A few months ago I bought one of those car air fresheners that clip onto your heater/AC vents. Within a week I noticed it leaking and it has now caused a permanent oil stain that runs down the entire length of the front silver panel I've tried using Goo Gone, Windex, and soap and water to rinse it off with no luck - the stains are permanent. It looks like my only hope is to replace the entire silver panel. Unfortunately, I had clipped it on both vents so there are stains down both sides Anyone know where I can get a replacement part and how much it would cost? I'm going to contact Toyota but I'm already shivering in fear at how much they will charge me... P.S. While I'm fixing that, I might as well change out my cup holder which has seen its fair share of spilled drinks and permanent stickness. Anyone know what that will run me in parts + labor? Thanks in advance!
Looks like 55670 (left vent silver thing) and 55680A (right vent silver thing). Note that you can't just buy the vent as per the note on the bottom. They are $158.30USD each. The flip cupholder is 55620 and is $145.13USD. I am not sure if they sell the other front cupholder separate. But if you need both, I think it is 58804A which is $315.55USD.
Try heating it up with a hair blower or heat gun (careful with the gun!) on low. Then use straight rubbing alcohol. Try to rub it out GENTLY with a soft 3m pad. Just test the alcohol & pad out of sight on the silver somewhere first.. some of these plastics are coated colors.
The vents are black coated silver. (Thinly coated). Rubbing alcohol might be too abrasive for it. Move quickly if you do try it. But guessing all the other things the OP has tried, rubbing alcohol may be the least of the problems. I am surprised the plastic hasn't discoloured further.
Thanks 2K1. Where did you get your price quotes from? I will run downstairs to take a picture of the vents right now. It hurts just to look at it
Those are the prices you will pay at the dealership, or I should say the *minimum* price you will pay at the dealership. You can order them online if you shop around. I generally use ToyotaPartsZone.com. You can get 55620 for $108.10, 58804A for $247.70, 55670 for $117.92, and 55680A for $124.26. If you can wait, then I would just scour ebay for a few months. You can find cars that have been totalled being parted out for half or a quarter of what you would pay otherwise. But they will be used instead of new. Also they will have most likely been pulled by the owner and not Toyota, so clips may be bent, broken, warped, missing, whatever.
Here are the pics. Ouch. 2K1, With labor what do you think the total damage will be to replace all 3?
Those fresheners are mostly oil-based. The oil has probably "stained" the paint or even broken it down a bit. I doubt that there's any way to clean it as it's not on the surface. Other than replacing the parts you could try to prep and paint them with a matching or contrasting automotive paint, or get pieces from an acceptable dash kit to cover the damage. Good Luck!
$490 + tax for parts is probably $530. Installing the vents can be one by you in a matter of 10 minutes. Dealership, assume 1hr labour at average $70/hr. The console, I have no idea. I would guess it can be done in the same time, but I have never taken the console apart. I would assume another $70/hr from the dealership. So roughly $700 for everything to be replaced if you ordered it online new, and had the dealership install. Note that most dealerships will NOT do this. So you are really looking at $632 + tax ~= $680 + 2hr labour @ $70/hr so with tax and fees, you are probably looking at $850 to $875 out the door new parts all ordered and installed by the dealership. Wait a few months for good deals to popup on ebay, and I am thinking you can do it all for $150 or less and some quality time disassembling your Prius.
I spoke with the Toyota dealership today and this was my quote: Each panel = $207.40/each Labor to replace the panels = $157 Total Cost = $571.80 to replace 2 panels (NO cupholder) So now I'm going to try to buy the panels myself through the website you suggested. Does that labor cost seem steep to anyone? Is this something I could do myself? Mind you I am not car savvy in the least bit and removing the dash is probably out of my league unless a caveman could do it... Are there any instructions on that? If I take a look I'd be able to gauge if I could wing it vs. taking it to Toyota.
I posted Chris Dragon's instructions with photos here http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...ix-clock-fell-into-dashboard.html#post1059130 But I also think it would be much cheaper and easier just to paint over the stains. Good luck!
The labour price is because they are charging you 1hr per piece. Their quick quote system probably has 0.1hr in there, but they round to full hours. Add two items of 1 rounded hour, and you get 2hrs. Not 0.2hrs rounded to 1, but 0.1 rounded to 1 times 2. At $70/hr (which is usual) + tax, that seems appropriate. And like I said, the parts are minimum that cost. The dealerships are allowed to charge over MSRP, and yours does.
Go to any auto paint store in your area, look it up in the yellow pages, and have them match the paint color. Tell them you want the paint in a spray can. They will pump it in into a spray can for you.
Either matching the original silver color or take this chance to pick a new, unique color for your car! Now I think of it it's probably best to take apart the parts, paint them separately, and then install them back. So the instruction linked above still comes in handy. Good luck!
