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Anyone else have a hood that no longer follows the body lines?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Mambo Dave, Mar 2, 2021.

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  1. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    Noticed this a few days ago. Both sides are now very high compared to the center. I believe too much air-flow at highway speeds may be bending the metal hood's two ends upwards. The car has never been in a crash.

    [​IMG]

    I took it to the local dealer, and the best that they could do was only to get it marginally lower.

    I'm not one to ever open the hood (on this car - I trust the dealership and visit it often). Yes, the photo is taken with it being fully latched down. Both sides were equally as high.
     
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  2. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Underneath at the front on both sides are adjustable rubber stops. Tightened yours down a couple of turns and test the fit. If they are already at the end of their range, something is amiss.
     
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  3. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    our 2nd Tesla had issues like that ....
     
    #3 hill, Mar 2, 2021
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2021
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  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I doubt wind would do that. Anyone else opening the hood?
     
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  5. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    Nope.

    Commuting speeds do reach higher speeds here. I'd rather not type out what those speeds are though.
     
  6. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    I would have thought the techs at Toyota would have checked those on Saturday.
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The one thing I can think of, if someone screwed those stoppers upwards and forced the hood closed.

    12314C1E-814A-42F7-A659-3F9362E7D421.jpeg

    Any valet parking recently, anything like that?

    Or: any signs of prying?
     
  8. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    Nobody has driven the car except for two Toyota service departments. Certainly nothing recently (until I took the car to them for this issue).

    I know it wasn't like this up until recently.
     
  9. CooCooCaChoo

    CooCooCaChoo Active Member

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    The hood is made of aluminium. I highly doubt that the hood would be damaged from wind speed alone.

    Any damage to the bumper? Does it still latch closed properly?
     
  10. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I'd have a body specialist (smash repairer?) look at it - someone may have reversed into the front bumper, bending the framework behind the bumper - but the bumper bounced back.

    Other vague possibility - someone may have attempted to force it open - like a break and entry - unlikely, people usually want to get into the car, not under the bonnet.

    Wind - not sure what speeds you're referring to , but in the wind-tunnel, this is a Gen 4 - but not sure how that translates.

    upload_2021-3-3_9-37-57.png
     
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  11. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    +1. This was the issue that came with mine used vehicle stated above. I think some of the impact force was also directed upwards. In my case, changing the rubber height adjusters and the hood latch mounting points brought everything back into alignment.

    FWIW
     
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  12. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    I would have hoped that the Toyota Service department would have looked up in there to see if any impact happened. They did re-adjust the hood under warranty (but it still isn't right).

    I'll have someone take a look.
     
  13. jteran5

    jteran5 Active Member

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    Any update to this. I have had the same issue for a while and never could figure it out. When I asked toyota to look at it, they said that the bumper may have been damagedor removed and reinstalled improperly and I should take it to a body shop. That's it.... I couldn't believe it. I've owned the car since new and it's never been in a a accident and the bumper has never been off. The fenders and everything align perfectly.

    My car is lowered and I've scraped a couple of times at low speeds but don't think it would cause for the upper portion to be misaligned. I can still push the hood further down so I'm thinking maybe the latch just need to be mounted lower. I've seen a few people with the same issue so it must happen more often than not.

    Here are some pics of mine. The rubber bumps are both in the lowest position already. IMG_20220501_104322.jpeg IMG_20220501_104329.jpeg IMG_20220501_104345.jpeg IMG_20220501_104353.jpeg IMG_20220501_104403.jpeg IMG_20220501_104419.jpeg IMG_20220501_104503.jpeg IMG_20220501_104514.jpeg

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  14. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    Negative. I have to imagine that something up front is very weak to the scraping of the front end, and that that pushed the chassis connections upward a little. Or perhaps there is some looseness in the latch system - as folks have found with the rear hatch latch - that shows over time?

    Toyota dealership looked at it, couldn't figure much out, and sent me on my way.
     
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  15. dacoobob

    dacoobob Member

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    Not a Prius specifically but my previous vehicle (a Hyundai Accent) had a very similar issue. It was because I got in a rear-end fender-bender which slightly bent the front frame. The bumper being flexible plastic wasn't damaged but the metal beneath was slightly out of shape after that, making the hood stand proud just like yours.

    Even if you've never been in an accident, somebody could have hit your vehicle while it was parked maybe.
     
  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i have never seen anything like this, and a second confirming?

    i would request the dealer have toyota field service look at it, open a case with toyota, and have a body shop look it over
     
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    and file a complaint with nhtsa, it looks like a safety hazard at unprintable speeds
     
  18. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    This was my thought too - someone has reversed into it, un-noticeable damage ... but.
     
  19. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    I'm not seeing it. The paint on this car is fragile - best way of putting it. Leaning my bike against the car damaged the paint.

    If someone hit my front or rear bumper, I'd have seen it.
     
  20. dacoobob

    dacoobob Member

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    The paint sticks to plastic parts (like the bumper assembly) a lot better than to metal.