Ruining side panel with toneau cover

Is it just me or is anyone else ruining the side panels just trying to use the toneau cover?

I try SOOOO hard to get the toneau tabs directly into the slot, but just trying to watch one side means I am not watching the other. I have put several scratches in the side panel in just the past few weeks.

Is it the hardness of the tab, the softness of the side panel or a combination of both?

I have thought about putting some kind of protective coating on the tab, but have no idea what kind or how to go about doing it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I haven't tried to remove the tonneau cover yet, but I have a suggestion. Are you trying to insert the cover while you're at the hatch door? How about getting into the backseat and trying to insert it from there? That way you could put your hands over the tabs to protect the side panels till you manage to slide them in. You'd be a lot closer than if you were standing at the hatch, and I imagine it being easier. Not sure if that makes it easier, since I'm not at my car right now, but seems like it would help.
Thanks for the warning by the way, I feel your pain. I hate knowing the car has some damage, even minor as it is. I just noticed a small ding that some evil person gave my car
Still trying to decide whether to get it fixed, or let it be. Either way I'm being more careful about where I park...

Agree + with Tideland. This problem has been discussed briefly here before. Unfortunately appears to be completely normal and a design/material issue.

1. it's almost impossible to get the two tabs into the channels at the same level and time while pulling closed and latched.
2. the plastic tab material is hard plastic. As is the finished side panel.

1 + 2 = side panel scratches, especially if the interior plastic material is prone to scratching - and that it is. My rear hatch panel sides have light scratches as well, and I'm very careful... Same for the console / instrument panel, per some posters, so be careful there too. BTW, my previous car was a '99 Lexus RX300 with very similar tonneau cover latching system. The materials used were different plastics and after 10 years, barely a scratch....

So - Bottom line, the Prius interior plastics do not seem to be very durable. This goes for the A/C and non-Nav audio display as well; easily scratched. Personally I'm not very pleased with either of these issues; the $21-34K Prius is not a Kia... man, I'm embarrassed I can't think of any 'cheap' new cars than may fall into this category. I've read that most new (even cheap cars) have decent interiors nowadays. So without belaboring the point, I believe Toyota did not excel in interior design or engineering compared to the Prius excellent exterior materials/finishes and of course everything technically under its skin.

I was going to try a thin covering of some sort on the tonneua tabs to soften the contact points, but slipped my mind till now....

I bet if you could get some "clear bra" material on it that would solve the problem.

Any suggestions on small sized product? Protecting the non-nav radio seems to be a good idea.

There are a number of screen protector products for PDS's, cut to fit screen. They may help if that's what your after but they do have some thickness--offer protection but may be unsightly there.

This thread began as a search for a solution to preventing the unsightly scratches caused by pulling out the toneau cover and attempting to insert the tabs into the receiving slots at the hatchback.

How do screen protectors for the nav system come into play? Am I missing something?

Completely removing or reinstalling the cover isn't the issue. That's easy to do without scratching anything. Hooking the cover into the tabs at the rear of the hatch is a big pain. Watch one closely, and you scratch the other side, and vice-versa.

Thread drift. :focus:

Okay, so I sat here trying to think of a way to prevent any further damage and I came up with something that works and didn't cost me a dime.

I took the toneau cover out of the car, took off the tabs from either end by removing two screws on the bottom.

Then I took my handy, dandy hot glue gun and covered the surface with you guessed it, hot glue. I only covered the sides and top so that the tabs didn't get too thick.

I let the glue dry thoroughly and then reattached the tabs and reinstalled the cover.

Here are photos of the "finished product". As you can see the glue is clear and really doesn't change the overall look of the tabs.

Hmmm, nice job dsviv! Let us know how it holds up.

radio

If you have not ever worked with standard hot glue - it gets hard, but has a slight rubbery feel to the surface. The best part is that if it gets dusty or dirty cleaning it is as simple washing it with plain water.

Now I have to figure out a way to mimimize the visible scratches to the side panel. Is there such a thing as scratch repair?