Hatchback VS. Garage Door (Garage Door Wins) - Advice needed

This morning I just backed out the garage with the hatch open. The rear spoiler is now loose. Does anyone have instructions on how to remove and re-install the rear spoiler?
Thanks
Dave

 

They have mobile paint/dent repair guys. Even dealers use them to fix minor blemishes on new and used cars on the lot.

You can also ask a good detailer to fill the scratch with touch up paint and have them wet sand the area and then buff it out.

 

Remove the lower interior hatch trim. It's held on with clips and you have to remove the large lower piece first. There are 4 screws and 3 clips that hold the spoiler on. You will have to unhood the 3rd brake light also.

 

Good to know. I have the plastic grommets that attach to the 4 screws on order from the dealer.

Removing trim takes firm hands and some skill to not damage the trim plastic.
When removing the lower interior hatch trim, where should area should I start first? I felt around the 4 corners and am afraid to appy too much force for fear of breaking the plastic.

Thanks
Dave

 

Hi Dave,

I just tug on one of the lower corners to start. Once the plastic clips start to release (there are 11 total), this will give you more confidence to exert the needed force on the hatch trim.

 

After I backed out of the garage with the hatch open and crunched the rear spoiler, here's
what I had to do to get the rear spoiler removed and re-installed.

First remove Inner hatch lower trim (11 clips)

Second remove upper hatch trim (2 clips)

Third disconnect rear brake light aconnector behind rear spoiler

Unscrew 4 10mm bolts (socket wrench with extender)

Then there are 2 rivets which in my case were damaged and they have to be drilled out and new rivots had to be installed (Toyota part number 76879-47010).

Dealer wanted 2 hours labor, and you can do this in 20-30 minutes if you know what you are doing. In my case, since I don't know what I'm doing, it took me longer.

Dave

 

So you are saying if the rivets come out loose from the Spoiler
You can install new rivets?
I am in the same position where my spoiler is way loose
want to fix it
Please help

Thanks

 

I was thinking this too. I'm sorry for the misfortune of those with noticeable damage. I got my Prius about 3 or 4 weeks ago and the edge of the hatchback has come into contact with the metal bracing on the garage door a few times, i was lucky (so far), only a couple of tiny superficial not easy to see scratches. But for this reason, i posted a thread on the same day this one was posted, asking about what to pad the metal braces with.

I want to post a link to that thread here for those interested, particularly to a post by john1701a which includes a link to a Prius user guide with a section about limiting the height that the hatchback raises, and illustrated instructions for a simple solution with a rope and hooks which i found really promising. You can download the user guide.

here's the link:

http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-main-forum/57665-need-overhead-hatchback-protection.html#post781827

using one hand to hold the hatchback down while getting groceries out had put an end to using the cargo net. But from these two threads, i have some great solutions which i will implement this weekend.

good luck with it to all

 

This is good too. But I still need to know how to fix my broken Spoiler.. Without replacing it.
Can anybody explain in layman terms ?
Thanks

 

..bump.

 

Thanks for the detailed info. This helped me do the job of tightening my spoiler in less than 5 minutes. Knowing what size socket to use, and to pull off the lower panel first was a great help. She is rattle free now!

 

I'm resurrecting an old thread for 2 reasons. First because for all new Prius owners the spoiler on a Gen III Prius hatchback is higher when it opens than even a Sienna van. I could leave the tailgate open on the Sienna and shut the garage door with plenty of clearance. Now with my Prius in the garage the hathcback when opened sits above the level of the lift arm. Second, I suggest that you wrap the lift arm with foam rubber or some other soft material because the odds are that someday you're gonna make this mistake.
I was lucky enough to have mine wrapped with duct tape when I did it recently. It resulted in a very small mark on the spoiler and the spoiler caused a roller on the garage door jump the track. So in my case no damage done but be careful.....

 

"Hatchback VS. Garage Door (Garage Door Wins) - Advice needed"

Next time put your money on the garage door?

 

So I just ordered some shorter struts that should limit the height of the hatchback when it's opened.

The stock struts on a '12 are about 19 7/8" long fully extended. Closed, they're about 7 1/4" shorter, or about 12 5/8".

I just googled hatchback struts and tried the first company, autopartsbylou. They didn't have the part # for a '12 Prius, but from the markings on the stock struts we figured out they were 45N (or 103 lbs.) of force.

I wanted struts that were about 1 3/4" shorter than stock, so I ordered up a set of 18" (extended)/12.1" (compressed) struts that were 105 lbs. of force. Came out to $60 shipped and should be here in a few days.

I'll update this thread with my results. I'm sure they're nowhere near OEM quality, but they're cheap and I'm willing to try it for $60 to protect my hatchback from hitting the garage door.