Oil Change Access Door

I have changed my oil 4 times so far without any issue at all. Check out my pdf. standard work procedure (I have several pics) - Maybe I am doing something different than you are during the change out ?

Good luck - what a pain.

Mr. Bill

 

+1

Four changes here as well with no cracks showing yet. One thing to note, mine is always garaged and it's almost always warm when I change the oil. With the warmer temperature the plastic is more pliable and possibly less inclined to crack/break. I also use ramps and bend the flap back about 110° so I'm not babying it but I don't horse it around either (not implying anyone else is).

 

I got a reply from Better Business Bureau:

Re: Complaint #98590116 - Toyota Motor Sales U S A, Inc.

This is to let you know that we have sent your complaint to the company for a response, which is the first step in our complaint resolution procedure. We will notify you of the company's response as soon as we receive it, but please allow at least 14 days to hear from us. In the meantime, if the company should contact you directly, please let us know. You may do this online or by fax or mail, using the contact information on this letterhead. If you have any questions, please call us.

...so who knows what will happen now but at least it's a start. I tried calling Toyota yesterday but was on hold for 10 minutes and I had to go to a meeting. Ugh. Will try again soon...

 

Called Toyota Corp and they opened a case # for the complaint. I suggest everyone who is having this problem do the same so they know it's not just an isolated incident:

800-331-4331
At the prompt, press 4 and then press 6

The rep will give you a case # and then forward the case to your local Toyota Customer Relations Manager. You'll have to tell him which dealer you go to so he can locate the person.

I should have more info in 2-3 days...stay tuned.

 

Here is a reply from an email I sent out
Dear Derek Keasling,

Hmm... Thanks Morita. No help at all.

 

I got an email response. There was a paragraph at the end stating that it was priviliged info, for my eyes only, and so on, so I won't cut-and-paste. To paraphrase, the responder sympathised, and said the email would be passed on to the appropriate department. So wait and see.

Back to the practical concerns: it took me all of 15 minutes to remove the entire panel. The hassle is coaxing out the push-in pins without breaking them. These kind of guys:



One of these (paint can opener) helps:



In concert with a slim, flat blade screw driver, at times. It also helps to wash the fasteners, prior to replacing them: they can get jammed by grit, increasing the odds of breakage.

Taking the entire panel off really opens the area up. You might do it a day in advance, just to break up the chores. Here's a shameless plug for my thread on the subject:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...hooting/90272-engine-under-panel-removal.html

Addendum: If you're not set up, or not inclined, to do your own oil changes, and are going through the dealership or 3rd party pros, all the above doesn't really help. Likely the door will get busted off sooner or later.

 

I have the same issue. On 02/12/2011 I went to dealership, hoping they would replace the stupid flap door which has cracked 1/2 way during 3-d oil change (cold weather made cheap plastic brittle and it is a NO-NO for a car manufacturer to put plastic which cannot hold temperatures for which car is designed) BUT to my surprise the dealership refused to replace it because "they have never seen it before". I filed BBB complaint
Re: Complaint #98588509 - Toyota Motor Sales U S A, Inc., called Toyota, and filed negative review of dealership ( Competition Toyota, Middle Island, NY). I am waiting a couple more days before I make second round of complaints. This is ridiculous. They MUST have made this oil change access cover HINGED. This is clearly manufacturer defect and must be fixed for free. I will continue to bug Toyota and post what happens. I urge everyone at least file Better Business Bureau complaint. It is very easy, and takes 5-10 minutes.

 

I figured, I'd go check status of my complaint and here it is, apparently still waiting for Toyota to respond, which means it is time to send more of the same !!! Go ahead write!!!:

Complaint ID: 98588509 Complaint Classification:
Complaint Description - Posted 2/15/2011 10:34:53 AM

A simple oil change in low temperature leads to damage due to manufactures defect. Toyota has to re-design under-engine cover and install real hinge for that cover which has to be opened every time oil is changed. Middle Island, NY Toyota dealership has refused to replace the cover, on the grounds that "they never seen it before".
Complaint Summary

Apparently to save costs, Toyota installed plastic hinge-less cover, which under low temp. becomes fragile and breaks off. It costs $249 to replace
Resolution Sought

Replace with real hinge cover ( it is the one which you have to open to change oil).


Additional Information Date Problem First Occurred:
2/12/2011 Product or Service: Toyota Prius 2010 Model Name or Number: Toyota Prius Date Purchased: Order Number: Amount In Dispute: $250.00



Company's Response Company's Response The complaint is waiting for the Business to respond. No edit is allowed at this point. Initial Response Summary

Consumer's Rebuttal Rebuttal

Company's Final Response Final Response

 

Here's another complaint thread from another site:

2010 Toyota Prius Plastic Protective Bottom Is Defective | CarComplaints.com

 

An idea:

1) Pick up one of these ($3~4):



2) Remove underpanel, and lay it out on a plywood workbench.

3) Straighten out one end of the coil on the binder, likely deformed to prevent it "unravelling" from the book. Open the book up, roughly to it's centre, and lay it face down with the coil centred over the underpanel hinge.

4) Start uncrewing the coil from the binder, away from the straightened out end, about an inch.

5) Position the last pair of binder holes from that end so that they're one hole space from the end of the engine underpanel hinge, and drill through the binder holes and the engine under panel.

6) Lock everything in position by tacking a couple of nails through these holes and a bit into the plywood work bench.

7) Continue backing out the coil, roughly halfway out of the binder. Ensure everything is still centred, drill a couple more similar holes about mid-way across the hinge, and put in a couple more nails to register the whole assembly.

8) Back the coil completely out of the binder, drill a couple more holes as near to the opposite end of the cover hinge as possible, put in another pair of register nails, and then drill through all remaining the binder perforations.

9) Remove the first pair of nails, and start screwing the coil onto the drilled holes (starting with the straightened out coil end).

10) Continue to screw the coil onto the holes, removing nails as you encounter them, till the coil is completely on, and the far end of the coil reaches the end of hinge. Bend back that end, to prevent it unscrewing.

Now: even if the plastic hinge fails, you have the notebook coil hinge holding it together. This method is similar in principal to zip ties, only ensures a much more secure fit.

A few assumptions:

a) The coil is stainless steel, is not going to rust out (a plastic coil would likely also work well)

b) 12" is long enough for the hinge (I think it is, if not, a longer coil is needed)

c) The door hasn't broken off as yet (If it has, will still work, just take more care with alignment)

 

Mendel- The notebook coil is a very novel idea. Have you done this yet?

I have been considering using one or two of what are called slip-joint hinges, such as the ones below. They should secure the door and allow it to swing and be removed.

Thoughts and comments?

SLIP JOINT HINGE​

SLIP JOINT - STEEL

SLIP JOINT - STAINLESS
​

Listed above are our standard stock items. If your requirements are different, just call us! Nothing is too "special" for us.​

SLIP JOINT - ALUMINUM WITH STS PIN
​

Call to order all your hinges at 1-800-882-0120. We have spring hinges, latch hinges, weld-on hinges, invisible hinges, t-hinges, strap hinges, spring release hinges, continuous hinges and custom hinges.
​

Order by Phone
Call 1-800-882-0120

Office Hours
Monday thru Friday
8:00 - 4:30 (US Eastern Time Zone)​

E-mail us your special requirements and we will promptly
get back to you with a cost saving quote. ​

 

The hinges seem a good idea too: point all the pins the same direction, use two or three shorter hinges with a slight gap between each. That way the door can be swung down and/or pulled completely off, once the 3 retaining pins are out. Especially good for people just using low-lift ramps who don't have much clearance.

As to my idea, no I've haven't done it. More-or-less literally dreamed it up last night: was dozing when it popped into my head, LOL. Anyway:

I pulled the entire panel off a week or so back, and just applied hockey tape (cloth backed black tape), on both sides of the hinge, and did the same thing to a second hinge point further forward, that runs the full width of the panel, for insurance. I've had no oil changes to date, and the panel is as-new.

 

I agree - it is easy to fix this screw-up. But the point is - it is screw up by Toyota and they should fix it for everyone, who bought this car. You see, it is only a few people who would fix it themselves and forget it. Most folks would shell out hard-earned money repeatedly as this door would fall off every year or so.


Also: WHY the **** do I have to spend half-day or day trying to fix this stupid plastic piece on a car that is still under warranty ?

 

I totally agree. That reminds me of a power antenna we had on a Honda: the thing was basically a POS. Within a decade of it's introduction most older Accords on the road had these antennas, stuck halfway up. We spent insane bucks in multiple refurb's of that thing.

This panel is a little irritant, but with significant expense likely looming. But in the meantime, I just can't resist the DIY urge.

 

Sigh, so my local Customer Relations Manager called me back and said it was not the oil change access door that had fallen off, it was a piece of the protective engine cover (part name: Engine Cover Assy). And because the car sits low on the ground, he said it was "pretty common" that these parts fall off after being scraped on driveways/bottoming out. He reiterated that it was NOT covered under warranty and that they would NOT fix it for free. Pretty ridic right?

Doesn't seem like there is anything else I can do at this point. I refuse to pay the absurd fee (close to $400) to get this fixed. He said he hadn't heard of any safety hazards for leaving the engine exposed but to just be cautious while driving on the road.

The next time I go in for an oil change, I'm just going to watch the mechanic and have him show me where this access door and engine cover is exactly.

WHAT A PAIN IN MY nice person. I've been a Toyota loyalist for many years...even after that stupid brake recall...but having endured this just confirms that Toyota makes cheap products. I can't help but feel cheated.

I'm still waiting for the outcome of my Better Biz Bureau complaint. In the meantime, I think everyone should still call Toyota Corp and complain. Looks like some people's oil change door IS in fact falling off and fixing it or DIY solutions shouldn't fall on us. They need to fix it.

 

Just my 2 cents: I think he's trying on a snow job. The term "engine cover" is used in the Repair Manual to describe the cover over the cams shafts, at the top of the engine.

The plastic under panel directly beneath the engine is describe in that same Repair Manual as "No 1 Engine Under Cover". And a "piece" of it is the hinged flap in vicinity of engine oil pan and oil filter. From the manual:



(approx maintenance door area circled in red: the pic seems a little "off")

And here's an actual photo of ours, oriented as it was taken off the car (front bumper on the left):



(again: maintenance door area circled in red)



I really think they're ducking and weaving. My email got a sympathetic response, and the promise that it would be forwarded to the appropriate department. That was maybe 2 weeks back, dead silence since.

Likely the best course is to post your experience is a public, on-the-record forum. Like this thread. The more the merrier.

 

Ah, so helpful! Thanks for the diagram....I'm not surprised that they're ducking the main issue. Typical car dealership ya know? My issue is...how do we take legal action?

 

I think a deluge of complaints in a public forum, and emails to Toyota linking to those forum threads, is a good start. The object being to establish that they have been informed by customers, time after time, that there is a problem.

The longer they drag their heels, the worse they look.

 

Yup!....First a radio that is a POS & now this....Neither of these issues are "Rocket/Science" from Toyota's position....What the He!! is going on over there!...

 

Has everyone called Toyota Corp to file a complaint?

800-331-4331
At the prompt, press 4 and then press 6