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Rubber mats & battery vent

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Main Forum' started by Gwyd, Aug 1, 2023.

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  1. Gwyd

    Gwyd Member

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    I noticed the other day that the rubber mat installed by the dealer partially covers the vent underneath the passenger side rear seat.

    I'm assuming this is the vent to cool the hybrid battery and I'm considering cutting the mat so it doesn't block the airflow at all. I'd rather not take the mat out completely - it's easier to clean out the beach sand with them.

    Thoughts?
     
    #1 Gwyd, Aug 1, 2023
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    First I’d ask the dealer, then I’d cut it.

    sounds like the wrong mat
     
    #2 bisco, Aug 1, 2023
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  3. Preebee

    Preebee Senior Member

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    How is that possible? The vent is well off the floor. Pics?
     
    #3 Preebee, Aug 1, 2023
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  4. Gwyd

    Gwyd Member

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    Pic attached. I adjusted the mat a little bit (he'd installed it crooked) and now it comes up to the first row of the vent. So it's really only one row of the seven rows that's blocked. Still not great in my opinion, but not as critical as it seemed looking down at it.

    My mat is stamped PT908-47230 if anyone wants to compare.
    IMG_0287.JPEG IMG_0281.JPEG
     
    #4 Gwyd, Aug 1, 2023
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  5. aforkosh

    aforkosh Active Member

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    The battery intake vent is on the driver's side of the rear seats (not the passenger's)
    and is elevated from the floor. See page 77 of the owner's manual and maintenance (cleaning and filter replacement) starting on page 441. I've attached a pdf and a picture of the vent from my car.

    I don't know what the passenger side is for. As far as I can see, the manual does not reference it. In my car, the mat comes up to its bottom.

    2023 Prius Ltd battery vent.jpeg
     

    Attached Files:

    #5 aforkosh, Aug 1, 2023
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  6. daisy555

    daisy555 Senior Member

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    I wonder which vent this is. I wonder if the Prius and Prime have the vent in the same place?
     
    #6 daisy555, Aug 1, 2023
  7. Hammersmith

    Hammersmith Senior Member

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    I'm not 100% certain, but I believe the vent on the passenger side is the cooling output. The driver side vent is absolutely the cooling intake. It takes the air in and runs it under the battery. I suspect after the air goes under the battery, it comes out of that passenger side vent.
     
    #7 Hammersmith, Aug 1, 2023
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  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    would you want that in summer? they used to exit under the hatch corner, where the mice come in :p
     
    #8 bisco, Aug 2, 2023
  9. Gwyd

    Gwyd Member

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    @aforkosh Thanks for the info and pdf link - good catch. I won't worry about it then. Curious to know what the other venting is for if anyone knows. Could it be to cool the 12v battery?

    Good to know that I need to clean the filter, and nice of them to put it somewhere accessible. I only cleaned the battery cooling fan once on my '05 because it was such a pain to get to. Since I didn't carry animals around and was usually the only one using the car, there wasn't anything to clean so it really felt a like a huge waste of time & effort.

    @bisco I wonder if the passenger seat cooling fans pull in that air. Kinda defeats the purpose of a butt cooler if it's sucking in hot air!
     
    #9 Gwyd, Aug 3, 2023
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  10. purplePriii

    purplePriii Member

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    Wait, you guys have vents in the back for the battery on the 2023? I have a Prime and I didn't see any vents in the back
     
    #10 purplePriii, Aug 3, 2023
  11. Preebee

    Preebee Senior Member

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    They're on the lower-front of the back seats. Non-primes just have one on the driver's side. Never block your vents!

    My all-weather mat is well below my battery vent btw.
     
    #11 Preebee, Aug 3, 2023
  12. Hammersmith

    Hammersmith Senior Member

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    The Prime doesn't have a vent. The main traction battery on the HEV Prius is cooled by air from the cabin pulled from under the rear seats. The larger battery on the Prime is mounted underneath the car and requires much more cooling, so it's got its own liquid cooling system that runs from the engine compartment. I believe it's also capable of warming the battery up before use(driving or charging), but I don't know if that heat is generated from the engine, heat pump, or something else.
     
    #12 Hammersmith, Aug 3, 2023
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  13. daisy555

    daisy555 Senior Member

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    I’m afraid to ask where these vents are on a 2009. I know about the vent on the seat. Did a quick check and couldn’t find anything along the base of seats.
     
    #13 daisy555, Aug 3, 2023
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that's the only one on gen 2
     
    #14 bisco, Aug 3, 2023
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  15. daisy555

    daisy555 Senior Member

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    Thanks!
     
    #15 daisy555, Aug 3, 2023
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2023
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