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Panel from undercarriage of car fell off...

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by quantumslip, Jan 9, 2012.

  1. quantumslip

    quantumslip Member

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    When backing out today I noticed a pretty bad scrapping sound. It went away so I assumed that it was just a trashcan lid that I had run over. Tonight my mom came home and noticed a panel on the street. After looking at this thread http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/68549-photos-taken-bottom-my-prius.html I identified the piece that fell off.

    1. How concerned should I be about replacing it? There appears to be some weird thing on the other side.

    2. Cost to replace?
     

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  2. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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  3. quantumslip

    quantumslip Member

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  4. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

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    The Gen III Prius has one great looking undercarriage.
     
  5. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    Yeah, unless you have an extended warranty, you are out of luck. But you can use the information within to do the repair yourself as well as use the part number to shop around. Champion Toyota has a very busy online parts store and you could probably arrange a will call at the discounted price if they or others aren't willing to ship it.

    Champion ToyotaWorld
     
    1 person likes this.
  6. rrg

    rrg Active Member

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    What is that white thing in your hand?
    Is it part of the black panel or did something else fall off?

    If that is indeed the oil change door, folks on this site have been reattaching them with aluminium piano hinges.

    my2cents.
     
  7. Den49

    Den49 Member

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  8. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    For those that depend on dealers and others to change their oil, I would highly recommend checking the fasteners on the engine undercover each time your oil is changed. When I started out with the dealer changing oil I would find the minimum number of fasteners installed each time. I would re-install the missing fasteners and more would be missing the next time.

    I think the techs just install the minimum when re-installing. I do not know whether they are breaking the push-pins and not replacing or just not replacing all of them.

    I have since started changing my own oil.
     
  9. Teakwood

    Teakwood Member

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    I have never had a vehicle that suffered as much bumper and undercarriage damage as the Prius just moving in and out of parking spaces.
     
  10. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    Unfortunately, as I discovered recently, the extended warranty doesn't cover this part. Toyota told me the engine under cover is considered a body panel or body trim piece so I was out of luck. The extended warranty does not cover body panels or body trim pieces.

    I think that because it is a defective part with many failures it should be covered without regard to miles but Toyota does not see it that way, at least they didn't in my case.
     
  11. quantumslip

    quantumslip Member

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    well i took it to the dealer for them to have them look at it... looks like the entire cover is gone now, not just the oil change door. i do remember hearing a loud popping noise (like i was driving over something) late last year so I think part of the cover might have actually popped off while driving on the freeway :eek:

    the service adviser said the push pins used to hold the cover in place aren't the best and that toyota would look to use metal bolts in the future. for now, they use in addition to the push pins zip ties (which i saw some recommended here).

    i paid full price for the part (the new single panel, ~245 vs ~185 from what I saw on the internet), so I know I missed out on saving 60-70ish bucks on the part. But I don't really want to spend the time to put in on myself (don't have the stuff to raise the car as well), and the additional labor wasn't that much, so I though the price was ok.

    i will definitely keep an eye on it for the future...
     
  12. lenjack

    lenjack Active Member

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    My dealer did a good will, NC replacement for me.
     
  13. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

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    I wonder how many more changes my door might have before it falls off. I'm due soon for my next one (I do 7500ish mile oil changes due to the short driving), and am debating trying to flex it off so that when I go in for the TSB on the rough engine start, I'll get this covered before it breaks when I'm probably just out of warranty on it.
     
  14. wigwag

    wigwag Junior Member

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    As much as it pains me to say it, you are exhibiting precisely the proper attitude for a modern Toyota owner. I watched my "hinge" slowly tearing through two stealership oil changes assuming that the greasemonkeys would replace the dumb panel but noooo- try to outlast the warranty so they could nick me for the replacement. Do what I did- rip the sumbitch off and make them replace the panel.
     
  15. Mr. Prius

    Mr. Prius Junior Member

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    I went to change my oil today and the access cover is gone. I bought a 2010 used a year ago so no idea how long it's been off. Perhaps the previous owner was annoyed by it.:noidea: I kind of consider myself lucky that I don't have to deal with that access cover but at the same time, is it necessary? :behindsofa:
     
  16. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    If you don't have time to get it fixed at least go by a dealer and have them enter the fact that it's broken into the car's service history before the 36K/3 year warranty expires. I didn't do that and Toyota "Customer Experience Center" told me to go jump off a cliff. Talking to them was quite an "Experience" though.

    I also thought I could have it fixed under my Toyota Platinum extended warranty, no such luck. The under engine cover is not covered.
     
  17. Mr. Prius

    Mr. Prius Junior Member

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    thanks. i'm over 36k though :juggle:
     
  18. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    I'd just buy another one...they're only $200 from toyotapartszone. It beats the alternative of undercarriage damage.
     
  19. RockyMtGirl

    RockyMtGirl New Member

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    Greetings all!
    I too recently experienced issues with the oil access panel falling off (the post about it sounding like a flat tire are true!). I contacted my local Toyota dealer (same place we bought it from) and was told this panel is NOT covered under the original warranty (and I am not even at 35K miles yet!) The servicer manager told me it would $354 for the part and labor (or $500 for the entire undercarriage panel- GRRRR!) WHAT THE HECK? I think I could put it in myself and I am by no means a gal with any kind of automotive skills. Obviously this little panel issue is a known problem! I like several others on this site have only ever had the oil changed at this Toyota dealer. It is absolutely ridiculous that the dealer/Toyota is not willing to step up on this. This just might be our first and last Toyota.
     
  20. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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