2017 Prius side rear black panels film peeling off!

Try to avoid mechanical car washes they can be aggressive against paintwork and trim

 

I'm having the same issue with my 2017 Prime. I looked at parts.toyota.com and they show that the part is no longer available. I guess I'll have to find a junk yard and pull one off a wreck.

 

Just out of curiosity: did you ever apply wax to it? I was wondering what would happen if I did, that is why I ask.

 

I bought it used, and there was no sign of damage when I bought it. I've had it waxed a few times before Covid hit. The paint chips off as if it's under some strain and not bonded to the surface. It chips off along the one edge, and that's all.

Has anyone had success getting them repainted?

Dan

 

Just noticed this unpeeling today on my 2016/2017 Prius Premium.
Sun not a big problem here in Finland.
Fast temperature change? It's been -15 C nights and warm spring days.
it was on the side where the morning sun hits. From -15 C to +20 C in a few hours?

 

Asked for a Quote on these panels from local certified Toyota service. 300€ per side installed.
A bit steep.
A friend of mine will apply piano black car tape on these for free and we'll see how that looks.

 

$19 enough for 2 x 30" sides
3M 2080 G12 Vinyl Car Wrap Film Air Release Technology - 5ft x 1ft, Gloss Black

 

I've wrapped several pairs of them. A bit if a pita compared to a Gen 2 or 3 spoiler due to those sharp cormers, but not too terrible.

 

I just replaced mine using replacement OEM panels that I bought off of eBay for about $65 each. They were new and shipped from Japan and arrived in a week. You can mostly pry the old panels off easily with your hands till you reach the point where you can see the strip of double sided tape that they have in the middle of the panel, then just get a razor knife or any decently sharp thin knife that will fit in the gap between the panel and the body you can slice away the adhesive to pull the panel back. After that, clean off the exposed body getting the old adhesive off and any left over rubber grommet material. Then peel off the cover on the adhesive on the new panel and pop it on. It’s a very easy job. Going really slowly I had both changed in less than an hour.

Does anyone know if Toyota ever fixed the problem or should we expect these replacements to start peeling in a few years? I believe the part numbers have not changed.

I was really surprised that there isn’t an aftermarket solution for this part that I was able to find. Would have been pretty neat to buy a version with carbon fiber or some color accents on it that we wouldn’t need to worry about peeling again in a few years.

 

I was looking at old panels and there is actually a part number change from the original panels so hopefully the part revision reflects an improvement in the manufacturing process that prevents the peeling from occurring.

 

I found a pair of these on eBay from Japan. Cost 174€ per pair including shipping.
They should arrive tomorrow.
(even with import taxes still 100€ cheaper than 1 panel from the dealer.). About 210 € per pair all and all.
If someone needs the right side panel (not drivers side) I could sell it.
Once they arrive I could also try to wax this peeled one if someone wants to see the results.

 

Left side changed. This is the part nro for right hand side. Was really easy, I added some Bison 2 sided car tape where the adhesive in the center used to be (just in case). Really easy to change.

 

2023 update: My 2018 was peeling. Bought the panels off eBay for about $140. Spacer is built-in so simply pulled the old one off and popped the new one in.

 

Have you had any trouble with peeling since? I’m about to do the same thing and hopeful it’ll last a little longer than the first time around.

 

I am writing this with great reluctance and guilt. Toyota has always been a great car for me and especially the prius that I am writing about. I have owned 3 of them.
However, I believe Toyota quality has decreased in the last few years. There are two plastic panels behind the rear passenger windows that are peeling over the last two years on a 2017 Prius. When I checked with Google on the internet I found many many customers on multiple websites that are having the exact same problem with just these two panels. There are the same types of panels elsewhere on this vehicle that are not peeling just the two behind the rear passenger windows are doing this.
This is a classic sign of a manufacturing defect when many other people with a 2017 Toyota are having the exact same problem with the same 2 panels.
I just spoke with the complaints section at Toyota National headquarters and a problem reviewer for Toyota said that they refuse to fix these 20 dollar panels.
I hope that the 40 dollars they saved is going to be worth all the bad press that they are going to receive because everywhere I can find to inform people of Toyota'S
lack of integrity and quality, I am going to warn people; do not buy Toyota they do not stand behind their products anymore...Corporate GREED.

Toyota corporate headquarters call 800-331-4331. If enough of us call Toyota might see this as a manufacturing defect. PLEASE CALL AND COMPLAIN

 

Heck I'm convinced. Not that the other manufacturers are any better.