OEM spare tire install

Yes, I'll update once I receive all parts.

 

My feeling as well.

Can't see how a spare would fit under the LE's panel.

Has anyone tried to fit a spare into the LE?

 

To be fair, searched this thread and the other thread on this topic.

Found much discussion, but not a single report of someone having actually installed it into an LE.

 

i have been looking at other spare tire alternatives and there is this ez spare which offers aluminum spare wheels as opposed to steel.

Preferred: 165/70R17 (30065)
Secondary: 125/80R18 (40075)

EFS Adapter: G - 5x114.3 (G001S57)
Hub Ring: 72.6 / 60.1 (Z17D)
Nut: M12x1.50 (DST20A)

there is a yt video explaining why the recommended spare is different than the regular oem tire.
i like the idea of aluminum vs steel hence i think the ez spare could be a great alternative for the prius le. i would think perhaps carrying an aluminum spare (32.8 pounds) on long trips would be lighter than with a steel spare.

 

Do you think the XLE can install the lower version foam boxes from the LE?

 

I don't see why not. The lower version is factory standard in Japan on all non-plugin trims. The high one is a dealer-fit accessory there. Exact parts list would need to be determined though.

 

Prius LE spare tire reporting back:

Overall, I would say the LE spare tire install was a success with minor caveats as Hammersmith has pointed out and a few updates as well:

1. The LE has a different configuration for the the plastic trim that forms on the bottom of the hatch opening and where the deck floor boxes latch onto. Since the LE has a lower floor, those latching points are lower than in an XLE or Limited trim. The black plastic clips DO NOT reach down far enough. The left hand side foam fit is not great on the LE and there is play on the left side foam. Right side foam is snug and secure enough not to matter too much. However, the latching points are too far apart to reach for both foams on the LE trim. The foams are not as sturdy as I would prefer. However, the LE fit is snug enough with the spare tire installed to still function.

2. The existing deck board is good for the LE. There may be minor dimension tolerances but its close enough. However, the carpet mat has wing extensions and there are loose flaps on the edges. Not a deal breaker at all, as I was able to fit battery jumper cables in the larger void on the left wing. The right wing is so small it honestly doesn't matter if it remains empty. There is small play. I was able to fit an umbrella on the right wing void.

Also, there is a small gap if the board and carpet mat are shifted all the way up. You just have to make sure the boards are shifted to the lower edge against the hatch door and avoid the possible gap.

I have not driven around enough to tell of there is any rattling noise or any shifting of the spare tire parts. I'll report back.

 

My parts for the spare should ship any day now. What is everyone doing with the old foam and kit that is being removed?

 

So my spare tire assembly kit is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Cool. Except that I am currently on the side of a mountain road with a busted tire as I type this. Hit a pothole. Toyota is sending a tow, but wanted to tow me to the nearest dealer, which is over an hour from my home… and I am only 15 minutes away from home. Geez, thanks for nothing, Toyota.

Incidentally, this is EXACTLY why I was buying the spare tire stuff, so that I didn’t get stranded on this mountain road. Hopefully the tow truck beats the snow storm that’s supposed to roll in in a few hours.

 

I can't thank you all enough starting with Hammersmith. You rock putting all this together so detailed and at significant effort and time investment on your part. THANK YOU! Thanks to everyone who contributed! What a great community! Great Thread!

I brought a spreadsheet to the dealership today with all 9 items and i went in there saying "We need to solve this problem" of no spare tire option in US when purchasing a 2024 Prius LE in white. I showed them I was serious by bringing my checkbook......I definitely threw them for a loop. Such details and knowing exact part number for LE.......so here is what they came back with.

My sheet was total retail random toyota parts site off the net. Total came in at $1345 allowing $150 for the T145/90D16 spare tire.

They offered minor assistance with procurement - saving me maybe $100 by throwing in a jack from another car. I said nah, I need 100% of the parts on that list guaranteed new in box or no sale of car. I need a solution not a $100 kiss.

They then gave me an invoice, with ETA of 10 days (so guarantee all parts available which is great) at a cost of $1719.83!

WHAT? Are you kidding me?

So my first question is where are you all getting these genuine toyota parts from?

I ended up putting a deposit on the car because I got what I felt was the right price and no double dipping with huge dealer fees and forced warranties or whatever. I can back out at any time and ETA for the car is less than 2 months - about 45-50 days.

Hopefully I can find this for cheaper that $1700 as I think I can get a kidney for that in South America. This is just silly expensive but I cannot see myself owning a car that does not include a spare tire. Period. So I hope there is a solution so I can get this awesome looking 2.0L Prius in my inventory as the Prime is flat out off the table. I would have went prime but with no spare solution that is factory quality it is no bueno for me. And I am only willing to bend over so far on the cost of the spare solution talked about here.

I told them, "Please Don't Make Me By A FORD!" - not sure what I will do if that price of $1700 holds.......that's a tough nut to swallow after paying almost $30K for a car. This is a necessary piece of safety equipment in my mind. Bad move Toyota to not have an option for this.

 

The only thing that’ll wake up Toyota is $’s: if potential customers eschew cars without a spare, they’ll quickly reinstate them.

 

You are right, but I as one guy cannot affect others purchasing decision - so I am not standing around and waiting for that - I posted on Facebook that I am their Marketing Department's worst nightmare - and when I work and give up my effort and time just like the many who contributed here I like to help solve the problem for others as well.....so let's start off with the complaint I just filed with the NHTSA - (can't post links yet as I am a noob) google them and file a general safety complaint - i did! I used a New car VIN from my dealer

You all should follow suite here - the louder we are the more attention this issue will get.

I am also considering a huge sign for outside the dealership (empty lot next store) saying "No Spare Tires Available Here" or some catchy marketing that we can all share and turn into a national campaign as this is not limited to Toyota - it is an epidemic in the industry and quite unacceptable if you ask me. If we want them to address it we need to become the "Squeaky Wheel".

If I can get a 4' X 8' sign up in coming weeks I will also invite the local News Station for the unveiling and they might pick that story up., This is a good human interest story as many people do not even notice the car they just purchased was lacking this critical piece of safety gear.

I am also looking into "Class Action" with my lawyer and see if we can form a class and sue based on additional losses incurred when you had a flat and had no spare option was factory available. Stay tuned on that as I will not qualify to be a class member but I will in fact bring forth the action in my name if possible. If not I will find someone who will be willing to be the face of that campaign but if you had additional losses (added expense of towing/lost time away from work, etc) and we can identify that loss we might have a case. I am sure there are many of those examples.

Finally I am working to setup an online petition to get toyota to add spare tire options for all vehicles in the USA. Working on how to start this so I will post more on that ASAP! I will need folks to sign that if we expect anything to come out of it.

Bottom line - I want to buy this 2024 Prius - and I slapped a down payment on one yesterday to show Toyota I am serious - but accepting delivery on that without a spare tire "Solution" - not likely.

And I am not likely to bend over for $1700 on a do it yourself option either as all the liability for these parts, the procurement and making sure they fit right is on me. That is BS for a new car - not ideal in any way. This needs to be included as an option regardless of cost.

And if this is an option offered by Toyota factory for a spare and not this "Do it yourself" option then I am good and my work here will be done. That will be the goal of my efforts to get a manufacture option as we are never going to win the fight to have one included - it seems cost are a factor even if it was only $500-$600.

I am not willing to spend $1700 on a do it yourself spare option however I will spend unlimited amounts of time and effort on making sure Toyota knows I am pissed and feel they are screwing me over with no spare tire option on a $30K car! More to come ASAP and Thank you all for this outstanding thread!

 

Order online from Lewis Toyota and have it delivered. I just got my delivered yesterday… about $700 total. Others have paid less from Lewis with various discounts. Shop around online at Toyota dealers and find the cheapest with free shipping.

and thanks to hammersmith, it was a very easy install.

 

God bless all of you for that! I can't think about letting my teenage daughter drive my new car then have issues and not have a spare. I am going to enter the parts in at Lewis and check - THANKS for that. Seems like it will save me $1000 which is another awesome product of this thread - thank you all again!

 

I'd counter that Toyota should provide an optional kit, reasonably priced (($200~300 USD), for "the 10%", and design the area the spare resides in so you don't have to replace myriad parts. Do they even provide a scissor jack lug nut wrench now? They at least did that in gen 4.

 

I think I am going to qualify as one of those future owners of smaller vehicles and I am definitely going to qualify as a complainer - only because I am too busy to need another "Science Project" on my schedule so I can have the car I want with the safety features I want and many people I talk to think it should come with one as well, included, OEM. I am NOT going that far as there is $$$ involved.

I support freedom of choice so the only change I am going to advocate for moving forward is that each manufacture be required "To Offer" a solution as an OEM option. I honestly think that solves both sides of the problem and those who don't need it great don't pay for that option. We do not want to force it upon anyone with regulations either so I would only want to make the manufacture have it available as an option.

That way I don't have any responsibility for it or uncertainty around the solution using the right parts, it just comes with it for $1700 (Ouch) .

We have all this safety sense and everything else - we should be allowed to have this without a science project incorporating 9 parts and me confirming everything is correct and available. That is purely Toyota's fault so I am looking to force the manufacturer's to provide an OEM option. That's all I want. And I fully expect they will rape me for it financially as they have already shown they will. Option may end up being $2100 with install whatever. What would my kid or my grandmom do if they were buying this car? Not this - I assure you.

I fight for freedom of choice and I fight for the others who would never know what to do in this situation and I bet there are 20 cars out there without this comprehensive guide and "Do it yourself" solutions documented. We are very lucky to have the benefit of the work of Hammersmith and several others. (Sorry I don't have all the names)

Great job but I bet every Mazda buyer, every Nissan buyer, insert brand here, does not have this.

Prius owners are a tight group and this shows that. Other groups like mustang users maybe......do not know,

And I am not sure what I do next is really going to be "Complaining" per say.........as opposed to rallying for change. I look to encourage these manufactures to "Do the right thing" here and that will either happen or it won't......but we will see and many times consumers do notice and actions speak louder than words. Let's see if I post this petition if folks are willing to sign it. That will show us how they feel on the subject for sure. And it will also send a clear message to toyota of North America in this case as well. It's in the oven......

 

I was going to buy a used Gen 4 because it came with a spare - they just wanted to make too much on it. could not get there with the dealer. for me new was a better deal - they hold value very well as a car.