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rear passenger window smashed - do I need to be worried about the battery cooling fan?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by cwerdna, Jun 17, 2008.

  1. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    On Friday night, a thief broke into my car by smashing my rear passenger sliding window (same side as the HV battery cooling fan intake). I was parked on the driveway of a house for <30 mins and had accidentally left a fanny pack in the back. :(

    That (tempered?) rear window had a big hole and eventually all of it fell down (either outside or into the car). However, I'd imagine that from wind, some pieces likely went into the fan intake. Should I be concerned? Could the blower motor get damaged? Should I try to vacuum pieces out? I'm not real keen on going beyond trying to vacuum thru the vent (like taking the grill off and trying to disassemble the ducting).

    Anyone have any experience with this? Is the fan weak enough and/or positioned in a way that there probably won't be damage? Is there a screen/filter in front of the fan?
     
    #1 cwerdna, Jun 17, 2008
  2. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    I think you should be OK. Sorry your car got smashed. Here's a diagram looking from the back. The seat us upside down so it's confusing.
    [​IMG]
     

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    #2 Bill Merchant, Jun 17, 2008
  3. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    It doesn't seem likely that you would have any problem - if you did get any glass chips in the vent, they would be laying in the low spot just before the fan. I don't think the fan has enough "suction" to pull the glass in.

    To be cautious, I would use a shop vac to get any small pieces, but I would be surprised if you actually got any in there.
     
    #3 dogfriend, Jun 17, 2008
  4. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I do not know guys....
    While it seems unlikely that glass could have gotten in the vent the way it sits if any did I'd be concerned that it would slide around and could get down to where the fan is during normal driving...one hard left turn and it seems it could slide right in.
     
    #4 efusco, Jun 17, 2008
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