2010 Factory Sunroof

It is about the same as the Scion TC. It definitely helps with the pressure that builds up at a certain speed.

 

I have a Scion Tc. Sunroof works very well. It is standard on every Tc. An amazing deal on such an inexpensive car. On the Tc, the rear (3rd) glass pane is fixed but does let light in for the rear passengers. On the Prius, it is that pane that contains the solar cells. Because of that, I assume that it does not let light into the rear.

The front pane, the wind deflector, is at some risk of shattering if hit by a rock. Mine was smashed by a tree branch when I was parked during a wind storm. It cost a couple of hundred dollars to replace. There was a plastic backing on mine to prevent pieces from flying. On new ones, that may now be built into the glass.

Roy

 

not into sunroofs anymore had so many issues with them, one imploded while i was driving, so no more for me and I dont need more heat

 

Well, I must have spooked myself by making the above post. I went to drive my car yesterday and discovered that the wind deflector glass panel had shattered again, this time apparently from driving the day before in a rainstorm that included some very small hail. There wasn't even the slightest scratch, chip or dent in the other glass or surrounding metal.

I went to the dealer who looked up my record and found out that I had payed $420 last September, not the $200 that I had remembered. The price has since gone up, so it will cost $440 including installation and tax.

They said it is not covered under warranty, because there is a tiny chip which may have lead to the shattering. My position is that the glass should not have chipped from such a minor storm, as the other glass panels demonstrate. Bottom line is that the wind deflector glass is clearly the most fragile part of the system and costs more to replace that a full windshield would.

The picture below is from a cell phone. The shattering is around all of the edges. The chip is in the middle, not visible in the photo.

Roy

 

materials used change often in new cars, so i wouldnt be suprised if things were done differently in prius compared to tC... more and more manufacturers are using these panoramic moonroofs and toyota is making it optional in many cars here in europe so it must be proven.

 

Like a lot of us, I've been obsessed with the 3gen Prius since the first promo pictures were released. The Solar Moon Roof was one of the big selling points that attracted me. After studying tons of pictures and videos, I'm JUST realizing that it has 2 pieces. lol! Thanks to Midpack for pointing that out. I've never seen a sunroof/moonroof with 2 pieces before. Very neat idea to have that wind deflector. I think Toyota has the right idea. The wind deflector, plus the overall sleek, aerodynamic design of the vehicle should make the open roof an enjoyable ride.

I guess I'll see how the wind noise is once I get my IV w/Moon Roof!

 

TC was bad for that ... yet the c230 coupe had no issues

 

I'm as anxious to hear what you find out on this as I am to find out how useful the solar vent is in the AZ summer sun. Prior to moving to Arizona, I hadn't replaced a windshield in 15 years of driving-- but I'm on about one per year since I got here.

Of course, if you come back and say the vent is incredibly useful and cools the car brilliantly... but that the moonroof glass isn't covered by State Farm, I'm going to have a heck of a time making up my mind.

 

Do drivers in AZ ever open the moonroof and turn off the AC? It would seem like you would be able to drive with the top open about as often as I would would be glad I was able to cool down my car before getting into it up here in the north- a handful of times a year.

 

I've never had a sunroof, but if I did, I'd at least pop it open to relieve the mind-bending heat that builds up in your car in July here. I probably wouldn't leave it open on account of my tendency to turn bright red after extended solar exposure. When we first moved here, I left an unopened waterbottle in my cupholder while parked outside. (A newbie's attempt at desert preparation) Two hours later, the water bottle had melted into a banana shape while still full of water.

On the other hand, Arizona has what people in the midwest would call "sunny spring weather" with pleasant temps and almost no rain from late fall to early spring. Plenty of time to drive with it open then.

 

Right, the Tc roof seem to be a copy of the c230, so you wonder about Toyota's choice of materials, such as whether the glass is as thick, etc.

I am going to get to meet with the regional Toyota service rep to plead my case.

Roy

 

Re: 2010 Factory Sunroof - Dimensions of Opening?

Does anyone have the dimensions of the sunroof's opening when it's fully open?

Also is the sunroof opening directly above the front seats? If not, how far back is it roughly? E.g., for a shorter driver, will the opening be behind the driver's head?

 

Re: 2010 Factory Sunroof - Dimensions of Opening?

That's great, I'd like it like that!

For those of us who added a sunroof to our Gen II Prius, the opening is mostly behind the head of a shorter driver like me if I drive in my normal seating position. I think you can sorta see that in this picture:



So today I drove home with the seat further back in order to get more of the opening above my head.