How do I remove the 2012 Prius V rear 12v outlet panel without scratching things up? I've tried gently wedging in a screw driver around the edges, but have been unwilling to put enough force on it to risk marring the plastic. Is there a hidden catch or some such? Thanks.
Remove the rear lamp access panel, reach behind the shroud and pinch the outlet housing, releasing the retention prongs?
Sadly, that won't work. The lamp is on the left side of the car while the outlet is on the right. My arm isn't long enough for that!
I was speaking of the rear (tail) lamp access panel (left and right sides). But the result may be the same.
There are six hidden claws. Toyota’s Repair Manual (available by subscription to techinfo.toyota.com) suggests, for removal of the Rear Deck Trim Cover (the trim panel with the power outlet), to use a moulding remover to disengage them. Molding removers are made of plastic or nylon and have a lever shape with a wide blade. You still have to be careful, but damage is much less likely than with a screwdriver, putty knife, or other metal tools. Toyota sells a four-piece Moulding Remover Set (09061-1C300; ¥5,170), shown in the Repair Manual and very similar to the Kyoto Tool Co. ATP2014, but there’s no need for such extravagance—a set like the Neiko 20598A, sold at Amazon.com for about $10, would probably work just as well.
I suspected something of this sort. Perhaps next time I'm at the Toyota shop for something, I'll ask them to remove it for me. I'm assuming it's trivial to pop it off once one has seen how the catches are arranged. Thanks.
