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emergency help! lawn guy smashed my window!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by GasSaver1, Jul 18, 2014.

  1. GasSaver1

    GasSaver1 Member

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    I need help guys.....
    The lawn guy hit a rock with the weedwacker and it went right through my rear hatch (the small window not the big one).

    The part is over $300 but he is going to pay. I was able to remove all the plastic panels on the inside of the hatch to prep for replacing but now I am stuck. (I haven't ordered the part yet)

    There appears to be two plastic push pins attached to the little window holding it to the hatch.
    Does anyone know if I will need to remove the spoiler and the panel with the Toyota symbol to be able to do this or can those stay in place.

    Is this very involved like: making the dealer do it kind of job?

    The guy lives across the street so he isn't going to get away
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    You should call an auto glass company to replace it and give him the bill
     
  3. GasSaver1

    GasSaver1 Member

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    granted but if I want to ensure all the clips all replaced correctly and everything gets back to normal either:
    attempt to have a dealer do its
    or
    do it myself

    I really would be grateful if I just knew if the emblem panel or the wing had to come off to do this.....
    I suspect the wing has to come off (I HOPE not though the dyi guides took like they always result in a wing damaged)
     
  4. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I would think an autoglass shop would have replaced a prius glass before. Fyi, dealerships often just make a phone call to autoglass companies to replace glass, they don't do anything.
     
  5. GasSaver1

    GasSaver1 Member

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    this glass is stamped Toyota in the lower right so I am going to make sure this guy is pay for an oem replacement. Plus this isn't just glass, there are two plugs for the heater wire.

    Update:
    The spoiler does need to be removed. I read all those posts about the "devil clips"- these are wrong. Just unbolt the 5 nuts from under and rock the wing off. There are two push pins that hold the wing down on the ends that is all.

    So I got the spoiler off and now all that is left is the window. I removed most of it but there is a thick rubber gasket (2 way stick) that holds the glass to the car. I do not know how to remove this. It is reaaaally stuck and even with pliers I can barely get it to budge. See the pictures below.

    Any suggestions? Hairdryer and razor? I do not know what to do but I think a replacement gasket is part of the replacement window assembly.

    On a side note, a lot of glass fell into the pockets of the hatch. When the hatch is opened and closed you hear all the rattling in it. This is the kind of thing I will clear out and that a repair shop might do a crappy job on. This is the reason why I like DIY work.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. garglo

    garglo Member

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    I know you didn't ask but you should have glass coverage. The guy didn't intentionally throw a rock at your car.
     
  7. IMkenNY

    IMkenNY Im just being nosy

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    The seal is a bead of urethane rubber and has to be cut with a strong sharp thin knife blade.
    If the replacement glass seal is not available, urethane is applied with a calking gun and the white pins provide alignment.

    Here is a video link of someone replacing a window on a pickup:

     
    #7 IMkenNY, Jul 19, 2014
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2014
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Per other responders: I think you should back out of the DIY, get it repaired by pros, use your insurance, document the expenses, pass that on to the lawn guy. It's very likely under the comprehensive portion of your insurance, ie: an act of god, as opposed to collision. Your rates don't go up, and you're just on the hook for the deductible.
     
  9. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    If he has a monster gas lawn mower, he could be a prius hater.

    Edit: I didn't put the hyper link here, priuschat did it.
     
    #9 Former Member 68813, Jul 19, 2014
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2014
  10. GasSaver1

    GasSaver1 Member

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    normally I would agree accident and all but I live with someone that works with the guy. This is not the first time this has happened. The last time, people just pretended they did not do it. Because he lives across the street in this case, he did not even try that.

    So first time? accident. Track record and still trying..... no.

    The window and rear plastic panel has been ordered at the guys expense. It came to $489.61 but the guy gave me a check for $500.
    His wife said I should just make a claim on my insurance. I do have glass with a $500 deductible. This is not the solution. The guy has to learn to not edge with the weedwacker. Had it been my solar panel that would be $1600 for the panel alone. He is lucky I am saving him a few hundred by doing the labor myself.

    Granted, one of the plastic panels died by my hand and I charged him for it but if I had a body shop or Toyota do it then it would have been a lot more.

    The amount of glass in the hatch is insane. I spent a few hours digging, probing and getting most of it out. I hate rattling and one piece of glass can make a lot of sound.

    The parts will be here Monday. I was already cutting off the rubber seal when the video was posted so I shaved a little close. In some cases undercoat was exposed but that will all get sealed up again anyway so I don't care.

    Some pics attached below
     

    Attached Files:

  11. GasSaver1

    GasSaver1 Member

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    For reference,
    the glass is part number 64821-47030 $309.31
    the plastic panel on the hatch with the handles to close (in black) is 67750-47071-c0 $141.42
     
  12. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

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    I think you're being way too generous doing the work yourself and not charging him, but that's your call.

    BTW, nice driveway. :)
     
  13. robertk328

    robertk328 Member

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    You're not saving him anything if your insurance deductible is $500, he's still paying the same amount. Either way it's $500 so the only thing you're doing IMO is causing yourself headache. A glass shop has tools to clean all this up.

    They would not have broken it in the first place and if they did it's on them. So no savings again.

    You'll be lucky to get it all and if you do it took you a lot more work, at no savings at all, to do it yourself vs the glass folks that do this kind of work multiple times daily. I think the only lesson learned is for you to leave it to the pros next time ;)

    Good luck though!
     
  14. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    Stuff happens. It's good to see that both of you have decided to make it as painless as possible.
     
  15. GasSaver1

    GasSaver1 Member

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    job done, all back to normal.

    wow I cannot believe how many people are anti do it yourself-
    This was a "free" chance to learn how to do something and hopefully this thread can help someone in the future because I seem to be the first to try this here.

    The only expense not initially accounted for was the urethane. Like the video suggested, the old stuff does need to be cut off and a new bead applied. a tube of quality stuff is around $25

    But now I have the confidence that the bead was applied correctly and every spec of glass was removed before putting everything back together. This was also an opportunity to refresh all the pads under the spoiler.
     
    kc410 likes this.
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Hopefully it works out, like next time it rains...

    Honest though, a situation, involving a legal liability and the tricky art of glass install, is not the time to have a learning experience.
     
  17. IMkenNY

    IMkenNY Im just being nosy

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    Way to go! I just had the joy of replacing my small rear quarter window.
     
  18. robertk328

    robertk328 Member

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    Not anti DIY. Just not this time.

    My mistake = DIY
    Someone else's mistake = get it done right

    If you goof it up then you're on the hook for getting it done right. If it's you're issue to begin with then it's all good. Someone else's and you're going through extra trouble.

    Glad you got it worked out!
     
  19. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    I agree and thanks for posting.
    Everyone has there opinion and I can also relate to those who recommended the pros for several reasons.
    But I think the multiple pro posts are a bit overkill, imo anyways.
    I've done both Windscreen and rear window before on an older US brand. The rear was a stinker with a leak. It turned out to be a small bend in the corner of the window frame. It was tight when it left the factory but over time the bead shrunk enough to let water through. I didn't find it the first time around either. The second time I fitted the bare glass to the frame and found the problem. Easy fix after that, about 10 minutes with channel locks. Finding the issue was not that easy.