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Resetting the boulder detector

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by ChapmanF, Jul 22, 2018.

  1. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I changed my oil last night. Then, being the smug environmental do-gooder that I am, I took the old stuff to my handy local drop off.

    bould.jpg

    My oil tote was in the back, so as I backed up to the drop-off, confidently swinging the front of the car to (my) left, I was not watching the low boulder you see in the lower right, there.

    I might never have noticed at all, if The Prius didn't have such an effective built-in boulder detector.

    detected.jpg

    That's actually not the real before before picture. I wish I had taken the real before picture (it was dark though), because it looked really awful. The whole plastic rocker panel there below the door was all crumpled in, for an area matching the paint marks and somewhat beyond.

    I was thinking my best bet would probably be to remove the whole plastic rocker (six screws, 9 visible clips, 9 invisible clips, counting the rear wheelhouse front spat) and see if I could massage it back into shape with a heat gun. But by the time I went out this afternoon to get started, the sun had already done that whole job for me, and the rocker was completely back to its old shape, as seen above.

    That left the door to deal with. After a whole lot of whacks from the air hammer ...

    reset.jpg

    ... the shape I can probably live with. I'll still have to go looking for a paint-shop quote, because a man's GOT to know his limitations....

    The little Viair compressor in back is a bit slow to recover from each volley with the air hammer, but it turned out to be just about the right amount of time for closing the door and checking how the edges were lining up.

    Maybe I should just pay for my oil changes after all.

    -Chap
     
    #1 ChapmanF, Jul 22, 2018
    jerrymildred and m.wynn like this.
  2. 4est

    4est Active Member

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    Wow.
    I check my detectors almost every day hoping no rock was detected

    I have more trouble with the ice chunks detectors during winter
     
    #2 4est, Jul 23, 2018
  3. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    good job with the air hammer/ (y)
     
    #3 StarCaller, Jul 23, 2018
  4. Bay Stater

    Bay Stater Senior Member

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    Good job banging out your door! Maybe bring your used oil to a local Walmart instead?! At least it eliminates the need for boulder detection! :ROFLMAO:
     
    #4 Bay Stater, Jul 23, 2018
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Lucky here: I can walk down a trail about 300 yards, to a Mr. Lube that has an accessible waste oil tank. Over the years I've had to drive to various places though; the current situation is a nice break.

    Yeah I would get a pro-shop to do it right, just my head space though, your call. Worth an insurance claim?
     
    #5 Mendel Leisk, Jul 23, 2018
    amos and Bay Stater like this.
  6. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    $773 at the dealer, which would represent (I'm hoping) the upper end of a range ....

    Small enough to be under my deductible I think, large enough to probably cancel all I've saved in my life by doing oil changes myself....

    -Chap
     
    #6 ChapmanF, Jul 23, 2018
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