rear console cover

[betshsu]

The part of my center console that holds the rear cup holders (which I will refer to as the rear console cover from now on) has always had a gap at the top where it meets the center console door hinge (does that make any sense?). I figured this was normal. When climbing around my car this weekend (climbing from the drivers seat to the rear seat to retrieve an umbrella in the hatch) I managed to take the entire rear console cover off. I thought I had snapped it back in, but it came off again the next day (probably just from vibration during driving)--my boyfriend had taken my Prius again and thought someone had broken into the car (what a feat!) but couldn't figure out why they would be interested in getting into that part. When he got home, he told me my car was falling apart. We snapped it in again (this time we actually took the time to look at how the part attaches, and it seems like there are slots at the bottom), it seems like pretty firmly this time.

So... is the gap normal? Has anyone else had problems with this part coming off? I'm due for my first oil change soon, so I could have it looked at then.

[Tideland Prius]

Could you take a photo of the said problem? Cause all I have in mind right down is the indent for your fingers so that you can open the rear cupholders but I'm sure that's not what you're talking about.

[betshsu]

No... it's not the indent. It's actually a gap between the hinge of the console door and the rear plastic piece. You can kind of see the wires and stuff that are behind the rear cover. I'll take a picture when I get home and post it.

[jeromep]

I'll ask some more questions, even though we don't have a picture yet.

Is this gap at the bottom of the cupholder, when the cupholder is closed?

I will have to take a look on mine, but the cupholder is a pretty substantial piece of plastic and there has to be clearance in the hinge and console itself for the cupholder to open the way it does.

[betshsu]

No, it's at the top, where you would grasp the cupholder to flip it down. If you're looking down at the center console, it would be right behind where the hinge for the console to open is and right in front of where the vertical piece that contains the cup holder begins. The gap may exist to allow the center console to open.

Pictures this evening, I promise... (if I can remember)...

[Tideland Prius]

i.e. in front of the indent?

Then no, the gap between the plastic and the console cover is very very tight (when the cover is closed)

but do post the pic and we can all have a clear view

[betshsu]

Damn damn damn... I didn't get around to taking a picture last night; I was going to do it this morning, under the assumption that I would be allowed to drive my Prius today because it wasn't my boyfriend's turn to drive the carpool (see thread "my Prius left me for another man!"--I lost weekday possession of the Prius to my boyfriend who has a much longer commute). He left much earlier than me, and either plans changed or he just took the extra fob out of habit/sleepiness and drove the Prius. I'll get my act together tonight and take the pic when the Prius returns.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius\";p=\"74903)</div>

i.e. in front of the indent?

Then no, the gap between the plastic and the console cover is very very tight (when the cover is closed)

but do post the pic and we can all have a clear view
[/b]

If "the cover is closed" means when the top part that allows you access into the center console is closed, then I definitely have a significant gap.

Pictures are definitely necessary for this, trying to describe it is too confusing. I apologize for my lack of foresight. I should have known he would steal the Prius .

[jrfaris]

My camera was handy so grabbed a couple of quick pix of the area you are describing. CarMyne doesn't have a significant gap in the hinge area. Don't see how it would be possible to see any interior wiring. The console covering overlaps a plastic shield surrounding the hinges.

[betshsu]

Thanks for the pictures.

So in the second picture, the gap between darker fabric covering of the console and the lighter plastic is what I am refering to; my gap was bigger than that. It's possible that it's better now that we reattached the piece, but I didn't check that closely the evening that it happened; I will look at it again tonight (and take a picture).

[Tideland Prius]

Thanks for the pics!

Yeah, so I was talking about the same thing. (Sorry betshsu if my words were confusing too).

Yeah, so like I said, it's a pretty tight gap. Maybe give it a knock or two?