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

I hate it when I do something stupid.

Discussion in 'Prius c Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by cutter44, May 30, 2015.

  1. cutter44

    cutter44 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2015
    213
    54
    0
    Location:
    MA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    It was home project day today, so I took a trip to Home Depot to pick up some deck planks. The good news is that they did fit in the car. The bad news is that while putting one into the car I misjudged my swing distance and smacked the left taillight. Damn. now there's a nice spider-type crack in the light. Frankly, as long as it doesn't leak, I can live with the imperfection. Any suggestion on how to keep it from letting in water or to keep it from getting bigger and bigger? Can I smear some Superglue over the crack or something? Other thoughts? Pic below. Thanks.
     

    Attached Files:

    #1 cutter44, May 30, 2015
  2. apt5020

    apt5020 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2014
    881
    1,294
    0
    Location:
    Prius City, CA
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Five
    It's not bad. Get some clear silicone waterproof sealant.
     
    #2 apt5020, May 30, 2015
  3. cutter44

    cutter44 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2015
    213
    54
    0
    Location:
    MA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Thanks for the quick reply. So something like this Loctite stuff below? Is there any trick to applying it or just use a small paintbrush or Q-tip right over the cracks?

    [​IMG]
     
    #3 cutter44, May 30, 2015
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    24,035
    15,649
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    #4 ChapmanF, May 30, 2015
  5. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2013
    5,884
    3,486
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Maybe even cheaper to find a used tail light, thats the way I would go.
     
    #5 orenji, May 31, 2015
  6. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2013
    1,333
    317
    0
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Just buy a new one otherwise you will be looking at it each time you get in your car.
     
    #6 Okinawa, May 31, 2015
  7. cutter44

    cutter44 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2015
    213
    54
    0
    Location:
    MA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Oh, I'm sure I'll end up getting a new one...eventually. Frankly, I figured they'd be a lot more expensive. I've seen a couple of used ones for about $70-$75. But in the meantime, I want to make sure water doesn't get in there and mess with the electronics. I just bought some of that Loctite stuff and put it on there to cover me for a while.
     
    #7 cutter44, May 31, 2015
  8. djdawn

    djdawn Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2014
    255
    116
    0
    Location:
    Escondido, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I would be upset with myself if it were my car, but the crack is too small for me to justify spending $80 for a correct fix on it. Silicone has a cloudy texture about it, maybe a clear epoxy so it blends in? That $5 fix would be decent enough for me.
     
    #8 djdawn, Jun 2, 2015
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    55,569
    38,729
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Would super glue draw into the cracks.

    Still, I'm thinking no matter what glue you use, you're still going to see that star pattern, it's not going to disappear. I just wish I was in the States, up here the cost of that part would likely be double.
     
    #9 Mendel Leisk, Jun 2, 2015
  10. cutter44

    cutter44 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2015
    213
    54
    0
    Location:
    MA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Yep, the silicone is a little cloudy, but as long as it keeps the water out, I can live with it for a while.
     
    #10 cutter44, Jun 3, 2015
  11. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    24,035
    15,649
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I suppose if it were up to me, I would compare the price of the part to the value of my time trying to cook up some other fix ... and then ideally I'd do one or the other ... either order the part and just put it in when it arrives, or fix it with glop and let it be. Glopping it first and then replacing it anyway would mean I was spending both the money and the extra time, instead of comparing the two....

    -Chap
     
    #11 ChapmanF, Jun 3, 2015
  12. cutter44

    cutter44 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2015
    213
    54
    0
    Location:
    MA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Well, it cost me less than 5 minutes of my time and about $5.00 for the silicone sealant that I can probably use elsewhere around the house to "fix" it, albeit temporarily. If it leaks or if I get tired of looking at it or if it get's progressively worse, then I'll likely replace it. :)
     
    #12 cutter44, Jun 3, 2015
    Mo G likes this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)