Panel from undercarriage of car fell off...

Review the following TSB for the engine undercover:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...roubleshooting/94010-tsb-oil-change-door.html

 

The Gen III Prius has one great looking undercarriage.

 

Yeah, unless you have an extended warranty, you are out of luck. But you can use the information within to do the repair yourself as well as use the part number to shop around. Champion Toyota has a very busy online parts store and you could probably arrange a will call at the discounted price if they or others aren't willing to ship it.

Champion ToyotaWorld

 

What is that white thing in your hand?
Is it part of the black panel or did something else fall off?

If that is indeed the oil change door, folks on this site have been reattaching them with aluminium piano hinges.

my2cents.

 

Looks like your oil change door was not damaged too badly. See the below link for ways to reattach it.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...90903-oil-change-door-permanent-solution.html

 

For those that depend on dealers and others to change their oil, I would highly recommend checking the fasteners on the engine undercover each time your oil is changed. When I started out with the dealer changing oil I would find the minimum number of fasteners installed each time. I would re-install the missing fasteners and more would be missing the next time.

I think the techs just install the minimum when re-installing. I do not know whether they are breaking the push-pins and not replacing or just not replacing all of them.

I have since started changing my own oil.

 

I have never had a vehicle that suffered as much bumper and undercarriage damage as the Prius just moving in and out of parking spaces.

 

Unfortunately, as I discovered recently, the extended warranty doesn't cover this part. Toyota told me the engine under cover is considered a body panel or body trim piece so I was out of luck. The extended warranty does not cover body panels or body trim pieces.

I think that because it is a defective part with many failures it should be covered without regard to miles but Toyota does not see it that way, at least they didn't in my case.

 

My dealer did a good will, NC replacement for me.

 

I wonder how many more changes my door might have before it falls off. I'm due soon for my next one (I do 7500ish mile oil changes due to the short driving), and am debating trying to flex it off so that when I go in for the TSB on the rough engine start, I'll get this covered before it breaks when I'm probably just out of warranty on it.

 

As much as it pains me to say it, you are exhibiting precisely the proper attitude for a modern Toyota owner. I watched my "hinge" slowly tearing through two stealership oil changes assuming that the greasemonkeys would replace the dumb panel but noooo- try to outlast the warranty so they could nick me for the replacement. Do what I did- rip the sumbitch off and make them replace the panel.

 

I went to change my oil today and the access cover is gone. I bought a 2010 used a year ago so no idea how long it's been off. Perhaps the previous owner was annoyed by it.:noidea: I kind of consider myself lucky that I don't have to deal with that access cover but at the same time, is it necessary? :behindsofa:

 

If you don't have time to get it fixed at least go by a dealer and have them enter the fact that it's broken into the car's service history before the 36K/3 year warranty expires. I didn't do that and Toyota "Customer Experience Center" told me to go jump off a cliff. Talking to them was quite an "Experience" though.

I also thought I could have it fixed under my Toyota Platinum extended warranty, no such luck. The under engine cover is not covered.

 

thanks. i'm over 36k though :juggle:

 

I'd just buy another one...they're only $200 from toyotapartszone. It beats the alternative of undercarriage damage.

 

Greetings all!
I too recently experienced issues with the oil access panel falling off (the post about it sounding like a flat tire are true!). I contacted my local Toyota dealer (same place we bought it from) and was told this panel is NOT covered under the original warranty (and I am not even at 35K miles yet!) The servicer manager told me it would $354 for the part and labor (or $500 for the entire undercarriage panel- GRRRR!) WHAT THE HECK? I think I could put it in myself and I am by no means a gal with any kind of automotive skills. Obviously this little panel issue is a known problem! I like several others on this site have only ever had the oil changed at this Toyota dealer. It is absolutely ridiculous that the dealer/Toyota is not willing to step up on this. This just might be our first and last Toyota.

 

It is covered by the 3/36 basic warranty. Print out the TSB and return to the dealer to demand satisfaction. If no joy, call Toyota Customer Experience.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...roubleshooting/94010-tsb-oil-change-door.html