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Protective panel under 2012 prius

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Carol Reynolds, May 25, 2016.

  1. Carol Reynolds

    Carol Reynolds New Member

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    The tin panels under my 2012 pruis rattle when I go over rough road. Now they c are rattling while I am driving down the road. When the wind blows I hear it and am afraid it will blow off. Do I need to go to the dealer to have them secure it or could a mechanic tighten it up?
     
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome! anyone can do it. you have probably lost some of the fasteners, and they will need to be replaced.
     
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  3. Carol Reynolds

    Carol Reynolds New Member

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    Do they have to be special fasteners?


    SAMSUNG-SM-G870A ?
     
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  4. Carol Reynolds

    Carol Reynolds New Member

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    Thank you Bisco

    SAMSUNG-SM-G870A ?
     
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    yes, you can buy them at any toyota dealer, or even some auto parts stores. i think they are just plastic pushpins with ribs.
     
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  6. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    Plastic push pins are generic.
     
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  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    thank you jim.
     
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It'd be best to get the right fasteners, there's a lot of variations. Unfortunately they're not cheap. Perhaps research, get the part numbers, and then search online sources. Step one though:

    Get under with some light, see what's going on, what if any fasteners are missing, what location. The fasteners vary. Whenever you have them off, wash them out with hot/soapy water. This will help float-out accumulated grit, which often causes them to fail: the mechanism jams due to grit, and they get broken during removal.

    A few tools that will help with fastener removal:

    upload_2016-5-26_9-14-47.png
    (slim blade screwdriver)
    upload_2016-5-26_9-15-58.png
    (paint tin lid removal tool)
    upload_2016-5-26_9-17-40.png
    (trim removal tool)

    The panels are plastic, btw. There's multiple possibities as to why you're hearing rattles:

    1. There's a flap on the engine bay underpanel that can bent back to access the oil drain bolt location. Unfortunately it's poorly designed, subject to breaking after a few oil changes accomplished thus. It's safer to remove the entire panel, helps with inspection, but most dealerships won't do this.

    2. It's possible you've bottomed out, or run the front/back over a wheel stop or curb, or some sort of median, or road debris. Minor scrapes are inevitable, but if it's worse you may have lost a fastener or two. Inspection will help determine that.
     
    #8 Mendel Leisk, May 26, 2016
    Last edited: May 26, 2016
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