Help! Any idea what this is, which I found on the garage floor under the front of my 2007 Prius? Should I be worried?
I see just what you're talking about, Tidelands Prius! This looks just like that but is about twice as big. But hole plugs are there for a reason. Good idea to find out which hole is now missing a plug and reinstall the plug to keep water, mud, and who-knows-what? from getting in there. Thanks, Sam! You're a good detective. Whew! What hole do you think is now unplugged? And should I get it fixed the next time I go into the dealer?
There are typically two plugs to be attached by the dealer during their Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI). There should be another one on either the left or right side of the underbody between the front and back doors. Simple enough to replace.
Thanks, New Hybrid Owner. That makes sense. However, it would mean going into the dealer, something I'd like to avoid right now if I can. I think I see what you're talking about, Rrxing. It goes around a small screw? But the one that fell off is larger -- 1 1/2 inches.
Sometimes. Other times, they are just there for "looks". And that one looks pretty pristine. So it might be an "extra" left over from the last service visit OR from the factory. Either way.......it is highly unlikely that whatever hole might be left open will cause any real problem over the course of any reasonable lifetime of the vehicle. BUT......by all means, if it worries the owner, try to inspect the whole vehicle to find out where it came from. And if that fails, PAY a shop to put it up on a rack and do a better inspection. And when neither of those things is able to find where it came from.......then have nightmares and loose sleep over it. Consider trading the vehicle in so you can regain your piece of mind.
Sam, I might have to trade in the car AND then move since the plug could have caused damage to my house when it rolled across the garage floor! Thanks for the excellent information.
It’s there for a reason. There’s 2 in the hatch one under the spare tire and One in the bottom of the battery well. Which is handy because A G2 leaks like a sieve. Take the hatch apart take the spare tire out and get a flashlight and look in the bottom of the well the 12 volt battery sits in its full of water. Or not.... see which are side is missing that plug, if the car lives outside no garage your u need those plugs installed as mice I’ll get in the car and tear it up. In fact check the cabin filter it may show mice activity if so check the Engine air filter box
Thanks, Ed. I can probably figure out how to take the spare tire out and look underneath it. If this involves removing a battery, I don't know that I'm going to be able to do that. Are you saying that the battery well could be full of water? Mice activity. Yet more to worry about. I assume checking the cabin filter and the engine air filter box involve disassembling things. How would one even know how to do that? I'd be willing to try if it was fairly simple like a few screws, but I have no idea how.
They are both quite simple and no tools required, so no screws to remove. Google it, or search the Gen 2 forums here. It's been discussed many times.
