What is this vent for?

That's your hybrid battery vent. Do not block it, and check to make sure it's clear, periodically.

pokin' fun ..... somebody needs to read their owner's manual.

Before getting my car, I thought it was a rear seat heater duct.

 

It's the vent for the traction battery and is described in your Owner's Manual. Don't block it off.

 

Funny, when I saw the post I was going to make a comment about I wonder which jerk will tell you to read the owners manual. Looks like I was too slow.

 

Coin slots!! All passengers should pay on entry, that's why it's on that side.
In Australia it's on the drivers side though so I could be wrong.

 

If you don't have your vehicle, how do you know there is a vent there? Huh?

 

Cool pic

 

I knew which vent it was going to be, before I even opened the thread!

Thanks, Prius Chat, you really helped educate me during that long 9 week wait for Carmine to arrive! :cheer2:

 

that's funny of course it's on the passenger side in America. And the opposite for you guys..

anyway OP it's a cooling vent, there is a fan similar to a pc cooling fan down in there, that brings in cool air for the Battery.

if you live in a very hot climate like mine, you should really run the A/C to help cool the battery, or else your FE will suffer. I did not find this out for a couple of months of driving around without A/C!!& windows down. lol Old habits to save gas never die, in normal car it's only you suffering.. but in prius it's also your poor battery pack.

 

I do what I can.

 

Gosh, and here I thought it was fresh air supply/exhaust for the gerbils,
hampsters.

Pat, what I'd like to know is, is there a marsupial equivalent that is used
"down under?"

 

For the first time in 3 years plus of ownership and daily driving, I heard the fan kick on. This occurred because the seat belt had slipped out of its alignment slot that is located right above the vent opening / grill. When the belt slipped out it covered about a third of the grill which caused the fan to kick on. I showed my wife about this and now she knows what to look out and listen for. Good luck with your Hybrid.

 

Neat picture, but the back seat back is upside down and backwards. Otherwise good information.

 

Nice pic. Wonder if i could divert some of that airflow into the hatch box to help cool my amp!

Interesting to note the "very effective sound deadening material from Denso". As if that little patch helps any.

 

Hi Voi9,

During the Prius developement, for the generation 1 car, they had many battery failures. They traced it down to the battery being cooked by radiated heat off the pavement. As batteries and people like the same temperatures, they put the battery in the pasenger compartment, and piped passenger compartment air to it. Figuring that the people would run the car at the temperature they liked, the air that went to the battery would warm or cool the battery as needed.