cargo deck cover shade advisory

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Bob Allen, Aug 10, 2004.

  1. Bob Allen

    Bob Allen Captainbaba

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    This week's helpful hint: A little advisory for you folks: Yesterday, I found a tiny flathead screw on the carpet in my trunk. At first, I thought it belonged to something I had been carrying, but in any case, I knew to keep it in case some "hole" showed up. Later, I went to close the "hidey-shade" over the trunk and discovered that the little tongue pieces on the rear end of the shade that engage the slots in the side panels, would not engage. The reason is that those little tongue pieces are screwed to the shade and one of the screws was missing.
    After re-screwing the missing screw, I checked and found all four were loose. I'd suggest you check those screws and make sure they are tight. If I had had a trunk full of camping gear or another assortment of items, I might not have noticed the missing screw or found it if I did. It would be a silly but necessary trip to a dealer to get a replacement screw.
    Next week: How to arrange flowers in your cup holders.
     
    #1 Bob Allen, Aug 10, 2004
  2. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Oh man, I can't wait.

    Every time I make right turns my flowers shift and drive me crazy!!
     
    #2 TonyPSchaefer, Aug 10, 2004
  3. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    That's a pretty widely reported issue/problem...thanks for the reminder. I don't use my cover at all, but haven't checked the screws.

    Seems the main problem is that they're a little too short and tend to loosen up. Folks might think about trying to similar but slightly longer screws to replace or add some loc-tite to make sure they don't vibrate loose again.
     
    #3 efusco, Aug 10, 2004
  4. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    just a dab of hot melt glue and screw it back in never to come loose again.
     
    #4 Frank Hudon, Aug 10, 2004
  5. removeum

    removeum Member

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    Cargo Cover

    Thank you for the information. I also found the small screw about a week ago. Just checked and I was missing two of those. Guess it is back to the dealer ship.
    Ben :mrgreen:
     
    #5 removeum, Aug 10, 2004
  6. Ray Moore

    Ray Moore Active Member

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    #6 Ray Moore, Aug 10, 2004
  7. toyoprius

    toyoprius New Member

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    All four of my screws loosened and fell out also.
     
    #7 toyoprius, Aug 12, 2004
  8. chgomatt

    chgomatt New Member

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    People have been telling me for years that I had a screw loose. I just went out and checked and I actually had 3 screws loose! :)
     
    #8 chgomatt, Aug 12, 2004
  9. montolchik

    montolchik New Member

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    I lost both on one side. The dealership replaced them when I went in for my last oil change.
     
    #9 montolchik, Aug 12, 2004
  10. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    I do not know... if you glue the flowers into the cupholders you'll have to clean out the hardened glue after the flowers fade. There's got to be a better solution.
     
    #10 daniel, Aug 12, 2004
  11. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    Daniel, I'm starting to see a pattern here with you taking things out of context.
     
    #11 Frank Hudon, Aug 12, 2004
  12. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    LOL Frank

    I've had one come out of each side as well. Started about 6 months ago. I regularly tighten them down, but do need to add some glue or loctite. Wonder if the "newer" Prius experience this, or just the early release 2004's?
     
    #12 HTMLSpinnr, Aug 12, 2004
  13. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    I'm not sure if it's just us early adopters or not but I've looked at this design and I'm of the opinion that Toyota should have put a metal insert in the plastic end portion when they injection molded it. That would have allowed the screw to actually bite into something other than plastic. The hot melt on the screw and tightened back in has stopped them working out for now.
     
    #13 Frank Hudon, Aug 13, 2004
  14. pjdemmitt

    pjdemmitt Junior Member

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    Loose Screws

    I noticed earlier today that one of the screws was starting to come out and made a mental note to tighten it when I got home. It wasn't until just before I decided to to to bed to do it. However, it was too late! The screws on one side had come completely out and the plastic guide was off. I looked in vain for the missing screws, but couldn't find them. I knew that they just didn't disappear.

    So removed the entire metal housing and shook it. I could hear the screws rattling around in there. It took a bit of shaking and pulling on the cover, but I was able to recover the missing screws from inside the metal housing.

    If your screws are misssing and you can't find them in the trunk, check the metal housing. Chances are, that's where they are.

    I used to use Locktite, but the little tubes would dry out before I was able to use it all. I like the hot melt glue idea. The next time I have work to do on the car, I will remove them and do that.
     
    #14 pjdemmitt, Aug 13, 2004
  15. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
     
    #15 daniel, Aug 13, 2004
  16. removeum

    removeum Member

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    Loose Screw or I have one missing

    I check and one of the screws is missing. I went to the dealership and attempted to buy a replacement screw. Wouldn't you know, there is no part number for it and the whole cover is listed as one part.

    The dealership said no problem, ordered me a new cover and said it was covered under the warranty.
     
    #16 removeum, Aug 13, 2004
  17. jamarimutt

    jamarimutt New Member

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    Toyota should replace the cheap shade with a useful hard cover that pivots up when one opens the rear door. My 1998 Daewoo Lanos had such a cover, as did my 2002 VW Golf. In both cases the cover was made of a material light but rigid enough that you could use it as a shelf. The Prius shade is a joke by comparison.
     
    #17 jamarimutt, Aug 13, 2004
  18. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    While a hard cover is more durable, it's not as "storable" as the soft cover. Speaking as someone who's have 2 other hatchbacks in the past with hard covers (1993 Ford Probe and a 2002 Hyundai Elantra GT Wagon) - I prefer the storable version - though the risk of tearing the cover is present.

    Our cover can be placed under the "floor" of the hatch in a specially designed area to keep it out of the way. A hard cover wouldn't be so easy to relocate if you happened to get something large at Home Depot some weekend.
     
    #18 HTMLSpinnr, Aug 17, 2004
  19. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    What about using a frog for the flowers. BTW for the uninitiated a frog is a usually round device with a heavy stainless base and a "bed of nails" on top to poke flower stems into. Should be heavy enough to hold your flowers with out glue.
     
    #19 hdrygas, Aug 17, 2004
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