PIP TPMS/no spare tire/fix it can

In 20 years I've had one blow out. Called AAA. Not worried there is no spare.

 

I wasn't arguing a point, just pointing out a factual error. The battery charger doesn't block the spare tire well, it resides in the spare tire well.

Toyota did no such thing:
1) If someone prefers a larger battery over a spare, he/she can buy the Prius Plug-in.
2) If someone prefers a spare over a larger battery, he/she can buy the Prius Liftback.

That is highly unlikely. Reducing the battery pack so there is space for a spare would at least halve the already limited EV range and make it much less desirable.

But it doesn't matter. You can't move the charger to put in a spare and you don't need to access the charger unless it needs to be repaired. This is like asking for the engine to be easily removable to access the oil pan.

 

What size donut type spare would fit the PIP?

 

Great answer. I wonder if the same discussion goes on over at the Volt forums.

 

Posters keep mentioning " The Battery Charger " what is that? Are we speaking of the device at the end of the plug in cable? Basically a rectifier. And posters are referring to it's movability, I thought it was a fixed assy?

 

it sounds like the device between the batteries and the cable part you plug into the car which i thought was the charger.

 

I'm surprised by the angry responses. Toyota explained that the decision is due to space constraints and that's that. With the air compressor, the fix-a-flat goop and a $10 tire plug kit, you'll be covered for most flats. The Mini Cooper is very popular, and it, too, lacks a spare.

If it doesn't work for you, don't buy the car, because nobody should buy a car they're going to be unhappy with. It's silly to rant about it, because if you take one look inside the hatch area, you can see there's no room for a spare unless it sits right inside the hatch, which is where most people will put their luggage and groceries and stuff.

 

The thing on the cable is basically an EVSE: It communicates with the car so that the end is not live unless plugged in and connected. The actual battery charger is located inside the car and contains the electronics to rectify the AC to DC, convert to the appropriate voltage, and manage the current so that the batteries receive the voltage and current needed for the SoC. Batteries need to receive voltage/current that changes as the charging process procedes, and the charger manages all this. The charger (in modern EVs) also contains a battery management system which balances the cells and otherwise watches over and protects the cells. It's not humongous, but it's pretty big. I would not be able to lift the one in my Tesla, though they'd be smaller in the Leaf, Volt, and PiP.

Some Leafs are capable of DC fast charging from an off-board charger, which is a huge device, which communicates with the car so as to manage voltage and current.

 

Thank you Daniel, that is all what I pretty much assumed.. Posters were speaking of moving it, is what threw me. Another clarification question, in going over the Manual, on line, I noticed Toyota has adopted some new terminologies, ie: Power Control Unit Cooling, is that the old inverter coolant pump w/ a new name?

 

You'd need a 135/80/16 spare tire (same one found on the 2010-2011 Prius). If I did my math right, that's a rolling diameter of 1954mm versus the stock tire's 1992mm.

Alternatively, if you dont mind rolling a smaller tire (althoughI dont know if this is OK on a Prius), an easier spare to find may be from the 2002-2005 Subaru WRX. It also has a 5x100 bolt pattern. However, from what I've seen, it comes with a 135/70/16 spare which has a rolling diameter of 1870mm (but its also cheaper from what I see).

You can also look for spares from the following vehicles:

Scion xD
Toyota Celica
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Matrix
Lexus CT200h

I'm sure there are others.. this was just what I found from a quick search. Make sure the spare has the same 5x100 bolt pattern and ideally a 135/80/16 tire. I found 2010 Prius spares for $100 shipped.

Lastly, I'll just add my $0.02.. I have AAA and the Toyota Roadside Assistance, thats good enough for me. I'll also carry a tire plug kit which I would use before I tried the tire goo.

 

I used to work for a tire wholesaler, so my advice for PiP owners looking to buy a spare tire to use on long road trips or the like is to pick up your yellow pages and search for tire wholesalers in your area, give them a ring and ask if they can pick you up a used spare for the vehicle. Some may, some may not, so you might need to call a couple of them. Since it's a new vehicle, just let them know it's the same size as the 2010-2012 regular Prius.

We used to pick them up for tire dealers and auto shops all the time-- they run about $75 from the wholesaler. Of course, you may need to be very friendly and chatty to the person who answers the phone, or get lucky and find a wholesaler that will do a COD will-call for a non-dealer. You might also make up a repair shop name and ask if they can get you a COD will-call used spare for the car. Many people may be able to find one for around the $75 mark instead of paying $100+ by picking one up at a salvage yard or tire dealer. Tire wholesalers spend their whole days dealing with various different contacts in the tire business, so they're likely to know who in town would actually have some used spares for the vehicle in stock for cheap. If you go to a tire dealer, that's all they're going to do is call the wholesaler and ask-- so just cut out the middle man and do it yourself.

If I had a PiP, I'd buy a spare for long trips, and I'd probably just throw it in the back standing up against the driver's side window behind the back seat in the cargo area like all the Jeeps used to do back in the day. It wouldn't take up THAT much room.

As for not getting your interior or luggage etc. all filthy, just get a cheap moving blanket to wrap it up in-- that would act the same as the fabric or plastic covers the Jeeps used to use and protect everything. I bet you can get something suitable for about $10 or so. I'd use a good wool blanket or whatever Uhaul uses.

 

Sorry. I don't know anything about this. Somebody ought to know. You might ask in a thread with a more appropriate title.

 

As recommended by this thread, I got a tire plug kit and put it in the trunk. I thought I could use that plus the OEM compressor if ever needed, avoiding the goo.
However, looking closer at the compressor, it looks like it can only be used when the bottle of goo is attached, otherwise there's no hose to get from the compressor to the tire.

Does anyone have an idea on how to solve this? I.e. use the compressor without the goo? Or are there 3rd party compressors that would fit into the same space as the OEM one?

 

This one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000SL4AA2/ref=aw_cr_item_title?qid=1332627054&sr=8-11

...is 12V powered and appears compact enough to fit in the charger cord area. Beware that all the 12V tire inflated I've seen have poor quality reputations, and they inflate very slowly.

This one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001MXL71A/ref=mp_s_a_30?qid=1332627445&sr=8-30
appears to be very high quality, but may not fit in any of the available storage areas in the PiP.

 

As I recall, I heard of trials for a two inch wide aluminun disc thin compact spare tire with a urethane tread and a foam filled chamber. That was about 30 years, ago.

The reason it wasn't widely distributed was becuase it could not be used on a traction or driven wheel. If you had a flat on a driven wheel, you'd have to take a good tire from a non-driven location and replace it with the thin disc spare.

This would be lighter than the 'donut" spare and take very little room to store.

It would weigh much more than the canister or the air pump.

But, there will always be some doofus who will try to use it on a driven location.

 

It would increase cost, and won't work for RWD, but that disc could be made not to fit over the larger front brake assembly. Some cars with low profile wheels already have to do the wheel swapping because of this.

I wonder why not go with an under mount spare. Not enough space or too costly a revision for the limited production?

 

I suppose one can get a bottle of the goo and empty it, then connect it to the compressor to use as an air-only inflator.

 

Nissan's solutions to this problem came a long time ago. My 1987 300ZX (a 2 door sport coupe) had a neat little inflatable spare tire and a large bottle of compressed air. Neither took up much space and were located behind the side panels of the hatch interior.
Never used it, but when inflated it would have a hefty tread and rated as a drive tire.

This isn't the first car to not have a spare.

I don't see what the big deal is about not having a spare tire. Most folks these days don't know how to change a flat. Or even where to find the jack or the spare. The rest are not willing to try. So they are going to call someone anyway. Show me one person that has checked the air pressure in the their spare tire, ever.
In 31 years of driving (and twice the miles of most people)
I've had one tire failure that required a spare. Otherwise, I've done plenty of puncture repairs etc. and added air to keep going. I've Never needed AAA or roadside assistance because getting my hands a little dirty and doing it myself is not beneath me.
What Toyota has supplied in the Plugin Prius is the ideal solution for this car. They would have included a spare if they could have. But we wanted a bigger battery.
Never satisfied.

 

My 1977 V8 Chevrolet Monza has the same inflatable spare.