Inspect very carfully before purchasing!

I just checked mine in the garage and I got 25-3/4" on both sides, measured to the peak of the bottom the fender.

Of the ones you've seen to be leaning, do that all lean left, or do some lean right? My first guess, as someone mentioned, would be a weaker spring on one side, but that would seem to be random. If they all lean left then it sounds like a systematic problem or design flaw.

BTW, are you a surveyor or civil engineer? Not too many people measure in hundredths of a foot.

 

Ocd

 

My bad, it was actually the user "abq sfr" who wrote that his fender height was 2.13 feet. Caught my eye since you rarely see decimal feet used.

 

Re: 2008 Prius leans to the left

I've never seen it because I've never looked, but I'm told there is a 3 liter thermos water container which keeps radiater water warm over night. It's supposed to be located on the left side in the front. I'm sure three liters of water weighs a little something extra and might pull down a bit on the left side.

 

off the top of my head 3 liters of water is 3 kg or about 6 lbs ... doesn't seem like much but who knows.

 

Damn you, Toy08! I have been checking out Prius rear-ends all week long.











I feel like a stalker.

 

Cars lean to compensate for the camber on the road or that they are often driven with just the driver aboard. It is designed in. I had a Mazda which had spacers above the right strut mounts, some cars have right and left springs which are slightly different lengths.
Forget it and enjoy the car.

 

That is true, but only to compensate for asymmetrical curb weight distribution, not loaded weight. Manufacturers never use different spring rates to compensate for passenger loading, not even the driver.

And in the case of the Prius, not all of them lean. If it was designed in, they'd all lean the same way. They don't, so you're just plain wrong. Period.

 

Because of the road camber, I'm not confident to say anything about those I've followed on the highway. But I have seen two Prii parked that seemed to lean, and I was tempted to do some measuring.

My wife, as usual, talked me out of it.

 

Generator is on the left side. Maybe the extra weight!

 

My 2007 Touring #6 leans 1/2" to the left. The dealer verified that, while also announcing that the alignment was within specifications. The dealer will not do anything about the lean. My Prius is perfectly stock with about 9K miles. All tire pressures are even, side-to-side (40 PSI Front / 38 PSI Rear).

Meanwhile, I always feel a tugging to the left sensation while driving on a straight and level road. I also feel an initial tug to the left when I brake, but it doesn't veer to the left. The alignment feels OK, but I think the 1/2" lean throws the entire geometry off for steering and handling.

The worst symptom is when I turn right. The car leans/rolls dramatically to the left. If I turn left, the car handles fine with minimal lean/roll. I suspect this may have been a lame design issue to compensate for crowned roads. Regardless, it is very disconcerting and does not make me feel very confident that it can handle emergency maneuvers safely.

I'm out of town on business, but I will attempt to pursue this further with Toyota when I get back. I think this is a SAFETY issue and I will also write to the Dept. of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

You can file a complaint online with NHTSA at:

IVOQ - File a Complaint

I have had my Prius into the dealer at least 7 times for alignment & handling issues, but it wasn't until this string of posts came along that I finally realized it's all related to the 1/2" lean. Whether it's designed that way or not is immaterial, it is a SAFETY issue.

I would encourage others who are concerned about this safety defect to use the online complaint process:

IVOQ - File a Complaint

I will also probably contact a CA lemon law lawyer and seek remedy through that process.

 

Here's an interesting question to ask your service manager. "If I were to pay you to fix the lean, how would you go about doing it?"

 

Looks like the right side of my Prius is about 1.5 mm lower than the left side.

 

I thought this was normal... I remember people talking about it when I was viewing this thread.