My transaxle cover was backwards. Potential serious problem!

mcbrunnhilde · 09-04-2006, 06:50 PM

I'd like to send a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to hobbit for the information he posted about the backwards transaxle assembly cover that could potentially damage the M/G wiring harness (I hope it's OK to post your link here...).

http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/starthole/

When I took my car in for the steering recall, I asked them to take a look at it, and they told me mine was done incorrectly!! Since my sister in Virginia got her Prius on the same day I did, I e-mailed her the link so she could have her dealer there take a look at it--and HERS was wrong as well!!!!!!!!! We're both very grateful that ours got corrected before any problems came of it--and our respective dealerships are now alerted to this problem. I don't know if they'll check every car that comes in since there's no TSB or SSC about it at this time, but I hope they do.

According to hobbit's link, I guess this only affects 2004 and 2005 (?) cars, and I encourage others to take this info to their dealers to see if they have this problem as well and get it corrected.

BTW I bought my car on 3/29/04, my build date was 2/04, and my VIN is 51xxx. I don't know my sister's VIN, but I imagine it's very close to mine.

Solar_Powered · 09-04-2006, 11:14 PM

After reading your post, I drove the front tires of my Prius up on some 2x4 scraps so I could squeeze underneath and take a look. Sure enough, my 2005 has the cover "tab" very close to the wiring harness as you described. But in mine, it was not touching (about 1/32" gap). The harness itself is encased in the hard black plastic wire loom, and I would guess even if it was touching, it would take a lot of vibration to penetrate.

But being on the safe side, I cut a 1" piece of scrap heater hose, split it, and slipped it over the wiring harness for added protection.

Thanks for the post.

hobbit · 09-04-2006, 11:53 PM

The problem is still present in the '06 models.
.
I'm told it has been responsible for the early demise of at least
one Prius fresh off the boat, but it could very well be that the
likelihood of an actual problem is still fairly low in most of them.
Still, if Toyota recalls cars because a Sumo wrestler can deliberately
jam the wheels up against a curb and twist the crap out of the steering
shaft, they can certainly recall cars for something like this too.
.
_H*

mcbrunnhilde · 09-05-2006, 04:07 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Sep 4 2006, 08:53 PM) [snapback]314361[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

The problem is still present in the '06 models.
.
I'm told it has been responsible for the early demise of at least
one Prius fresh off the boat, but it could very well be that the
likelihood of an actual problem is still fairly low in most of them.
Still, if Toyota recalls cars because a Sumo wrestler can deliberately
jam the wheels up against a curb and twist the crap out of the steering
shaft, they can certainly recall cars for something like this too.
.
_H*
[/b]

I wonder if it would help if a lot of Priuschatters went to their dealers with your pictures in hand. If dealerships started calling Toyota corporate saying that they were having to correct this, maybe we'd get a TSB out of it at the very least. Toyota has had to recall a lot of cars in the last year or so, and I can understand their reluctance to issue one when there's such a small failure rate. Didn't we get a gas tank TSB because of all the owner complaints? Let's go for it with the transaxle cover!!!

daronspicher · 09-05-2006, 05:49 AM

what are the rules on getting electrocuted when looking for this problem? If it's in stage 4 of wearing out, you die for touching the transmission as you inspect?

As long as the car is "off", the wiring contains no live current?

Every so often Ford or Chevy would build a new car with the radiator hose rubbing on something like this.

eagle33199 · 09-05-2006, 09:50 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ Sep 5 2006, 04:49 AM) [snapback]314438[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

what are the rules on getting electrocuted when looking for this problem? If it's in stage 4 of wearing out, you die for touching the transmission as you inspect?

As long as the car is "off", the wiring contains no live current?

Every so often Ford or Chevy would build a new car with the radiator hose rubbing on something like this.
[/b]

I doubt you'd get electrocuted on something like this... when the car's off, the HV battery is disconnected, so there's no worry there. In addition, the 12V battery just doesn't pack enough of a punch to do serious damage... sure, your fingers or hand might tingle for a little bit if you accidentally touch some live wires, but there'd be no lasting damage.

richard schumacher · 09-05-2006, 10:20 AM

The wiring harness which is at risk when this cover is installed backwards never carries high voltage. It is not dangerous to handle. All of the high voltage harnesses are bright orange, and they are live only when the car is on.

ScottY · 09-05-2006, 10:20 AM

I made a similar post at the Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting forum, http://priuschat.com/Possible-harness-dama...ius-t23870.html. Great that your dealer actually correct the problem for you. The dealer I went to didn't want to do any correction without Toyota's instructions. I haven't have time to call them back. Maybe I'll do it today.

09-04-2006, 06:50 PM	#1
mcbrunnhilde Opera singin' Prius nut! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 596 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I'd like to send a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to hobbit for the information he posted about the backwards transaxle assembly cover that could potentially damage the M/G wiring harness (I hope it's OK to post your link here...). http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/starthole/ When I took my car in for the steering recall, I asked them to take a look at it, and they told me mine was done incorrectly!! Since my sister in Virginia got her Prius on the same day I did, I e-mailed her the link so she could have her dealer there take a look at it--and HERS was wrong as well!!!!!!!!! We're both very grateful that ours got corrected before any problems came of it--and our respective dealerships are now alerted to this problem. I don't know if they'll check every car that comes in since there's no TSB or SSC about it at this time, but I hope they do. According to hobbit's link, I guess this only affects 2004 and 2005 (?) cars, and I encourage others to take this info to their dealers to see if they have this problem as well and get it corrected. BTW I bought my car on 3/29/04, my build date was 2/04, and my VIN is 51xxx. I don't know my sister's VIN, but I imagine it's very close to mine. __________________ Pat 2004 Salsa #7/AM "Gracie"

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09-04-2006, 11:14 PM	#2
Solar_Powered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Cypress, Southern California Posts: 34 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	After reading your post, I drove the front tires of my Prius up on some 2x4 scraps so I could squeeze underneath and take a look. Sure enough, my 2005 has the cover "tab" very close to the wiring harness as you described. But in mine, it was not touching (about 1/32" gap). The harness itself is encased in the hard black plastic wire loom, and I would guess even if it was touching, it would take a lot of vibration to penetrate. But being on the safe side, I cut a 1" piece of scrap heater hose, split it, and slipped it over the wiring harness for added protection. Thanks for the post.

09-04-2006, 11:53 PM	#3
hobbit Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bahstahn Posts: 2,976 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The problem is still present in the '06 models. . I'm told it has been responsible for the early demise of at least one Prius fresh off the boat, but it could very well be that the likelihood of an actual problem is still fairly low in most of them. Still, if Toyota recalls cars because a Sumo wrestler can deliberately jam the wheels up against a curb and twist the crap out of the steering shaft, they can certainly recall cars for something like this too. . _H*

09-05-2006, 05:49 AM	#5
daronspicher Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,205 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	what are the rules on getting electrocuted when looking for this problem? If it's in stage 4 of wearing out, you die for touching the transmission as you inspect? As long as the car is "off", the wiring contains no live current? Every so often Ford or Chevy would build a new car with the radiator hose rubbing on something like this.

09-05-2006, 10:20 AM	#7
richard schumacher nacreous lacquer Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: United States Posts: 4,126 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The wiring harness which is at risk when this cover is installed backwards never carries high voltage. It is not dangerous to handle. All of the high voltage harnesses are bright orange, and they are live only when the car is on.

09-05-2006, 10:20 AM	#8
ScottY Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,245 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I made a similar post at the Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting forum, http://priuschat.com/Possible-harness-dama...ius-t23870.html. Great that your dealer actually correct the problem for you. The dealer I went to didn't want to do any correction without Toyota's instructions. I haven't have time to call them back. Maybe I'll do it today.