not able to verify the details, does anyone know the background? While the original tweet has been deleted by Shivrattan Dhillon, there are replies that point to the issue and the cause.

Originally Posted by Axe77

Question for anyone who's spent some time with the Thar, preferably owners, but anyone who’s sure really:

Given the luggage space constraints, I was wondering if anyone has put heavy luggage / suitcases by folding down one or both rear seats. Does it work. I am asking in particular because the seat seems to be hollow at the black covered by a basic cloth so am wondering if it will need some aftermarket internal bolstering to be able to take the weight of the luggage once placed on top of the folded seat. The cloth should not tear or something.

I have loaded my Thar with 2 full size, 1 mid size, and 2 cabin size luggage, plus 1 duffel bag and 3 or 4 smaller bags - drove 500 KM with that. I only ensured that the luggage is placed such that the load is on the edges of the seat, and not on the middle (soft) part. That's about it - and the Thar feels better planted on the road when fully loaded

Originally Posted by WemaKadphises

Can any of the lucky owners elaborate on the back seat comfort? Can it be suitable for long journeys like 500km or so for the back seat riders?

The back seat itself is not a bad place for adults - what will be a bother is the feet space, if I may call it so. It is pretty constrained, and not exactly ergonomic as they will have either place their feet at an angle vs. the body, or sit with the knee up.

Best suited for kids - and if adults have to be there, let them be only for short distances (unless you are on a revenge mission, in which case they can't even escape easily from the back seat ).

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

I have loaded my Thar with 2 full size, 1 mid size, and 2 cabin size luggage, plus 1 duffel bag and 3 or 4 smaller bags - drove 500 KM with that. I only ensured that the luggage is placed such that the load is on the edges of the seat, and not on the middle (soft) part. That's about it - and the Thar feels better planted on the road when fully loaded

Hey thanks. this is quite useful. So if we want to use it for 2 adults (front) and 1 pre teen kid (9 -12 years) at the back, its basically feasible to drop half the rear seat and load luggage?

I hope that actually is workable when one of the seats is being occupied and the other loaded up with luggage.

[ph03n!x]

Originally Posted by Axe77

So if we want to use it for 2 adults (front) and 1 pre teen kid (9 -12 years) at the back, its basically feasible to drop half the rear seat and load luggage?

Definitely. I'm fact there is enough space between the front seat's backside and the rear seats base (the rear leg space) - you can keep a duffle bag in this space, and then some. And the boot can accommodate 2 cabin size luggages and still have space for knick-knacks. The wheel well can accommodate two pillows each.

Only thing to keep in mind - do not keep a smaller luggage on the folded back seat's back - keep a luggage that sits on the frame and then keep smaller items on it. Also be wary of luggage moving around in the cabin due to centrifugal forces (or even braking).

I did a two-night trip (2 adults and 2 kids) with enough luggage incl. bedding without having to fold the rear seat.

[Venkatesh]

Mahindra Thar gets added list of new accessories on the company’s shopping website - m2all









Source

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

I did a two-night trip (2 adults and 2 kids) with enough luggage incl. bedding without having to fold the rear seat.

Brilliant. This is all very helpful thank you very much. And understand your point on putting a larger bag at the base that covers the seat frame and then some. So no chance of damaging the centre.

If you happen to take any pics of your car fully loaded up with / without passengers that would make an interesting view for many folks with this concern I'm sure.

Cheers.

80 / 120 kmph beep:

Anyone knows if people have managed to successfully disable this - that input would be handy too. Thanks

[ph03n!x]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Brilliant. This is all very helpful thank you very much. And understand your point on putting a larger bag at the base that covers the seat frame and then some. So no chance of damaging the centre.

If you happen to take any pics of your car fully loaded up with / without passengers that would make an interesting view for many folks with this concern I'm sure.

Cheers.

80 / 120 kmph beep:

Anyone knows if people have managed to successfully disable this - that input would be handy too. Thanks

I unfortunately didn't take any pictures of the fully loaded Thar. Let me keep that in mind when that happens next!

I didn't bother about the warning beeps, the one at 80 KMPH is not a bother and there will be a series of such single beeps between 80 to 120 (I really haven't placed when these beeps occur), which don't bother me either. And as mine is a convertible top, the noises drown these beeps to a great extent.

The 120 KMPH beep is actually a good thing - the Thar really needs a lot of attention at 120 KMPH+, and the beep keeps you at it. And the wind/ canopy noise at this speed is good enough make sure this beep doesn't bother you

[VRJ]

A sad update from my good friend’s friend, who was one of the lucky few to get delivery in November. He was super stoked about the Thar, but his excitement was short lived. He lives in Hyderabad and he was driving along on the highway around 70-100kmph when this happened:



Why? He gave his watchman the keys to the car to wash it, which he did, but he forgot to close the bonnet flaps (or whatever they’re called) on the side. Correct me if I’m wrong here, in the Thar, in order to open the bonnet we first hit a button on the inside to unlock it and then open the flaps on the side right? There is no sliding your hand underneath the bonnet to unlock it. What I’m not sure is whether the flaps were not locked properly or they were left unlocked.







The service centre quoted 9k for the bonnet and 10k for painting it. I didn’t know paint costed more than metal Either that, or the service centre is taking advantage of a desperate customer and is overcharging him. But the worst part is, the bonnet would take more than a month to arrive.

Unfortunately, the outside locks are purely mechanical and have no censor to alert the driver if they’re not secured properly, or do they?

Anyways, to all current owners and future ones, please make sure you check those damn flaps before you head out. Stay safe.

Cheers!

[hydraulicsteer]

Must be a terrifying experience while driving at highway speeds. This is terrible failure proofing or ‘ Poka Yoke’ how the Japanese call it.

Firstly a open bonnet is generally part of door ajar warning indicator which lights up on the cluster as well as chime a alarm in most modern expensive cars.

Secondly if thats how Thar’s bonnet works by design, Mahindra is relying too much on a mechanical knob located exposed outside the car. Can be fiddled easily by a over enthusiastic passerby. Seldom will you check these knoby while returning from a party!!

Mahindra being Mahindra will rectify it on Thar V2.0, your friend paid the cost to bring this to light.

[84.monsoon]

Originally Posted by VRJ

Anyways, to all current owners and future ones, please make sure you check those damn flaps before you head out. Stay safe.

Cheers!

That seems very hard to believe. Do you mean the bonnet just got folded by the wind? Or did it hit the top pf the car and bend? It is a heavy bonnet, so I am not sure it would bounce out like a cardboard and that too all of a sudden!

Also, we know the external latches are not the only way to lock the bonnet. There is an inside lever to unlock the bonnet. Did the owner not notice this??

[anandpadhye]

Originally Posted by VRJ

Why? He gave his watchman the keys to the car to wash it, which he did, but he forgot to close the bonnet flaps (or whatever they’re called) on the side. Correct me if I’m wrong here, in the Thar, in order to open the bonnet we first hit a button on the inside to unlock it and then open the flaps on the side right? There is no sliding your hand underneath the bonnet to unlock it

Sad.

Why do people open the bonnet to wash the car I wonder.

Are you sure there is no "bonnet open" warning lamp on instrument cluster?

Thanks for sharing, should serve as good reminder for everyone to check the bonnet locks before driving off.

[Vinod_nair]

This bonnet accident seems odd to comprehend, Johnny is driving on the highway at Thar's full clip of 70-100kmph, bonnet flies open hits the top of windscreen, but nothing happens to the windscreen, and mind you in this panic situation where the driver is perpetually blinded, by the flying hood, he doesn't hit anything else?

Good luck to the people who were in this Thar.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by VRJ

The service centre quoted 9k for the bonnet and 10k for painting it. I didn’t know paint costed more than metal Either that, or the service centre is taking advantage of a desperate customer and is overcharging him. But the worst part is, the bonnet would take more than a month to arrive.

I'd suggest a visit to a known competent denting tinkering shop who can fix and paint both the bonnet and the windshield frame in 2 days flat. It looks bad but it's basic denting work. Colour match should not be an issue either.

It could have been far worse with a smashed windshield and (God forbid) a complete loss of control resulting in a catastrophic accident.

[VRJ]

Originally Posted by hydraulicsteer

Secondly if thats how Thar’s bonnet works by design, Mahindra is relying too much on a mechanical knob located exposed outside the car. Can be fiddled easily by a over enthusiastic passerby. Seldom will you check these knoby while returning from a party!!

Yes, the mechanical knob/latch can definitely be fiddled with by a passerby. I can think of multiple instances where this latch can be broken accidentally. Lets just say you're on a road trip and this breaks accidentally, does this mean the Thar is no longer drive-able?

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

That seems very hard to believe. Do you mean the bonnet just got folded by the wind? Or did it hit the top of the car and bend? It is a heavy bonnet, so I am not sure it would bounce out like a cardboard and that too all of a sudden!

Yes, i just asked him. He said the bonnet opened completely and the bonnet hit the top metal part of the windscreen and bent.

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

Sad.

Are you sure there is no "bonnet open" warning lamp on instrument cluster?

He tells me that there was no warning light on the dashboard. I find this hard to believe. Doesn't every car come with a warning light? More on this below.

Originally Posted by Vinod_nair

bonnet flies open hits the top of windscreen, but nothing happens to the windscreen, and mind you in this panic situation where the driver is perpetually blinded, by the flying hood, he doesn't hit anything else?

Luckily, he hit the breaks on time and there was no other vehicle in front of him. Thankfully none of the passengers or any pedestrians were hurt. Surprisingly, the windscreen didn't break. Maybe because it hit the metal part of the windshield and not the glass. The bonnet/hood is definitely on the longer side when compared with other sub 4m SUVs.

Couple of questions to the owners of the Thar:

1. What is the process of opening the Thar's hood? I've seen a YouTube video and the process is you pull the latch on the inside, the hood pops and you go outside open the two latches and lift the hood. Is that it? or do you have to slide your hand underneath the bonnet to unlock it manually like every other car?

2. When do you get the warning light on the dashboard that the hood is open and when does it switch off?

Instance 1: You pull the latch on the inside, but the latches outside are closed.

Instance 2: When you close the hood, but forget to close the outside latches, will the warning light show on the dashboard? or will it switch off? If the exterior latches are purely mechanical, maybe when the watchman closed the hood (but did not close the exterior latches), the warning light shut off and the driver was with the assumption that the hood was closed and this lead to this unusual incident.

Update: He contacted another dealer and he said he could arrange one in 3-4 days. To BHP'ian itwasntme (love your username ) , he already ordered it yesterday, so the option of going to a bodywork shop isn't there.

Cheers!

[justwheels]

Originally Posted by VRJ

...
Why? He gave his watchman the keys to the car to wash it, which he did, but he forgot to close the bonnet flaps (or whatever they’re called) on the side. Correct me if I’m wrong here, in the Thar, in order to open the bonnet we first hit a button on the inside to unlock it and then open the flaps on the side right? There is no sliding your hand underneath the bonnet to unlock it. What I’m not sure is whether the flaps were not locked properly...
..

Oh man! This is sad, but glad no one got hurt and all ended safely. It would have been a nightmare for the driver.

This is a huge oversight by Mahindra of not providing a fail safe mechanism. This makes those two little latches a critical part that are available for fiddling by strangers anytime. I just hope Mahindra can make some adjustments to avoid such mishaps.

I agree with fellow bhpians that it still seems to be a regular denting painting work. But I can understand the embarrassment one has to go through when you have such things happen to a new vehicle, which could have been a heart over head purchase. I am sure your friend's friend wanted to get his Thar back to glory asap.

Now this will be added to regular checklist on Thar before starting the ride. Mine from March once I get it.

[AutoNoob]

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

the Thar feels better planted on the road when fully loaded

I can second this. Our first gen Thar was totally different vehicle to drive when fully loaded (6 + few bags). No bouncing, rear end in particular. Obviously, we had to adjust our braking to account for additional braking distance.

Originally Posted by VRJ

he was driving along on the highway around 70-100kmph when this happened

It's really painful to see damage to any vehicle, let alone this beauty.

What I’m not sure is whether the flaps were not locked properly or they were left unlocked.

Its most likely the second one. The washing guy must have opened the Hood Lock Levers to clean the area underneath them and missed to lock them in place.

Unfortunately, the outside locks are purely mechanical and have no censor to alert the driver if they’re not secured properly, or do they?

Originally Posted by hydraulicsteer

This is terrible failure proofing or ‘ Poka Yoke’ how the Japanese call it... Firstly a open bonnet is generally part of door ajar warning indicator which lights up on the cluster as well as chime a alarm in most modern expensive cars.

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

Are you sure there is no "bonnet open" warning lamp on instrument cluster?

Originally Posted by VRJ

He tells me that there was no warning light on the dashboard. I find this hard to believe. Doesn't every car come with a warning light?...

2. When do you get the warning light on the dashboard that the hood is open and when does it switch off?

Instance 1: You pull the latch on the inside, but the latches outside are closed.

Instance 2: When you close the hood, but forget to close the outside latches, will the warning light show on the dashboard? or will it switch off? If the exterior latches are purely mechanical, maybe when the watchman closed the hood (but did not close the exterior latches), the warning light shut off and the driver was with the assumption that the hood was closed and this lead to this unusual incident.

In our first gen Thar, there was no warning light for any door or hood open. Seems like same bad approach has been carried over to this gen.

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

That seems very hard to believe. Do you mean the bonnet just got folded by the wind? Or did it hit the top pf the car and bend? It is a heavy bonnet, so I am not sure it would bounce out like a cardboard and that too all of a sudden!

Originally Posted by VRJ

Yes, i just asked him. He said the bonnet opened completely and the bonnet hit the top metal part of the windscreen and bent... Maybe because it hit the metal part of the windshield and not the glass. The bonnet/hood is definitely on the longer side when compared with other sub 4m SUVs.

I am able to comprehend this situation and as VRJ rightly mentioned about the length of the bonnet, its quite possible that it got bent after hitting, but not damaging, the windshield.

Originally Posted by hydraulicsteer

Secondly if thats how Thar’s bonnet works by design, Mahindra is relying too much on a mechanical knob located exposed outside the car.

Originally Posted by VRJ

Yes, the mechanical knob/latch can definitely be fiddled with by a passerby. I can think of multiple instances where this latch can be broken accidentally. Lets just say you're on a road trip and this breaks accidentally, does this mean the Thar is no longer drive-able?

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

Also, we know the external latches are not the only way to lock the bonnet. There is an inside lever to unlock the bonnet. Did the owner not notice this??...

Couple of questions to the owners of the Thar:
1. What is the process of opening the Thar's hood? I've seen a YouTube video and the process is you pull the latch on the inside, the hood pops and you go outside open the two latches and lift the hood. Is that it? or do you have to slide your hand underneath the bonnet to unlock it manually like every other car?

Again referring to our first gen Thar's manual, Hood Release Lever needs to be pulled from under the dashboard and Hood Lock levers need to be released from the bonnet sides to open it. It's unlikely this got changed in new Thar. Modern cars have two locks by regulation : primary (to be opened from inside) & secondary (to be opened from outside vehicle). The hood Lock levers on Thar are the secondary locks. That said, in my opinion, the bonnet should stay in place even with primary lock. Will check with few friends and update here.

However, considering the easy-to-open Hood Lock Levers, we were always careful. Used to check them before starting. Infact, we promptly got a Hood Lock Lever replaced at MASS, when it broke. We were wary of this situation faced by VRJ's friend, but luckily never faced it.