New Prius Complaint - Water Runs Into Trunk/Back When Hatch Opens

Hmm...

I live in Oregon and already have opened the rear hatch of my Prius countless times in various degrees of rain.

Most of the rain is channeled down the side groves of the back hatch. I will admit I've occasionally noticed a little bit that will fall right down the center....but it's so little an amount I don't perceive it as a problem.

I certainly wouldn't say in even the hardest rainstorm I've ever had rain pouring into the back of my hatch. The groves are designed to take the majority of the water and feed it down and out and at least with my Prius that is working pretty well.

Water can be a problem with the batteries in the back of a Prius. If you have water "pouring in"...then I'd think you have a problem...perhaps a clogged drain.

 

Well, don't just throw it open. Give the water on the rear window and hatch some time to run off the sides and top as you open it.

SCH-I535

 

Well because it does rain in Oregon a lot, I've actually carefully looked at mine. And the grooves on the side take the majority of the water and it drains all the way out...actually feeding into the covered portion. I'm assuming draining the water all the way down and eventually out of some drain underneath the vehicle.

If yours is only draining the water half way, then having it flood all over the inside of your hatch, then something is wrong.

But if you mean...draining down the sides of the grooves...once you open the hatch...that's how it's designed....the water is suppose to flow down the side grooves...and all way down and out of your vehicle.

Going down the side grooves...normal as designed. Going down the side grooves but then 1/2 detouring and flooding the inside of your back hatch? Not as designed...you have something clogged somewhere.

 

Joey, you aren't alone. I also get dripping either entirely or mostly on the left side. I shall have to look harder the next time it rains.

 

Here's a thought...

Get a hose. Spray the car. Open the hatch. Pay attention to what's going on. Repeat until you figure it out.


Had to do that on my CRX. The problem was cracks in the panel filler.

 

In my case the water pours on the right side

 

This is why I don't keep anything on the sides of the hatch that I don't want to get wet.

 

After car wash I made those two pictures. Obviously water remains in the gap between spoiler and rear window. Will check if any drain exists there (maybe clogged), otherwise needs to invent some

 

It would be my guess that this is a sealed area and there is little you can do to make the water go away. Design flaw...




?

 

What a fart!!

 

White Castle strikes again!

 

The last rain storm we had, I carefully watched exactly what was happening as I opened my hatch.

I would say the rain water does run off my hatch as you have outlined in your pictures. But I don't perceive it as a defect. Because at least in my case, even with the water coming down as you outline, usually the water either bounces off the side of the vehicle...which I think is okay, or it falls in the grove in the hatch which is designed to collect the water and channel it down and away. Even with that water pattern, I don't see a lot of water making it into my hatch area as a result of that pattern.

 

Yes - when the car is parked in absolutely upright position. In front of my house it has a slight list to portside (few degrees) that's why the water runs into the trunk on the right side only. I got used to it - one old cotton t-shirt is always on hand