Water Repellant Windows

Has anyone found any information on the water repellant windows on the IV & V? I want to clean my windows, but don't want to use any product that will harm the water repellant coating.

In the owners manual it lists Pg 98 for "window glasses" but only talks about operating the windows, nothing anout glass. Strange.

it's the same type of laminate put on the Lexus models. it's probably on the avalon and camry hybrid too. i've seen no ill effects cleaning with dish soap.. so... i'll be as bold to say that other cleaners shouldn't be able to harm it. i've use arrisols and alcohols too.

we no longer have the rx hybrid... so i can't perform any further testing. shrug.

I can't imagine Toyota making a water repellant glass window that would stop repelling water after cleaning with any readily available glass cleaner. Invisible Glass is one of my favorite glass cleaners. To make my windows water repellant I use an acrylic wax. ACE makes a liquid acrylic wax cleaner that is just excellent! I used it to clean the bugs off the front of the car and the glass on both the car and airplane. Both products are available at Walmart.

So, if I understand correctly, as long as I use "standard" glass cleaning products there should be no harm to the water repellant windows.

Why, as a special feature for the IV & V, are the water repellant windows not even mentioned in the owners manual?

There might not be anything on the glass at all. The way Mercedes makes water repel off the side window glass is by changing how the air flows over the door mirrors. I don't think they use any kind of special glass to make them repel water. Directing airflow is how Mercedes does it and I would bet you a dime to a donut that Toyota does it the same way.

The book that is usually available in the showroom says (on pg. 12), "An available water-repellant film in the front door windows helps keep the glass clear, improving visability." It also states that this feature is standard on Prius IV and V only.

I did notice that it says "in" and not "on" the windows. Does that mean anything?

its some kind of coating which should be resistant to anything you might use... i have it on my lexus, it makes water stay in individual drops instead of forming bigger drops, if that makes any sense. I can see an difference between my front windows and back windows (which dont have it).... basically makes it a bit easier to see through front side windows during rain.

Here is the patent for their glass. Looks pretty high tech.

US05424130__.tif Page 1

How in the world did you find that document? Very impressive.

The windows are hydrophobic. The coating will last about 6 years. I ue Aquapel and that costs a whole lot less and lasts about 6 months on the windshield and a lot longer on the side windows. A single applicator will cost you about $6 you will need 2-3 to do all the windows and outside mirrors on the car.
Hydrophobic technology is great but for people who won't have the IV or V models or want similar tech on their other cars just buy Aquapel it's 10 times better than RainX. RainX streaks and smears when the wipers run over it but not Aquapel. Most auto parts stores sell Aquapel (about $10) and it's available on Amazon ($6) as well.

great info! thank you.

I enjoy studying the technology of the Prius and came across that document

Hummm, they have a fear of water thus they shed it.

Why didn't they put this on the windshield as well as the side windows?

+1 on Aquapel, my local Costco has it on sale as well. I think its $10 for 3 applications or similar.

EXCELLENT question...takes a woman.

I just returned from a 50 mi drive. Went thru 2 quite heavy rainstorms that lasted about 2 miles each, driving about 50mph. Provided time to look around as to the rain effect to the windows. Of course the windshield - needed fast speed wipers..it was raining cats&dogs. Then checked both front side windows - very small droplets, and a bit of streaming water flickering off the side view mirrors onto the very bottom front of each front/side window. The tiny droplets were rolling to the rear as I was driving (I have a V with the repellent windows). The back side/windows, same as front but the droplets were shifting back much more slowly. The back hatch window - barely a drop. This all changed as I slowed to a stop, and the side windows shed the water drops quickly. I needed to use the back wiper and front full speed.

Bottom line - the side water repellent windows. IMO they are not worth the price (whatever was built into the IV & V). The aftermarket application would work just as well, and do all the windows. I'd much rather have the windshield protected. But assume the product would not last very long due to the beating a windshield receives compared with side windows. And it sure appears as if the Prius has a fantastic slipstream through the air, demonstrated by the lack of water on the side/back windows at speed. Was very cool to observe.

Thanks for your report! On my soon-to-be former car it was hard to see the side view mirrors in rain or snow. Accumulations on the window and on the mirror were horrible. I'll definitly get that stuff and put it on the mirrors as well as the windshield.

This thread is interesting. I noticed when driving in the first rainstorm that I was in about a week after getting my IV, that the windshield was beading up. In fact, I even drove quite a ways without using the wipers at all. It reminded me of RainX. But then I hit some major rain and had to use the wipers. Now, it doesn't seem to do it any more. I was guessing that there was some coating on it that was very temporary. Thanks.

This is a fascinating technology, called the lotus leaf effect ([ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_effect]Lotus effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]). As usual, Mother Nature invented it first.