Aftermarket Spare Tire Kit for 2024 Prius Prime

The first puncture was likely a nail. The hole was small. The second puncture was a machine thread screw. That was the first tire I've had punctured by a blunt object. Object number 3 was a 6 inch long 1/4 inch metal rod. It had some sort of anti-corrosion coating on it. Only God knows where it came from. But once again a blunt object penetrating the tire. I'm driving the same route I've driven for 16 years with the 2017 Prius and the 2006 Envoy. The new Prius is definitely more fun to drive. I'm thinking that these tires are lighter and thinner which equal lower rolling resistance and better mileage but less puncture resistance. It is possible that my luck has just been crap for the last 9 months. The Ford F-150 was what I originally wanted, but the Prius was more practical. It will be paid for in 2 years and then I can take another look at the truck, reitre the Envoy, give/sell the 2017 Prius to the daughter. I've ordered the value spare and taken a screen shot of your list of parts needed for all cars and parts needed for the LE. I'll see how I like the fit of the spare by modding my foam inserts and if I don't like it I'll start ordering the OEM foam and such.

 

Just don't buy cars without spares. If and when car consumers start practicing this, the spares will be reinstated by the manufacturers, very quickly: you're communicating in the only language they under$tand.

 

Liked your post, but for balance, I have actually had one puncture. But obviously nothing to do with the tyres - a screw neatly skewered one.

Caused an imperceptibly slow leak, reported by the TPMS. Was able to reinflate with the emergency pump without using goop, and get to a repair place. Patch was fast and cheap, all worked out fine.

No inclination to worry about carrying a spare for worse situations - I'm happy to rely on professional or acquaintance rescue. Did add the jack kit for a little support though, as there was space reserved for it.

 

Gen 4 levels without spare (inexplicably that was the “higher” levels) at least still had scissor jack and lug nut wrench. Toyota’s mission statement:

Continuous Improvement Nickel-And-Diming

 

Waiting on a new HEV Prius LE.

I'm trying to visualize the options.

-Would a full size tire/wheel fit in the spare tire wheel well, so that the deck would still be flat? I'm assuming no.

-If one weren't concerned with aesthetics, could the foam be removed, a full (or compact) spare anchored down on the included stud, tools and jack wrapped up and also anchored somehow, and just cover the whole thing with a black comforter?

-I am thinking the foam provides and deck provides some sound insulation, that, maybe, a cheap black comforter could replace. However, if the rear seats are up and the package shelf in place, would that be all the sound insulation it ever needs.

-With the seats down, the comforter could be moved forward to protect the rear seat backs. I haven't looked yet to see if there is an OEM rubber product that does this.

-Plus, if you get a flat and don't want to fix it yourself, you can wrap yourself in the comforter while you wait for AAA, lol.

-The foam takes up space that could be used to store miscellaneous stuff.

-Grocery bags won't stand nice and upright though. Not sure if that matters.

 

I can’t imagine buying a new car with such an omission, getting a cashier’s check for $50k+ (CDN), while strategizing how to add a spare tire, its surroundings, and its tools.

I’d shop for something else.

can you picture how fast Toyota would reinstate the spare, if that was a popular attitude?

(I know I’m a broken record on this, but feel it needs saying, every so often)

 

Hey, the well on the HEV is still bigger than the one on my MINI Cooper S.
On an older MINI base model I had, with the same body style, they put the spare under the trunk, on the outside of the car.
Of course, the S has sportier larger brake disks, never mind the mid exhaust pipe, so that eliminated the spare.

 

On a Prius 5th gen, the hybrid version, the only impediment to having a temp* spare is Toyota. The car body has the appropriate well, and all the parts are designed and available.

* not sure if a full-size spare would also fit

 

I totally understand where you're coming from, but the vast majority of US car buyers are extremely undiscerning. Just look at the absolute junk that they buy (and pay insane prices for). Look at how many other ICE and electric cars no longer have spares, but people still buy 'em. Heck, even toyota minivans don't come stock with a spare tire!

Here is the problem, if one wants a better than 50mpg hybrid sedan in the usa, what choices are there? I know of only one: the prius. And if one wants a 50mpg plug-in hybrid sedan in the usa, what choices are there? I know of only one: the prius phev. So, not buying those (and prius buyers are a tiny, tiny, tiny sliver of US car buyers) as a way to get toyota to change will do absolutely nothing. Unfortunately.

We have a '24 prius phev. And I bought an OE spare and kit for it. To be honest, while I carry the tools and jack in the dedicated spots in the back of car, I don't carry around the 30 lb spare for local trips, the spare sits in my shed (but I do carry a plug kit and pump). But, yes, for road trips, I will taking the spare for sure.

No, it is not my first choice, but the ability to get a highly advanced, high mpg, and high EV range phev for pretty cheap is what won out for us.

 

Yeah with the plug-in variant it's currently physically impossible to install a temp spare.

That said, I don't see that allowing Toyota to "wash their hands and walk away": It CAN be done, they'd have to something more ambitious than slam a plug-in sized battery into the hybrid version. It'd involve a revision to the sheet metal or at the least (hopefully not), an underslung spare.

With the 5th gen hybrid Prius however, there is NO physical impediment: the space is there, the associated parts are designed; it's pure corner-cutting. The North American 5th gen, hybrid Prius Owner's Manual describes the temp spare and tools, with the "if equipped" proviso.

 

I've got a long thread in one of the other subforums that answers all these questions, but here are the basics:

You can't fit a full size spare in any of the HEVs unless you want it to stand really proud of the floor and the rear seats when they're folded flat. You can fit a compact spare in all of the HEVs, and the floor will be flat with the rear seats(exactly like the XLE and LTD are). The LE requires a little more work to make it all pretty because it comes from the factory with a lower floor(the foam and board, not the sheet metal).

Something to note: The deckboard in the gen5 is pretty flimsy compared to previous models. This means you're not going to be able to just lay it across the tire and still stack stuff on it. The board will absolutely crack and break if you do(it's a fiber product of some sort - much stronger than cardboard but not as strong as pegboard).

If you care nothing for aesthetics, you could certainly cut the foam to fit around the tire(several here have done exactly that), and then glue something to the foam to bring it up to the level of the tire(only because you have an LE - owners of XLE and LTD wouldn't need to do that last step). If you are good with a compact spare, you could add a few hard foam/rubber blocks to the bottom of your deckboard to give it some strength over the tire and just call it good there. If you really want/need a full size spare, then you probably would need even more spacers glued onto the foam to bring it all up to the level of tire. But keeping the deckboard from sliding around might be a challenge at that point.

The one part I would buy no matter what is the piece of foam the tire sets on. Not only does it locate the tire and keep it in the correct position, but it also makes the top of the tire completely level. It also probably makes things quieter as you don't have the sidewall of the tire rubbing directly on the sheet metal floor. If you're going with a compact spare, then just get the OEM bolt - it's exactly the correct length and it's not very expensive. If going with a full size spare, then you might want to build one yourself from hardware store components - I'm sure Toyota makes one the correct size, but I wouldn't know where to begin to get the correct one; it's not like Toyota lists them by length.

 

Thanks very much.
I ordered the 'disc', hold down bolt, and tire from the links you provided.
Amazed they didn't charge shipping.

Bear in mind, my car is still a month and a half out.

edit: I'm still not that crazy about the foam taking up much needed space.

 

Also just ordered the jack.
May still carry a 24" Harbor Freight breaker bar.
In the past I invariably have had to stand on those little standard lug wrenches to break them free.

 

Presumably someone else installing wheels.
If you DIY, torque to spec (should be in owners manual, prev gens are 76 ft/lb) and never a fight to break loose. Always slightly loosen before raising.

Also good to apply thin skim of anti-seize paste to hub faces, to avoid rust-glued wheels.

Addendum: AI says still 76 ft/lb.

 

Yep

Yep, although I've never done it. Have had to kick a tire though, lol.

On a perhaps related anti-seize note, I've read it's not good to put anti-seize, or any lug bolts, due to the inaccuracy of subsequent torque readings.

 

Agree.

 

@Hammersmith , while I ruminate before my car gets here, a thought occurred to me:

If they're not going to have a spare tire in there, why build up the height with foam. I believe it could be just to build up area so that it's flush with the rear seat backs when they are folded down. What do you think?

edit: But maybe there would have to be a stronger deck to bridge the gap.

 

I too find it a bit odd that they decided XLE+Ltd trims in the USA get the high foam tray, as if it was a higher-spec feature.

In Japan the low foam tray is standard on all HEV trim levels, and the high foam tray is a dealer option. Presumably for those who do want the floor level with the back seats and/or easier loading with less of a drop from the hatch.

 

The glass is sloped so much that I would think you'd want every bit of height towards the end that you could get.

On a side note, there was an issue like this on the MINI forum. Many people wanted a flush deck with the seats folded down (which on a MINI, probably a lot of people do most of the time.). I couldn't see it, personally, to lose valuable space just for aesthetics. And MINI provided it. It is quite robust however. Perhaps with the foam, Toyota got away with a lighter(?) flimsy/foam support design.

 

Just to be clear - there is always a shaped foam tray for the board to rest on, as the metal floor is not level, but there are two possible board heights, depending on the type of tray.