Dirt Buildup On Plastic Under Body Panels

When I changed the oil on my 2010 I always removed the "engine under cover." There was always a lot of debris (rocks, dirt) collected there. Not surprised it's the same for the Gen IV.

 

The bumpkin in the thread did a front wheel bearing hub assembly replacement on a 2012 Prius I watched. He just kept the impact gun on the locking nut for 2 solid minutes.

Let’s just say if you were to do that, the threads on the axle would be so rounded due to the dimple placed in the locking nut that thread repair is required .

But plenty of dirt to go around from that video though.

 

That guy's funny though, related to Red Green??

 

I've had a few sets of covers off previous cars - a '95 Mazda was full of small leaves, and an '90 Mazda which spent it's first 15 years in dusty Western Qld had dried mud caked under there - which explained the rust bubbles. My last 3 cars I didn't look as I intended to sell them about when the warranty expired.

 

We’ve driven our 2016 Prius 2 on gravel roads in Minnesota for 2 years, and just noticed that the plastic panels under the car in the driver/front passenger areas are full of gravel and sagging 3 inches from the added weight. Cleaning them out leaves them permanent deformed and likely to fill up all the faster. Replacing them will cost $540 plus the cost of the labor. This is a major design flaw!!!

 

Too much computer simulation, not enough real world testing.

 

You have to periodically raise the car and have at it with compressed air I guess. Or a leaf blower, wet/dry vacuum on blow, what have you. Goofy to need to do this, the price for underbody aerodynamics.

On our 3rd gen if I tap the long mid-body underpanels, stuff always vibrates out.