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Will missing front spoiler affect MPG?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by ETP, Oct 23, 2014.

  1. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),Highlander HYB Plat,B52-D,G,F,H

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    Lost my spoiler on the HWY to Hell and I am thinking about leaving it off rather than buy a new one.

    Does this affect MPG?
     
  2. telmo744

    telmo744 HSD fanatic

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    Is the small black one you are talking about?
    Don't know if it affects, my MPG haven't changed since my wife "removed" it...one year ago...o_O
     
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Is this something in vicinity of front bumper you've lost?? Or the biggish panel under the engine? The latter's notorious for coming apart after service department abuse, lost fasteners, failed hinge.

    When I think of "HWY to hell" "road to Hana" comes to mind. They've even got a T-shirt for that.

    road to hana t-shirt - Google Search=_
     
  4. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),Highlander HYB Plat,B52-D,G,F,H

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    It is the black spoiler under the front bumper that always scrapes the concrete barriers when you park. I think goes the entire width of the car.

    Not the drop down service panels. Those seem to be in place.
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Those things lap, kind of like like shingles. I'm thinking if the front one is missing the engine panel is gonna be a bit more vulnerable, and creating more drag. I'd look into replacement, but that's me.
     
  6. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    Sounds like a good story. Want to share?
     
  7. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),Highlander HYB Plat,B52-D,G,F,H

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    Driving back at night on I-4 from Disney on a black HWY boxed in on all sides by traffic and a large black recap pops out from under the vehicles and rolls in front of me and I leap over it in my super Prius with a single bound. I wish/LOL.

    So I am really confused as after I got home I checked my wife's 2011 and it looks the same as my 2012 under the front. I could have swore the 2012 had a black spoiler that slopped backwards across the bottom of the front bumper.

    Well it did and we both lost our spoilers or I am hallucinating the presence of a spoiler. Can anyone check their 2012 option IV?
     
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    FWIW, a couple of snaps of our 2010:

    Prius under bumper 01.JPG
    Prius under bumper 02.JPG

    <note to mod's: seems there's an ongoing problem, posting images from an Iphone5, Safari, OS 8.1>
     
  9. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),Highlander HYB Plat,B52-D,G,F,H

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    Well I may be hallucinating again. The 2012 is one piece and wider but pretty much the same item. Also the bottom bumper nose sticks out a little more than the 10 and 11.
     
  10. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    The whole plastic cover under my car has been removed and no affect on mpg's. I'd put a new one back on but the cost was way too much for a sheet of plastic :)
     
  11. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    There's really nothing under there hanging down that I would call a spoiler.