Underbody panels missing - how serious is it?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by kkeane, May 16, 2015.

  1. kkeane

    kkeane Junior Member

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    A couple months ago, my Prius got stuck in 7 inch snow. A neighbor helped tow it into my driveway. I suspected - and recently confirmed - that some of the underbody panels got ripped off in the process. I don't have a lift easily available, and neither my oil change guys nor the Toyota dealer where I recently had it for maintenance mentioned anything about it. Are these panels basically just there to reduce drag and maybe provide some minor protection from rocks from the road, or is it important to replace them?

    Second question: one of the damaged components is the passenger side front fender liner; the front part of it got ripped off. Looking through the hole, I noticed a white plastic canister (similar to the canisters that hold the windshield washer fluid, but positioned right in front of the wheel, under the headlight). It is empty and completely clean, as if it never held any fluids. From above, this canister is pretty much not visible.

    I'm just wondering what this container might be.
     
    #1 kkeane, May 16, 2015
  2. vskid3

    vskid3 Active Member

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    Shouldn't be an issue to leave them off, though it may cost you a fraction of an MPG. I would just ask for them to make sure nothing else was harmed when the panels got ripped off when you get it serviced next.

    That canister is a resonator chamber for the air intake. They are generally there to reduce intake noise and can help with performance slightly. My wife got in a wreck that smashed that corner, I removed the canister and threw it away (I have the intake hose disconnected from the filter box anyway to try to get warmer air and because I like the way it sounds).
     
    #2 vskid3, May 17, 2015
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  3. kkeane

    kkeane Junior Member

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    Thank you!
     
    #3 kkeane, May 17, 2015
  4. priusrecon

    priusrecon Member

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    When I got my '04, I noticed I was missing my right front fender inner liner. I replaced it right away. It keeps the rain, and especially if you live up north, the road salt and crap from getting up in there. It you care about rust, you will replace those guards. Also thouroghly clean and flush out the exposed areas before you re-install them. Accumulated road dirt and grime traps moisture in the weld seams and depositing areas, and that leads to major frame rot within a few years.
     
    #4 priusrecon, May 17, 2015
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  5. kkeane

    kkeane Junior Member

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    That's an excellent point, thank you! In my case, road salt etc. are not an issue (we are in Southern California, and snow is limited to a two or three days per year). But road grime and mud are concerns here.
     
    #5 kkeane, May 17, 2015
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