Missing rear wiper: a safety issue?

Not really. I have owned quite few non-sedan cars equipped with rear wipers, including my previous Gen3 prius. I never used rear wiper on Gen3 in 3 years I drove it. We live in snow country, but still felt no need for rear wiper while driving. If you are moving forward, rain, snow, or mud will not mar your rear window. Only time I used it was when snowing and the car has parked for a while and accumulated on the window.

 

I thought it would be an issue, but it really hasn't for me. One thing I decided to do to help prevent it from being an issue is put Rain-X or something equivalent to it. Rain will just slide off.

#1 in Easley,SC

 

I have never once used the rear wiper on my 2010. It just gets in the way of using the squeegee.

 

NO. The vast majority of vehicles do not have rear wipers.
IF.....conditions are such that you can not back up safely........don't do that.
Give it a rest.

 

there are a few occasions where i have used the rear wiper in 12 years, but i think i would miss it just for those few. it's usually a light coating of snow at low speeds, that the heated glass won't keep clear.

 

I think it is a safety issue to the point that I wrote to Toyota and told them that I need a way to make the backup camera active while the car is in forward motion to help compensate for the lack of a wiper. I have already had situations where I couldn't see behind myself at all using any means because blowing snow accumulated on the rear window and both side mirrors. I used my rear wiper in my 2004 hundreds of times a year.

 

The curved glass funnels snow & rain. So at high speed, you're fine. At low speed, you'd be stuck like the latest sedans if it wasn't for the secondary (lower) window.

It would be nice for the camera to be available though.

 

When I first received my Prime I found myself trying to turn on the rear wiper. Since then I have broken my self of that habit.

 

This has been my experience too. The spoiler overhang keeps that window clean and clear:

The upper left of this picture captures part of what it looks like.

Another view:


Bob Wilson

 

mmm....
Both my previous Prius, and now my Honda Fit both had/have a rear windshield wiper.
I think they CAN help. Just like with any wiper. If you look back and the rear window has become obscured by either dirt or unexpected bird bombings....then you can wipe away and at least on the move get it clear again. That is helpful.

That being said? If the vehicle is NOT equipped with a rear wiper, I wouldn't call that a deal breaker. Even with a rear wiper my normal protocol is to be attentive to just keeping the rear window clean.
The easiest way to me is to keep a shower squeege and whatever tightly sealed-non-leaking window cleaner you like in your vehicle. I personally just carry a small-in case it does leak-squirt bottle of distilled water. Then I just never let the window get too bad. As presented, Rain-X treatments can help make this an easier task. This reduces the actual usage of the rear windshield wiper to on the fly, emergency situations where for whatever reason the windshield might get suddenly obscured.

A side benefit to small squirt bottle of distilled water IS that you can also use it in emergencies if anything toxic get's on your paint.
A small squirt bottle of distilled water, a squeege for the windows and some micro-fiber towels are all essentials I carry at all times within my vehicle.

I use those much more often than I actually use the rear wiper.

I live where it rains quite a bit, and over the years have become a fan of using Rain-X.
I kind of go with a preventative approach. Keep my windshields as clean as possible, and treated to prevent a lot of build up.

PS.
With my Prius? That second window below the top rear windshield, got dirty a lot...quickly. I would often approach the Prius, notice it was dirty, simply open the hatch, grab the squirt bottle and squeege and in about 5 seconds have it cleaned off. It was actually pretty easy to maintain, even if I had to do it quite often.

 

Because of the lack of a rear wiper, I recently purchased a folding squeegee.

However, that's not a solution when snow accumulates on your car while you are in motion.

 

I've had a small squeegee in my Prius for years. That's how I clean my side windows.

It tucks in nicely on the side of the driver's seat.

 

if there's snow on my Prime I use this........

 

Of course iy gets to be a little difficult when the extension cord is only 25 feet long. I don't get very far when I'm driving in the snow

 

Works with cold, dry snow, doesn't work AT ALL with heavy wet snow.

 

yup, and there's that too

 

Just put snow tires on during the winter and drive faster

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Can you plug that electric leaf blower into your 12v DC/120v AC inverter? That would make it a great car accessory for the Prime.

Also, I've Rain-X'd the back hatch window twice now and can't tell the difference in water repulsion.