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Help me PriusChat, you're my only hope (to identify these screws...)

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by UltraJetRefill, Feb 19, 2018.

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  1. UltraJetRefill

    UltraJetRefill Member

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    I've had the car since Dec 2017, and never noticed them (ahem, maybe I should vacuum more...). Two screws were sitting next to the carpet on the driver's side (yellow circle in pic). Does anyone know where they might have come from? They almost look like they would screw into plastic.

    My original thought is that someone removed the inside door cover when installing the window tint and forgot to reinstall them. I watched this video on the door panel removal (fascinating, BTW!), and the screw with the larger head might be the one under the cover of the interior door latch (#2 in the first video). He only removes three though, and none look like the small one in my pics.

    Door panel removal.

    This guy does it much slower, and screw #1 and #3 don't seem to match mine. Maybe #2...

    I guess I just need to pull the panel off and see if anything's missing, but I thought I'd check in first. I do have the plastic body panel tools, so I guess that's good. I always get a little nervous with plastic tabs though. :eek:

    Inked20180213_163201_LI.jpg
    20180219_114747.jpg
    20180219_114726.jpg
     
    #1 UltraJetRefill, Feb 19, 2018
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    They're two distinct screws, look like self-tapping tips, and both those factors say to me they are not stock. Maybe something spilled out of an installer's pocket??

    If you're not hearing anything untoward, I would do nothing, certainly don't start prying panels off. I've never heard of tinters needing to open up door panels.
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Feb 19, 2018
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  3. UltraJetRefill

    UltraJetRefill Member

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    I'm hoping you're right. I'm not very familiar with how the window tint is put on, but it seems like it would be quite difficult to press it on near the front-bottom of the window without removing the door panel since it's kind of hidden. I agree though, I really don't want to go pulling the door panel off since it will undoubtedly mean I have a squeak after (a la Murphy...).
     
    #3 UltraJetRefill, Feb 19, 2018
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    agree with mendel. put 'em in a jar with a label, but ignore them until something becomes obvious.
     
    #4 bisco, Feb 19, 2018
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  5. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    They look like self-drilling metal screws (which are great for drilling plastic too. As suggested, could have come from anywhere. Someone else had the same last year, think they worked out it belonged to a temporary security system installed by the dealer while their car was on the lot - removed at sale, but screw was left on floor.

    If it was from the door panels, a tint installer might have been like you "can't find that screw" and grabbed another two from the bench dropping one of them in the darkness too.

    upload_2018-2-20_10-6-26.png
     
    #5 alanclarkeau, Feb 19, 2018
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  6. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    It's not unusual to find a few loose screws in new cars. Those are the self tapping variety with the washer head.
     
    #6 padroo, Feb 19, 2018
  7. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    I would definitly use the top picture one to secure a wood stove or pellet stove chiminiea pipe in place, the bottom one is also a canidate but for some sort of cast iron flange, Toyota uses plastic screws for plastic trim, if you have an illiminated door sill plate that's black and is missing iron screws, na, they would be aluminum.
     
    #7 Lucifer, Feb 19, 2018
  8. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Check with a magnet - it could be aluminium).
     
    #8 alanclarkeau, Feb 20, 2018
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  9. UltraJetRefill

    UltraJetRefill Member

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    That's a definite possibility. My previous car had something like that installed. I'll have a look under the steering wheel area and see if there are any holes missing a screw. I'm really just curious at this point.
     
    #9 UltraJetRefill, Feb 20, 2018
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  10. UltraJetRefill

    UltraJetRefill Member

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    Both are attracted to neodymium magnets.
     
    #10 UltraJetRefill, Feb 20, 2018
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  11. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    If you don't find anything easily, I wouldn't worry too much - could have fallen out of the pocket of any of the people who drove your car in transport transfers, or a mechanic doing a pre-delivery.
     
    #11 alanclarkeau, Feb 20, 2018
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  12. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    FWIW, so am I. :sneaky:
     
    #12 RCO, Feb 22, 2018
  13. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Too much iron in the diet? ;)
     
    #13 Prodigyplace, Feb 22, 2018
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  14. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Are you sure it would pick up an aluminium screw? Not from what I read.

    I've got some very strong magnets from out of a microwave oven, and they won't pick up anything aluminium. BUT - they will cause micro-movement of aluminium foil.
     
    #14 alanclarkeau, Feb 22, 2018
  15. UltraJetRefill

    UltraJetRefill Member

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    Sorry, I should have clarified. They are strongly attracted to these magnets. I think they're definitely not aluminium.
     
    #15 UltraJetRefill, Feb 22, 2018
  16. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    I wished! It's mostly oxidised to trust now. :ROFLMAO:
     
    #16 RCO, Feb 22, 2018
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  17. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    auto-correct strikes again! :LOL:;)
     
    #17 Prodigyplace, Feb 22, 2018
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  18. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    Doh! :mad:
     
    #18 RCO, Feb 23, 2018
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  19. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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    I think some on here have a few loose screws (me included) :LOL:
     
    #19 kithmo, Feb 24, 2018
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  20. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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    Aluminium is diamagnetic i.e. slighly repels a magnetic field. The magnetic field will go around it, rather than through it.
     
    #20 kithmo, Feb 24, 2018
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