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2016 and 2019 Windshield Vulnerability?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Heather Anderson, Sep 27, 2019.

  1. Heather Anderson

    Heather Anderson Junior Member

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    I have owned 12 cars in my 33 years of driving. Before I bought my 2016 Prius, I had owned several Honda Civics, and then a 2010 and a 2013 Insight. I have been driving the same route for 17 years, a 30-mile commute, about 70% highway. In all my years of driving this route, I had taken many pebbles, rocks, and whatnot to the windshield. I remember being in one of my Hondas and actually ducking because I was sure that whatever had hit me was coming through the glass, it was so big and loud. But alas, not even a chip was taken out of the windshield.

    Fast forward to my 2016 Prius. On year two of ownership, my windshield cracked. Something hit me, if wasn't anything big, but a crack formed from the lower left of the windshield, about 3 inches from the left edge, and about 2 inches from where it meets the hood. Because it was winter time, and going in and out of heating and cooling, the crack quickly spread across the windshield. I was bummed, but didn't think much of it, since, in all of my years of driving, it had never happened to me and I figured I was "due".
    Of course, my insurance, Allstate didn't have anything in the policy to help me pay, so, I spent about $400 for a new windshield.

    Traded the 2016 in for a 2019. And btw, I absolutely love these cars. Ridiculously amazing fuel economy.
    But, 3 months in, I took a small pebble and now I have a crack in the exact same spot as my other car. I called the 1-800 Toyota number. I feel that possibly the Gen4 has a vulnerability in the lower part of the windshields that hasn't been discovered. I go to my dealership next week to have them look at it, but they are just going to assume it's bad luck on my part. I refuse to believe that to be true. I'm thinking that windshield issues aren't regularly reported to Toyota because, like what happened on my 2016, one would just assume bad luck.

    I am looking for other people who may have experienced windshield issues on their 2016-present Priuses.
     
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  2. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    There have been a few discussions and a few people have reported it, not sure if it's more frequent than other cars - mine has been fine, so statistically, difficult to tell.

    Did you do a search in PriusChat? [or go to GOOGLE and type something like "google priuschat gen 4 windscreen"] - you'll find some discussions.
     
  3. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    As commented above, there are numerous threads on Gen4 and Prime on cracked windshield issue. AFAIK, no scientific comparison has been performed and the all the reports are anecdotal at best. I had a crack on my 2017 PRIME 2 weeks after I purchased it. Have not had any issue after replacement with OEM glass since then. That being said, it is probably true that current generation of Toyota OEM windshield is thinner and lighter than previous generations. That must be also true for many other make and models. However, if you look at NHTSA complaints on 2016-2019 PRIUS or PRIUS PRIME, you do find more complaints on "visibility/wiper" category, many of which are windshield crack issue you and I have experienced.
    36 "visibility/wiper" complaints out of 113 total complaints for 2016 PRIUS 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS 5 HB FWD | NHTSA
    in comparison only 3 "visibility/wiper" complaints out of 100 total complaints for 2016 Camry 2016 TOYOTA CAMRY 4 DR FWD | NHTSA
    So, yes, I believe they are more prone to crack compared to some other cars out ther, but maybe not to the extent to be recalled or have NHTSA to start investigation.
     
    #3 Salamander_King, Sep 27, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2019
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  4. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

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    As we discussed before, that may well be the situation.

    I wonder if there might be a positive feedback loop, too: people whose windshields have cracked see the complaints on NHTSA’s website, or discussions about them on PriusChat or elsewhere, and then decide to file their own complaints, when they might otherwise have just shrugged the damage off as bad luck.
     
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  5. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Was your 2016 a Trim 2 or 2 Eco? If it was the Eco I suspect the heat absorbing glass on Eco and above is the culprit. My Trim 2 has been fine even though we had one situation where we were sure it would break.
     
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  6. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Yes, that is entirely possible. I certainly did place my complaint at NHTSA site after reading some threads on this subject here at PriusChat. As I said, it is not a scientific conclusion in any way.

    BTW, thank you for digging out the old thread with our discussion. I remembered talking about this issue, but that was two years ago. I totally forgot.
     
    #6 Salamander_King, Sep 28, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2019
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  7. amos

    amos Active Member

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    Mine 2016 5 months of ownership. got the 1st crack 2 weeks after i bought it. Havent had a crack for at least 15 years.
    After reading posts here and seeing photos of crack in same spot decided not to change it and now another crack.
    I am absolutely convinced this is a very thin windshield as we know so to save weight.
     
  8. Tande

    Tande Active Member

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    Which trim level?......Thanks
     
  9. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Profile says Trim Four
     
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  10. amos

    amos Active Member

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    Trim level 2
     
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  11. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Please fix your Profile here. It says Four.
     
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  12. kens97uber171

    kens97uber171 Active Member

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    I know this is a bit unrelated but why would you trade a 2016 Prius for a 2019 Prius, the cars are virtually identical? was it just a difference in trim level? some features that you wanted that you didn't have?
    Just kind of curious. I tend to keep my cars for 300,000 miles.
    I've never really understood the point of buying one of the most reliable cars on the planet and then not utilizing it to its fullest potential... Basically driving it to the wheels fall off.

    interesting about the glass possibly being thinner I wonder if as time goes on as and more data is collected whether or not something might developed out of this.

    Wanting you might possibly be able to do is put one of those clear bra materials over the glass. I'm not sure that's legal but as long as it's not tinted I think you could get away with it and that might help protect the surface from chipping.


    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  13. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Personal preference. I leased vehicles when I worked - keep them for 3 years, and upgrade. I've had some old cars in the past, but my Gen 4 is 3½ now, I'm just flipping coins as to what to replace it with.
     
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