Do NOT put eyeglasses in overhead bin!

Hi All,
I put my year old prescription progressive eyeglasses in the overhead bin when I got the car, as I have in several other cars without a problem. Apparently the lining is similar to a Brillo pad, because the anti-reflective coating looks like crackle on china. This is Zeiss' Foundation anti-reflective coating, which was considered the most durable on the market when they were made. My optometrist has only seen one other person who had troubles with it, a guy who works with a lot of chemicals at JPL and some of their fumes were incompatible with the coating. My opthomologist hadn't seen anybody with problems with it. I waited until now to save up my pennies and for my eyes to need a new prescription. $160 for the worst lens and 2 weeks turnaround time, during which I won't be able to read for all practical purposes. This is my second pair of Zeiss glasses with AR, my fourth pair of AR coated glasses, and I've been wearing glasses for 40 years. First time I've ever had a problem with any pair.
Toyota Corporate ignored my e-mail. I really just wanted to make them aware of the problem so they could improve the bin. Just like they ignored my e-mail when I had a flat tire at 10,000 miles, first time I've ever gotten less than the rated mileage on any tire. Just like they ignored my e-mail when I got my first windshield chip in 37 years of driving, from a pebble much smaller than others which have hit windshields while I've been driving, the chip is 1" across. Just like they ignored my e-mail complaining about a dealer.
This is my first Japanese car. The hybrid is great. I'm completely underwhelmed with the rest of it.
Regards to all,
Calprius

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 12:43 AM) [snapback]334313[/snapback]</div>

Hmmm. I've been putting my coated sunglasses there for eight months with nary a scratch.

Jeff

I always put my sunglasses in the bin with the lenses up. I really haven't notced any scratches on them.

Maybe you could line the compartment with some thin cleaning cloth that came with your glasses.

You put your glasses in there without a case? Cars are harsh environments so it's not too surprising that they got scratched if they were stowed unprotected.

I suppose that this reply is harsh too, but that's the way I see it.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(calprius @ Oct 18 2006, 02:43 AM) [snapback]334313[/snapback]</div>

I'm puzzled about your complaints to Toyota: you had a flat at 10,000 miles? That's no criticism of the car or the tire. What was the cause of the flat? A big nail?
You had a chip in the glass from a pebble smaller than others you remembered. Size doesn't seem relevant to damage. Surely it's the velocity of car + pebble which matter; and the shape or type of pebble which hit, and at what angle. You can't really compare one incident with any others because you have no measurements. I'm not surprised Toyota didn't answer your emails.

I used to keep my sunglasses in that bin, until the other day when I stopped for gas. I put them on the roof of the car as I filled up, paid, and drove off.... As I was on the entrance ramp to the freeway, I saw something fly by the rear window and get run over by the car behind me. Then it struck me, my glasses!!!!

Oh well, now they won't get scratched in the overhead bin........

The problem is probably with the AR coat, not the car. I advise you go back to where you purhased them and ask about the warranty on the coating. AR coating coming off and appearing as scratches are not an uncommon thing even in higher end products. The lens manufacturer should warranty the product.

I keep my prescription sunglasses there without any problem. No scratches at all.

Sorry to hear of your eyeglass coating problem.

I always put my magnetic sunglasses attachment in the overhead bin and nary a scratch.

Did you "feel" of the bin's interior and if so did you note any unusually rough surfaces. I do make a habit of putting mine in lens side up.

I've put my sunglasses in lens side up and down, without any problems at all. I'm also not terribly surprised that Toyota didn't respond to some of those e-mails... I had a flat within the first 2k miles - Got a nail. It may suck, being so new, but it's no fault of toyota of the tire, just a fact of life. As for the windshield being chipped by a rock - It also happens. What i'm wondering is how you claim to know the sizes of the rocks that have hit your window on the freeway. Do you slam on the brakes and go find the offender? Cause otherwise you'll probably have less than a second where you can get an objective view of the rock, which isn't really enough time to measure the size.

Both of those incidents are simply hazards of driving, not faults of Toyota, the car, or the tire. The most Toyota could have said is "i'm sorry for your trouble, better luck next time". As for the complaint about the dealer - if it's in line with these other complaints then i probably got tossed in the same circular filing cabinet. OTOH, if it was a legitimate complaint, then it's possible you were sending it to the wrong location within Toyota or something.

I've stored my glasses in the bin since day 0 with no issues whatsoever.

Sounds like the AR coating crazed. Exact same thing happened to my old glasses when I left them inside a hot Prius. The Crizal AR coating got too hot, and when the lenses cooled you could see all the little lines where the coating was deformed. The glasses were in their hard-shell case inside the center console.

Definitely sounds like a problem with the coating.

Google a little on Crizal AR Cracking Crazing Heat and the like.

Example:

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/showthread...rid&t=13185

"In 1 weeks time we had 2 pairs of Crizal Alize craze. The first pair crazed when he was wearing them while using a grill. The second pair crazed when an optician warmed the frame in a hot air frame warmer. She told me the lenses crazed before her eyes."

Doesn't really sound like a Toyota Problem.

From the Crizal site FAQ

Can I store my Eyeglasses in my Car?

It is not advisable to store eyeglasses in your automobile (eg, leaving them on the dashboard of your car), especially in the warmer climates. It is potentially damaging to the lenses and to the frame.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(deh2k @ Oct 18 2006, 04:02 AM) [snapback]334340[/snapback]</div>

That's what I have done since April '05 and there has been zero problems.

never had a problem with my sunglasses in that compartment, but they do get plenty hot up there so maybe the heat was the problem.

rated mileage on tires is tread life, not a claim of complete indestructibility until x miles. besides, goodyear should be the object of your frustration there since they made the tires.

sounds like you've had a bit of bad luck... but this isn't anything the vehicle maker can control. windshields chip, tires go flat, and dealers are their own businesses.

can't blame others for everything.

Toyota has covered themselves anyway. The manual says not to store glasses in the overhead bin.

Never had a problem with my sunglasses being stored there. Only when I sat on them after I had left them on the front seat.

Hello calprius,

Rough crowd! Rough crowd! eh?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tempus @ Oct 18 2006, 07:05 AM) [snapback]334396[/snapback]</div>

I've had mine up there since day one.