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A/C condensor damaged by rock

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by dame3780, Oct 26, 2017.

  1. dame3780

    dame3780 Member

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    My poor car was damaged by rocks from a passing semi truck. Imagine hail damage but with rocks. There is damage all over the front and driver side, windshield is busted, and the a/c condenser was hit.

    Has anyone had a rock make it through the grill and hit their condensor? The top grill really doesn't protect the perfect rock from flying through causing damage. If I pull the underside plastic shield off, will I be able to remove the condensor or do I need to take off the front bumper?
     
    #1 dame3780, Oct 26, 2017
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    yes, it has happened to others. sorry to hear it happened to you. have you spoken with your insurance company yet?
    my dad use to force those guys off the road and get their insurance.
     
    #2 bisco, Oct 26, 2017
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  3. dame3780

    dame3780 Member

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    I've never heard of it happening. After it's fixed I'm going to install some mesh screen or something. I've never really looked at it before now. I'm starting to get estimates now for insurance. When I was able to turn around, the truck was gone.
     
    #3 dame3780, Oct 26, 2017
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  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    hang around here long enough, and there isn't much you don't hear. mesh is a good idea, and should have been factory installed. is your underbody shielding in place?
     
    #4 bisco, Oct 26, 2017
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  5. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    I have a bra on the front of the car for this reason;). While a black bra on a red car isn’t the prettiest thing, it’s functional:).

    Definitely caught many a stone that would have made it through, only to make a slightly larger hole in the mesh.

    Good luck and keep us posted (y).
     
    #5 Raytheeagle, Oct 26, 2017
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  6. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Here's our 2011 with aluminum mesh installed behind the grills, ignore the leaves lol:

    Upper grill:
    1509072072739.jpg

    Lower grill:
    1509072085613.jpg


    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #6 xliderider, Oct 26, 2017
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  7. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    #7 Grit, Oct 26, 2017
  8. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Do tell ‘cause we have a 2017 RX grill that has gaping holes in it and looking for a solution(y).
     
    #8 Raytheeagle, Oct 26, 2017
  9. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    #9 xliderider, Oct 26, 2017
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  10. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    #10 xliderider, Oct 26, 2017
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  11. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Sorry for the poor image, but you can see the mesh behind the grill if you zoom in:


    1509074777739.jpg

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #11 xliderider, Oct 26, 2017
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  12. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Were the rocks kicked up by tires from the road, or dropped from the vehicle? The first is a road hazard, an 'act of god', but the second is an illegal unsecured load.

    I had a side window exploded on my other vehicle several years ago, from a rock that fell off the flatbed of a truck hauling heavy oil/gasfield equipment. It ticked the RH mirror and bounced into the glass. Had I not seen it (or maybe another one with it) bounce up and had not moved a few feet over before impact, it would have done the same as this (scroll down to second picture):
    Teens could face life in prison if convicted of murder after rock thrown at van kills passenger - ABC News
    The spouse and I got by with multiple tiny embedded glass shards, eye irritation, one scratched cornea, and one scratched eyeglass lens that probably prevented additional eye damage.

    That is part of the reason I now have dashcams, to help ID the trucks to hold them financially liable. Or to help investigators figure out who to charge with criminally negligent homicide in case I can no longer talk.
     
    #12 fuzzy1, Oct 26, 2017
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2017
  13. dame3780

    dame3780 Member

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    Yes the under shied is still in place. I will investigate further this weekend.

    Dropped from vehicle. The load shifted or something. It sounded like someone could have been having fun with a baseball bat it was that loud.
     
    #13 dame3780, Oct 26, 2017
  14. phoenixgreg

    phoenixgreg Senior member

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    #14 phoenixgreg, Oct 27, 2017
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  15. dame3780

    dame3780 Member

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    #15 dame3780, Oct 27, 2017
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2017
  16. phoenixgreg

    phoenixgreg Senior member

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    Yes, it was an all-day project, and if I recall, I had to trim some of the structural plastic behind the bumper for the upper pieces to fit properly. If you are a DIYer, it should be an interesting project. Just be sure to put an old towel below where the bumper comes off so the paint doesn't get guffed when you set it down in front of the car. You need to do this to disconnect the turn signal lamps. Upper and lower pieces are sold separately, if I remember correctly.
     
    #16 phoenixgreg, Oct 28, 2017
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  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Are you aware of the need for special oil in the Prius AC system? Do you have the relevant Repair Manual sections for condensor replacement? A dedicated set of gauges/plumbing that hasn't been used with regular AC oil?

    This is something I'd just hand over to a dealership, use my insurance.
     
    #17 Mendel Leisk, Oct 28, 2017
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  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Adding a protection mesh behind the bumper openings is something I would take on though.
     

    Attached Files:

    #18 Mendel Leisk, Oct 28, 2017
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  19. dame3780

    dame3780 Member

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    Yes I'm aware. I'm on another round of estimates, working with insurance. Still seeing where this is going. I'm not touching the charging system-letting a pro do it but I would wrench in the condenser.
     
    #19 dame3780, Oct 31, 2017
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