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Should you tie down a cooler in the trunk of a Prius?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by priusmouse, Aug 15, 2023.

  1. priusmouse

    priusmouse Member

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    My current Prius is a gen 4 tho i’ll be receiving a gen 5 soon (according to my dealer anyway…lol)

    In any case, I am using one of those big rotomolded 65 liter coolers for the first time.

    It occurred to me that this will be a very heavy and hard-sided object in the trunk, near the glass of the hatch, etc.

    Is it necessary/a good idea to tie it down? Or overkill? If you think it should be tied down…is there even a way to do that in the gen 4 model? I found some hooks in mine close to the opening but im not sure theyre in the right spot to tie down my cooler (yeti tundra 65)
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if you tie down everything you buy and bring home in the hatch, then i suppose so. might depend on how you drive as well
     
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  3. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    If you can squeeze it in with out unlatching the back seats, it should be fine. Just be careful slamming the rear hatch; you may break the glass.
    If you have to lower the back seats, I'd tie it down enough - so it doesn't become a projectile and break my back or neck in a abrupt stop or rear end collision.

    Hope this helps....
     
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  4. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Turns on how much of a psychotic crazed wacko Speed Demon Corner hugging driver you are. On the other end of the spectrum, I left a pair of C-clamp vise grips on the passenger Step Up sitting on the Mercedes motorhome and when we drove 100 miles down to Lake Placid Montana, lo & behold my wife opens her door and says, "you've got to be kidding". They were still sitting there. LOL
    .
     
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  5. sylvaing

    sylvaing Senior Member

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    You're driving a gen4 Prius, are you sure you can accelerate fast enough to tumble a heavy cooler in the trunk?
     
  6. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Well, they CAN stop real fast.
    ;)
    .
     
  7. sylvaing

    sylvaing Senior Member

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    Yeah, but it will get toward the back seat where the trunk lid is higher.
     
  8. douglasjre

    douglasjre Senior Member

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    Same reason spare is bolted. Missile in accident
     
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    On the way to Costco recently:
     

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  10. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    New rims?
     
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  11. sylvaing

    sylvaing Senior Member

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    What's the rope for?
     
  12. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Holds everything in place if you have to slam on the brakes presumably
     
  13. sylvaing

    sylvaing Senior Member

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    That's what I thought too but the rope seems too loose.
     
  14. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Maybe - but it presumably beats using nothing
     
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  15. Doug McC

    Doug McC Senior Member

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    Let’s presume you don’t secure it as you evidently suspect you should. If anything did happen how hard are you going to kick yourself wishing you had followed your own instincts?
     
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  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Everything’s snugged down good.

    I never tie down coolers though. Maybe should, but it’d inconvenient for access, and they’re relatively light, “less” inertia in a crash.
     
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  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    even filled with beer?
     
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