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

Carpet floor mat repair

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by Mendel Leisk, May 25, 2015.

  1. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Toyota's OEM carpet floor mat doesn't have a rubber inset on the driver's mat. Ours lasted about 6 months before it was worn right through. I was vacuuming out the interior today, thought I'd try a repair, with some rubber floor mat material I had.

    Cut it to size, then pre-drilled a series of holes around the perimeter. Did the stiching with a Tandy Sewing Awl. It'd been so long since I'd used one, I'd forgotten how they work, had to watch a YouTube video. The waxed thread is very grippy, more-or-less self-tensioning.

    All in all I think it went ok. I'll leave it as is for a while, see how it wears. If there's a next time: I might make it extend a little further back, towards the driver's seat.

    image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Just another thought: when you're doing any kind of extended interior cleaning, with the front doors open, all the unswitchable "convenience" lights are draining the 12 volt battery. Because I had it, I used a C-clamp on the door switch, to turn the lights off, but it's cumbersome, you might bump it, damage something. Something like this might work well, looks more convenient. If you could get one big enough. It needs a bit over 3" grip:

    Capture.JPG
     
    CR94 likes this.
  3. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2010
    3,524
    981
    8
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    i'm surprised yours was worn in 6 months. mine is OK 4.5 years later. i had a hole in one in corolla after about 7 years of driving (mostly commuting). BTW, thanks for info. i'll save it for future reference.
     
  4. JayLn

    JayLn Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2015
    248
    141
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    I am impress, if you extend the rubber to the left a little more to make it even but that just me :p over all job well done excellent!
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Yes, this was one of my more "fast, cheap and out of control" projects, took at most an hour. I find it often works out, albeit with rough edges. The more time I have to think it over, the more chance to mess it up, lol. But, I guess I focussed on the damage area, let that guide me. A bit more symmetry would be nice, and I think coverage a bit further towards the driver would make it less of a transition, your heel would be on it more.

    Pre-drilling the holes was a good idea I think, made it a lot easier to sew, and maybe the rubber is less likely to tear later.

    The best thing would be to do this pre-emptively, before you've worn a hole clear through. Time will tell, but I think some sort of filler in the hole might be needed, the rubber may concave into it as-is.
     
  6. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2014
    2,642
    1,133
    0
    Location:
    Northwestern S.C.
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Even if your Prius doesn't have all those lights, and you shut off all the others, you're still draining the battery if you leave a door open for long.

    Similarly, I used a 12" Harbor Freight slide clamp to hold down a rear door switch button; it's too thick to work in front. I might make a gizmo less cumbersome than a C-clamp for the front.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Hmm: if someone could make a variety of rubber mats, various sizes, with rounded corners, stitching holes and a groove between them to recess the thread?
     
  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,767
    16,016
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    The mats are pretty darn thin. Both carpet and all-weather mats have gotten thinner and lighter over the years. A welcome change for the all-weather mats but, perhaps not so for the carpet mats.
     
  9. Saucey

    Saucey Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2016
    13
    7
    0
    Location:
    San Diego
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Seeing this thread just verified to me that I need a metal plate so that my right foot doesn't ruin the mat.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.