The 2 panels on the bottom of our Prius filled with mud and were falling off. Our mechanic removed them and gave them to us. Can we leave these off? They look like protective panels.
If you can have them put back on do it. If not I would order new and have them replaced. It shouldn't cost too much. What you don't want is a rock flying up from the road and damaging some of the stuff underneath. Plus you get some reduced drag and better mileage.
They are originally mounted with plastic nuts, yes plastic. I added extra support on the outside edges due to the 20 miles of dirt roads I drive every day. They still fill with dirt and sag and bounce. Project for this summer; trash bag over top, mount to car, fill with spray foam insulation, mount with metal nuts. Let you know how it goes when I get there. Jerry
If you are going to continue to expose your prius to a harsh terrain, you might want to look at the "skid plate". PriusChat Shop : Toyota Prius BT Tech Skid Plate - $299.99 It is an aluminum replacement for those panels for $330 including shipping. JeffD
