The END ALL solution for preventing damage and loss of the OIL CHANGE DOOR - PANEL

Here's my solution to prevent the loss of the oil change door. The problem is due to the two large "gray center" clips or push rivets that hold the panel and the door, as well as the one smaller black center rivet fasten to a plastic strip that holds the strip to the plastic panel. These parts just don't hold and shear off under road conditions.

First, I replaced the 9mm holes into which the gray centered rivets go in with M6x1.0 threaded rivet nuts. I tried using hex bolts with washers, but that still let the corner of the door held with the weak plastic strip and the smaller black center rivet hang down.

So, I made a custom aluminum strip 3/4 x 1/8 inch thick soft aluminum from the hardware store.

I went to using M6x1.0x20mm Phillips head "license plate" screws to prevent service personnel from over tightening the hex bolts with a wrench.


This is what Toyota should have done at the factory.


Now, with my aluminum piano hinge installed, I am confident that there is little chance that the door will come loose or break at he hinge area.

 

Yeah,

I ran over a plastic bucket or bottle at night. It put large striations on the panel and the door. The large gray center plastic rivet was gone and the black one on the plastic strip was loose. The inner corner of the door was hanging down about 1-1/2 inch.