What the heck are these 2 things for?

There are two standard items on the car that just make no sense to me.

Two pictures below (lifted from two posters here, thanks).

1. Far left side of upper glovebox - the horizontal cutout.

2. Bottom rear corner of rear doors. Clear plastic applique'.

What are these things for? There MUST be a reason or Toyota engineers would not have designed/installed them.

And for later - has anyone else found oddities too?

1. just more space to store stuff?

2. people assume it's some sort of protection from rock chips/door banging?
it is strange that it's only in that one tiny spot, though.

#1 fits the handle of my wifes umbrella so it fits in glove box just right

Wondered the same thing about the glove box niche. The little "appliques" for the doors are supposed to protect those areas. My guess (only a guess, mind you) is that without mud flaps those little areas are particularly vunerable. Maybe?

Hi DeanFL,

The Japanese have a thing for Umbrellas. I bet its just for that as LRKing indicated.

1. Excellent question and observation! I have no idea! I'm doubting that it's for an umbrella because the horizontal cutout appears to be too small to fit a handle.

2. I believe it's to protect the paint from stuff kicked up by the front tires.

I have a feeling we might know soon. They'll invent something that will fit right in there.

EDIT: Wait... what the heck? I have a V, and neither glove box is lined, as in your picture. How is it yours is lined?

EDIT2: Ahhhh. this post explains it
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...one-thing-you-would-change-12.html#post932639

Does the horizontal cutout fit an Ipod? I understand than the hookup for an Ipod puts the Ipod in the glove compartment. Perhaps the cutout is to accommodate that. I'll find out when I get my car as it apparently already has the Ipod harness installed.

I posted the picture and I still don't buy the rock or curb protection theory.
The body doesn't go in far enough for rocks only to hit that one spot (unless it is a sniper rock then all bets are off).
The curb theory doesn't make sense either. The protection should be on the door edge and not 1 inch in.
I don't know if it is clear or body colored, but I think it is body colored.
Anyone else with a different color verified this?

Ok, here are the answers -

#1 - If you have the plasmacluster option, that is where the plasmacluster's filter is supposed to be.

#2 - The majority of dings, scratches, and paint damage happen in those areas and Toyota is just looking to project your car for possible damage. The back bottoms of the rear doors in my old G2 Prius III were constantly getting knocked into things by my kids..

These were the official answers from my service advisor at Right Toyota in Scottsdale, Arizona..

Take care!

2. Bottom rear corner of rear doors. Clear plastic applique'.

My guess is that computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and wind tunnel tests show that dirt and small rocks thrown by the front tires, hit precisely this area of the car.

Another option would be that it is protecting the door from scratches that can happen when it is opened in close proximity to another car or to the curb. Since the applique cannot wrap around or be too close to the edge because it would peel, it only protects the paint from a tiny area. (I like more my CFD theory)

BTW My Volvo had similar appliques on the wheel wells right where you would install mud flaps. They had also been cut away from the edge to avoid peeling but their location made more sense that on the Gen III and where much larger. They seem to work well.

For #2, it is for rust protection. The plastic keeps the road salt from sticking to the paint. There is also an applique on the door frame next to it. These are the areas that get rust through. Toyota has a 60 month corrosion and perforation warranty.

I would put money that during unsealed road testing a higher than acceptable number of stone chips appeared where the clear appliqué is on the rear doors, it is there to fix a problem. It isn't the first car I have seen this on.

The extension in the upper glove-box is for the skinny end of a compact folding umbrella.

I don't think this is correct--the IVs have plasmacluster and mine has the cutout in the glovebox too. I use it for a small keychain with my mailbox key. It keeps sliding off though, so I'm going to tape something over the open side to make it open only at the front.

Well, nice try on these two mysteries so far folks. First - I don't have the answers.

But, I don't buy the umbrella theory for a couple reasons. The cutout wouldn't really hold a handle securely, or allow it to 'hook in'. And there's nothing on the right side to support the business side of an umbrella. And the handle's cutout on the left would seem to be too high. But the dead giveaway it's probably NOT for an umbrella - Toyota does not offer one as an accessory. I'd have to believe if this was it, they would have mentioned it in marketing brochures and it would be a $40 option. Or, if installed at the Port, $89.95. I recall seeing a luxury car, perhaps Bentley, that had a porthole in the end of the driver's door and a standard size umbrella fit right in. BTW my little expanding umbrella fits right into the floor pocket under the driver's seat up/down handle.
The Plasmacluster-thing - nope - all models have the cutout incl my V that has the PC.

The door applique - Chip and curb protection is the only obvious reason, but doesn't quite hit home. It doesn't cover the very bottom corner of the door, so curb protection isn't complete - and why not the front doors too? Can't see how rocks etc would flip around and hit that particular area. Sounds like the magic bullet theory of 1963.

Keep tryin'.... Any other odd parts of the '10 Prius???

Yeah it wouldn't be for stone chip protection, who ever heard of stone chips in that area?

deleted.

I hear 'ya, but, why such a small portion? The rear door little triangle and small piece on leading edge of rear panel behind door.

Only logical reason, but still...
Your sample -blue- flares out a bit there.