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

Air conditioner vents in back seats aren't blowing.

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Prius33704, Jul 6, 2020.

  1. Prius33704

    Prius33704 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2019
    8
    0
    0
    Location:
    Central Florida
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    My 2017 Four Touring was bought used and is no longer under warranty.
    I didn't check the air vents in the back since I bought it 2 years ago. I checked today, and there's no air coming out of either vent in the back.

    There was a lot of dog hair in the back seat so I don't know if it has anything to do with the air not coming out.
    The last 5 or 6 web searches haven't produced anything usable for me.

    Any directions would be appreciated.
     
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,768
    16,017
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Are you talking about the vents in the floor? Do you have the climate control set to "FOOT"?

    If you're talking about the vents underneath the seat, those are for the hybrid battery.
     
    alanclarkeau likes this.
  3. Pulse07

    Pulse07 Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2020
    273
    137
    0
    Location:
    East Bay, California
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    There's no air vents for back seats. Air only blows for front seats. the vents you see on the bottom of the back bench are actually vents for the hybrid battery.
     
  4. Prius33704

    Prius33704 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2019
    8
    0
    0
    Location:
    Central Florida
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    According to this video, which is for "cooling performance" issue, the vents (maybe just 1 of the 2 in the back) are are tied to the AC system.
    "toyota pruis cooling performance low' https://youtu.be/FbZoJgrltHc?t=375

    The previous owner(s) of mine had dogs in the car, so I'm guessing that might be the reason why.
     
  5. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    IF.....there really ARE vents in the back, they likely produce air ONLY when the controls are directed to the FLOOR in front.
    And the dogs would not be a factor unless they got under the seats and chewed up the ducts.

    The combination of the replies you already got contain the answer to your question.
    Your guess is WRONG.
     
  6. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2010
    2,404
    2,773
    47
    Location:
    South Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Cooling performance of the HV battery not AC and air doesn't come out of those vents, it's sucked in by the fan shown in the video, no relation to the AC at all.
     
  7. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    6,690
    6,382
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    None of them are directly tied to the A/C system. All of them are indirectly tied to the A/C system, by being in the same car.

    Those vents under the rear seat are there to pull air conditioned air that is floating free in your cabin and draw it through the traction battery. There is no direct airway between the air conditioner and the battery, all that air passes through the open cabin along the way.

    It is still a good idea to verify that the traction batery cooling fan is operating normally- it's just that you'll never feel cold air coming out of those vents on the rear seat because that's not how they work.
     
  8. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2010
    2,404
    2,773
    47
    Location:
    South Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    FWIW, the filter in those vents could become blocked with dog hair. If you get any HV battery warnings it's worth checking they're not blocked.
     
  9. DIY gen3

    DIY gen3 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2020
    6
    6
    0
    Location:
    Paducah, KY
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    MY 2020 LE has a switch on the right side of the climate control panel that changes the AC to front only or front and back. The vents for the rear are under the front seats facing rearward.
     
  10. Pulse07

    Pulse07 Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2020
    273
    137
    0
    Location:
    East Bay, California
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    I The button just prioritize air to the driver's vents. interesting, I wasnt aware there are vents under the front setas blowing at rear passangers, I have to checl=k.
     
  11. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,768
    16,017
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Well they are “rear seat heater ducts”. There are no rear A/C vents in the Prius.
     
  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I guess I need to do some experimentation since I never sit in back. If S-Flow mode prioritizes AC to the front and there are no A/C ducts to the back, how does it work when not in S-Flow?
     
  13. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,073
    14,982
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    It is possible to select A/C and also select floor outlets. If you do that, hey presto, you do have "rear A/C", and you can gaslight your back seat passengers and say you have no idea why their toes are chilly.
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  14. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,768
    16,017
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    When it's cold and the heater is on, there's no air going to the rear floor ducts?
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  15. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2010
    2,404
    2,773
    47
    Location:
    South Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    I recall seeing rear ducts under the front seats in the Gen 3, but can't see any in the Gen 4.
     
  16. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Cold? Heater? Whazzat?? :ROFLMAO:

    Prime has ducts under front seats, but you have to stand on your head to see them.

    I suspected that and was going to try it. Not sure how it would affect S-Flow. I do know it will turn off the "Auto" indicator.
     
    kithmo and Tideland Prius like this.