Gap Between Bumper and Black Plastic Thing Underneath

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by liquidtenmillion, Jan 30, 2016.

  1. liquidtenmillion

    liquidtenmillion Active Member

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    Hey everyone! I bought a certified used 2015 Prius 3 with 1200 miles on it in November. I absolutely love it!

    Anyway, I have noticed that at the front bumper directly on the bottom where it meets the black plastic piece I see a small gap between the two parts, but only in the very center. The gap is maybe 3mm or so, and the sides of this piece do not have a gap, only the center.

    All of the bolts are firmly in place and the lone clip in the center is also firmly in place.

    I've seen this part referred to as the air dam, the splash guard, and the splash shield. I've searched like crazy and can't find anyone talking about it and there doesn't exist a single picture of this area with good lighting.

    My question is, is this gap normal? Please take a look at your car and let me know.

    Thank You!
     
    #1 liquidtenmillion, Jan 30, 2016
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Mines tight, no gap, though it might be bit different, being 2010. Maybe snagged a curb? I'd raise the front, and try taking the piece right off, that might reveal something, or resolve it when you reinstall.
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Jan 30, 2016
  3. liquidtenmillion

    liquidtenmillion Active Member

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    Strangely enough I did take the piece off, no bends, no cracks, nothing! Not on either the shield or the bumper cover. That's why I started to wonder if it was normal or not.

    It seems like the only solution would be to bend the bottom part of the bumper down a little bit from the inside, but it look so evenly tapered(the center is thinner than the sides) from the sides that I'd rather not bend it if it's supposed to be this way.

    Thanks for checking!
     
    #3 liquidtenmillion, Jan 30, 2016
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  4. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Our 2011 has that gap, but I've misplaced the large clip that goes in that center hole, and I've removed the cover under the car several times already, so things aren't vert snug down there anymore.
     
    #4 xliderider, Jan 30, 2016
  5. 48mpg

    48mpg Member

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    put some double sided tape on it..the dealer will charge you a diagnostic fee to see whats wrong with it.
     
    #5 48mpg, Jan 30, 2016
  6. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    Warning !!! Parking space curb stops and Prius don't get along. If you should happen to roll up over one that has a stake protruding out of it, you'll back up and leave the front bumper cover laying in the parking lot. I suspect you car may have had such an encounter.
     
    #6 BZzap!, Jan 30, 2016
  7. liquidtenmillion

    liquidtenmillion Active Member

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    So i've spent the past few days checking Gen 3 Prii in various parking lots(just bending over and looking at the front). About 12 of them have the same gap I do, some of them much worse, and only 1 had absolutely no gap, and it was a pre 2012. But as far as I know they all scrape their cars. I have never hit the curb or scraped the bottom, I've been babying it and just refuse to drive it up a hill too steep and am exceedingly(annoyingly if you ask my wife) careful parking it, but I do not know what happened in the thousand miles before I had it.

    I don't know if i'm being too picky, if the tolerances for that part allow for a few millimeters gap, or if the prior owner(it was the dealership owner) scraped the car.

    I considered taping it, but the gap is FIRMLY there. It is not loose, if I push up on it it immediately snaps back into place.
     
    #7 liquidtenmillion, Feb 2, 2016
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