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rear end falling off. Happened to anyone?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by zzzzz, Sep 15, 2011.

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  1. zzzzz

    zzzzz Junior Member

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    I got out of my car tonight to unload some groceries and I noticed that the rear end of my car seemed to be separating from itself. I have tried to upload a couple of pics.
    It has not been hit.
    It is a 2011 with about 15000 miles.
    Anyone had this happen to them?
     

    Attached Files:

    #1 zzzzz, Sep 15, 2011
  2. zzzzz

    zzzzz Junior Member

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    Not the greatest of pics. Sorry.
    the first is the drivers side and the second is the pass side. It is the pass side that seems to be coming apart.
     
    #2 zzzzz, Sep 15, 2011
  3. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    I wish I could lose some of my rear end, I have a few pounds to shed :p

    I think I have seen one other post similar to this. Take it to the dealer.
     
    #3 jdcollins5, Sep 15, 2011
    WE0H likes this.
  4. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    I've had that part off my car twice while installing my backup sensors. It looks like it just needs to be seated. Reach down and put both hand under the bottom corner of the bumper, right under the area with the gap and give it a quick jerk upwards. It doesn't take much force to latch it in place. It should pop right into place. That's what the dealer will try first and doing it yourself is easier than going to the dealer.

    If it does happen again, you have a lot of warranty left so don't sweat it.
     
    #4 xs650, Sep 15, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  5. JACoH

    JACoH Enjoying the mileage

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    And don't stand on the back bumper cover when cleaning the back window.
     
    #5 JACoH, Sep 18, 2011
  6. Rokeby

    Rokeby Member

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    What thread title suggested to me:

    [​IMG]

    Usually this sort of thing isn't a matter of discussion among
    the really hardcore hypermilers until the dead of winter. :rolleyes:
     
    #6 Rokeby, Sep 18, 2011
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  7. katiesdad7

    katiesdad7 Member

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    Mine did the same. Covered under warranty.
     
    #7 katiesdad7, Sep 18, 2011
  8. tf4624

    tf4624 Active Member

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    Nope but if it did, just put it back on
     
    #8 tf4624, Sep 20, 2011
  9. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

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    Mine is held on by duct tape right now. :( (Wife got hit yesterday).
     
    #9 billnchristy, Sep 23, 2011
  10. zzzzz

    zzzzz Junior Member

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    Re: rear end falling off. Happened to anyone? New info

    I was waiting for this week to take the car to the dealer (fall break). When I was telling the service rep what was the matter she asked has this ever been hit? I said no. I realize it could have been hit in a parking lot but there was not a scratch or any indication that it had been hit. Anyway I waited an hour and they came out and said they didn't have a body shop but that I could take it to a body shop they worked with and they would determine if it had been hit. She then asked me again,"are you sure it hasn't been hit?" I was kinda pissed at that point.

    The dealer I bought the car from is about 80 miles from my house so I decided to take it to someone on my side of town to see what they might say. I stopped at a body shop that had done work for me on another car and had it looked at and they said it didn't look to them like it had been hit.

    I next went to a dealer on my side of town. The service manager said outright, "this doesn't happen unless it's been hit." He gave me an 800 number and said call them and tell my story and somebody would come out and look at it. Of course that means I'll have to bring it down again so I have to take a day off. They said they'd get back to me in three days.

    So much for being covered by warranty.
    Crappy, crappy day.
     
    #10 zzzzz, Oct 11, 2011
  11. glennhl

    glennhl Member

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    Re: rear end falling off. Happened to anyone? New info

    I was putting on one of the hard plastic bumper protectors on the back of my Prius the other day. As I was pushing down, the right side of the bumper cover popped off. All I did was push it back up and it snapped back in place. Have you tried snapping it back in place yourself?
     
    #11 glennhl, Oct 12, 2011
  12. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

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    Sorry to hear about the accident, but the fix is a perfect fit for the White Trash Repairs website.....
     
    #12 wick1ert, Oct 12, 2011
  13. glennhl

    glennhl Member

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    Duct tape? It would be perfect for the Red Green show.
     
    #13 glennhl, Oct 12, 2011
  14. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

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    BTW the body shop guy said the bumpers are held on by clips and once that gap forms it means one of the clips is broken and has to be replaced to fix it.

    You can shove the bumper back in place but it will drop probably on the first bump.

    My car is finally in the shop getting repairs, quarter panel getting cut out and replaced, new wheel, new bumper, new inner fender...etc...

    Worse part is I am in a gas guzzling Maliboat getting 21mpg, this thing eats like an eighth of a tank a day.
     
    #14 billnchristy, Oct 13, 2011
  15. wheelsup

    wheelsup Junior Member

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    Same thing here I think they are clips that break. Would love a writeup on how to fix.

    They don't make them like they used to I can jump up and down on my Volvo wagon's bumper all day and it just rocks the car. Course it also only gets 30 mpg too...:).
     
    #15 wheelsup, Oct 16, 2011
  16. car78412

    car78412 Member

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    I had just picked up my Prius from the body shop (large tree branch hit me during a storm) when I was rear ended by an idiot in a rental.
    The rear bumper poped out on the side and the bumper was creased $1,280.00 in damaged. Rear bumper needs to be replaced. So I am back driving my 03 Tacoma (20mpg) using $10 gas a day. Last time it was in for a week, this time only 4 days. I really miss not driving my Prius. :cool:
     
    #16 car78412, Oct 16, 2011
  17. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    The clips can come undone, otherwise you couldn't remove the bumper. It's always worth a try shoving it back in place.

    The bumper skin is fairly easy to remove. IIRC, all it took was a Philips screwdriver and a 10mm socket and some prying. I had mine off a couple of times installing back-up sensors.

    I did break one clip on the left side, unfortunately it was an integral part of a $50 plastic bracket.
     
    #17 xs650, Oct 16, 2011
  18. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

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    I am stuck with a V-6 Malibu that I have forced to get 21.5mpg.

    It is still ridiculous to use nearly 16 gallons of gas to go 200 miles when I am used to using 9 to go 450. :mad:
     
    #18 billnchristy, Oct 17, 2011
  19. calvin mcgill

    calvin mcgill Junior Member

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    Does anyone have the part number for the retainer clip? I'm looking for the driver side retainer. Thanks
     
    #19 calvin mcgill, May 29, 2013
  20. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

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    could be a hit and run with no marks
     
    #20 tankyuong, May 29, 2013
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