Prius vulnerability to front windshield cracks

I agree that the Prius seems more vulnerable. Between my wife and I, with a combined 36 years of car ownership. I've had to replace/repair four windshields in that time due to gravel impact damage. Once was about 20 years ago on a Chevy Celebrity station wagon. Another time was 9 years ago on a Chevy Malibu. And the last two times were in the last 1 and a half years on my 3 year old Prius. Plus, I have two other surface chips that the windshield repair guy said didn't need to be repaired, and so far haven't developed into a crack.

 

My windshield cracked after being hit by a rock on a miserable rainy day in TX. The crack was instantly approximately 12" and started in the middle on the passenger side, eventually extending from the edge on the passenger side almost all the way across the driver's side. Replacement was $325 and was covered by insurance, but my deductible is $400, so it didn't help.

 

This seems to be an old post, but I want to record my incident of Prius windshield cracking for anyone to check if there is a certain pattern. This is a 7-8 inches vertical crack that appeared at the bottom middle of the windshield due to small 4-5 mm rock chip few inches away from the bottom. I am hardly 5000 miles/ 8 months into the ownership.

 

I had to replace the windshield on the 2004, one or two months ago. A rock hit the windshield in the lower corner, driver's side. The force was sufficient to create circles around the impact area. Over time, cracks grew from the impact point and became several inches long.

My AAA auto insurance policy covered glass replacement with no deductible.

 

I was just thinking the other day how pleased I was that I haven't had to replace the windshield yet on my 2007 Prius, despite quite a few small chips and dings and even a couple of "stars." The hood is full of paint chips, too. I live in the Front Range in CO and have had to replace more windshields and other auto glass than I can count--high winds, use of coarse sand for traction, oncoming snowplows, falling rock, even errant golf balls.

Many cars here have the "Colorado Crack." Those that aren't cracked are often highly pitted and are hard to see though in low-angle sun.

On the stars, I used a repair kit right away to help prevent them from running, and that seems to have worked well. The closest one to an edge is several inches away.

I credit the low angle of the windshield in helping reduce the impact.

 

Prius C 2014 Model. Not even 8K miles on the car. 2 times the windshield cracked. first after 9 month. Replaced by OEM windshiled. Pass 2 weeks (9.5 months) Cracked again. Both times very tiny hit by a stone. The dent is less than a 0.25 mm. just tip of Pen can fit. Then it developes a wavey crack. Both times same symptom. Never a straight crack.
I used to drive Corolla for 15 years and so many times windshield hit by rocks which I have noticed. May be many times I have not noticed. In 15 years it got cracked only once.
Pricus in the 1st year of owning twice got cracked.

I agree that if a Windshield get hot by rock, it will break. It can happen even while driveing new vehicle home from dealers office. Or it can never happen in 10 years.

Point is Prius Design or the windshield specs seems very vulnarable. It can not withstand even slightest hit...

 

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me neither.

 

Makes me feel lucky with my windshield crack. We caught a small one in early July on the passenger side and were able to use a repair kit on it before it got over about an inch long. I put tiny marks at both ends of the crack so I could make sure it didn't expand. It hasn't.

 

I know this is a little late but this almost exact thing happened to me except there was no pre existing chips I went over a weird bump on the interstate and it’s like it caused my vehicle to expand in a certain way that caused the windshield to just spontaneously crack. And the crack just keeps growing! I was in shock. I even took a video of it because I was so shocked.