1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Accessing Gen 4 blower motor

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by J Kyte, Dec 16, 2019.

  1. J Kyte

    J Kyte Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2016
    8
    6
    0
    Location:
    Halifax
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Hi all,

    It sounds as though I have a piece of debris in around the cabin air blower in my 2016. I can hear it rattling around as I go around turns, and occasionally it sits against the fins of the blower, making a tremendous racket.

    Does anyone know if the motor is easily accessed or how to get at it? I've seen some gen 3 threads stating it's fairly easily accessed behind the glovebox in that generation, any idea if it's the same for the gen 4?
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,781
    48,985
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    your manual should show how to change the cabin filter. it should be directly beneath it.
     
    J Kyte likes this.
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,710
    38,247
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Hopefully not some rodent's nut collection?
     
  4. J Kyte

    J Kyte Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2016
    8
    6
    0
    Location:
    Halifax
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    It turned out that's exactly what it was! I took the filter and blower motor out (for future reference, the blower motor drops out easily by removing 3 8mm bolts and pulling out a plug) and started pulling out acorns. Not 1, not 2, but 28.

    There are some empty spaces between the cylinder the blower is in and the square corners of the housing. The acorns filled these corners and were spilling over, falling into the blower. I got most out by pinching them in my fingers, but the last few required a bit of double-sided tape on my fingertip, as I could just barely touch them.
     
    blane, kithmo and Mendel Leisk like this.
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,710
    38,247
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Better take the wipers and cowl off, put some 1/4" mesh over the cabin air intake. There's likely also a pair of vents below the hatch floor, at the rear corners, not sure. Still, looks like the front is where they're getting in.
     

    Attached Files:

    J Kyte likes this.
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,710
    38,247
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    That attachment wasn't much help. This is better, hopefully complete:
     

    Attached Files:

    Tande likes this.