The rear wiper is backwards

No wonder you are goofy... lack of hydration.

 

The rear wiper on the right side ( even though it's more in the middle.) I see cars like the ford FLEX for example the older ones were WAYYYYY OVER on the right side? What's the point? It should clean in the middle or behind the driver not on the right side. In fact I am surprised it wasn't WINDOW mounted as opposed to being mounted on teh hatch.

 

^ Maybe there is more room under there to hide the motor works.
I'll post a pic of the motor today. Saved 1.7 pounds!

 

A longer wiper won't fit under the top of the window; we are working on an articulated wiper that lets a much longer wiper stay horizontal while the arm swings back and forth. It works very well to wipe a much larger section of the glass. Right now its a cobbled unit with a longer arm and hinged wiper that is held horizontal when the arm rotates back and forth.
As for the arm being the 'wrong' way its correct for drivers on te right side of the car, a.k.a. Japan, and its too costly to reverse it for left side drivers..
The articulted arm/wiper is much less costly and once we get the reliability testing done and costs firmed we'll offer a kit or plans. We figure a market of about 2 dozen but cost should be under $100 at that unit level.
Yeah, Toyota should have addressed this themselves.

OK initial reliability passed and this weekend rain demonstrated the value of much wider rear window wiped clear. One guy followed me into Lowes to see how I did the wiper. He doesn't have a Prius but he has the same problem and he may be the first customer because he says it should work just as well on his car..
One of the major criteria in good design is not to make those that can involve very expensive, or very difficult, solutions. So heres what we are offering. As soon as I learn how to post a photo I'll do that but its really that simple:
1. for $4.95 we'll offer the plans and the sources of needed parts to convert without doing away with the OEM. You can convert back anytime.
2. We'll supply the kit to convert including all parts, assembled so all you have to do is remove the OEM wiper and arm and
a. either drill your stock arm to modify like ours and re-install the arm or
b. we'll supply another arm, drilled and you can return your original arm for $20 refund.
The drilled arm can be easily returned to the OEM wiper setup.

The kit includes:
a. 20 inch wiper, drilled to fit the new arm extension and the second articulated arm that keeps the wiper horizontal with overlap.
b. articulated second wiper arm with suctiion cup mount (no drilling of the lid !)
c. extension rod to extend the OEM to a new radius of 12 inches and new hinge for the new wiper.
4. Instructions and photos of the assembly and poarts, in case you want spares. All parts are readily available at home supply places like Lowes or Home Depot. Unless you want the plans you only assemble unless you order 2a.
Note the increase in wiper blade length from 15" to 19". OEM is 6"
If you're interested add your reply.
I posted a video of the wiper action on you tube under "Prius C rear window wiper improvement". never figured out how to put video here. Perhaps more knowledgeable can post a link. Hey, when you're 75 you're allowed senior slowness, except on track..
cheers

Plan and assembly instruction $4.95 plus shipping to continental US.
2a $39.95 without the drilled and tapped OEM arm plus shipping
2b. $79.95, with potential $20 refund for returned OEM arm plus shipping.

Note to Toyota: this design and similarity is protected by copyright and patent protetion laws of the United States. We have a few already so its not unknown to us.
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This rear wiper problem is even greater on the gen2&3 Prius for right hand drive vehicles. The wiper parks vertically on the hatch glass on the far left hand side it swings through 90 degrees to the horizontal position wiping the left side of the glass leaving on right hand drive cars the area of glass that needs to be wiped completely untouched.

John (Britprius)

 

That's why I choose the C1, don't like the rear wiper at all...

 

Please elaborate... you chose to not have cruise control or any other feature because you don't like the rear wiper?

 

The

Ztanos, what I mean is that I don't like the rear wiper at all, I choose to buy the C1 model because I don't want to spend more $$$ for other features that you can put it aftermarket for less. I mean now I'm modifying my C1 and I started with the fog lights, shark fin antenna and the cruise control is one of the thing that I'll work with.

 

I would have passed on the cruise control, but my husband likes it. Could have done without the nearly useless rear window wiper, too. Not sure what else differentiates the 1 from the 2... not that it would have made a difference at the time of purchase. A 2 is all the dealer had, I needed a new car right that minute, and I was determined that my next car would be a hybrid. It was Fate that brought Entu and I together (really, honestly, in fact Entu had already been "sold" to someone else but they never picked the car up so after two weeks of waiting the dealership called me as they knew i was looking for a blue C)

 

You're not missing anything, the C1 is basic, has metal rings, the front seats are full (do not have the headrest part) the rear seats are 60/40, no fog lights, no rear wiper, no dome light in the rear, no cruise control and the difference between the two is around $3,500 here in PR. What I wanted when I chose the C1, was a hybrid car and that it was economical on gas, a $350 monthly payment, and the other model would be paying about $420 for these additional features.

 

I mean the rear seats aren't 60/40...

 

I managed roughly that payment on my C2, would have been less if my trade-in hadn't been gasping its last breath (hence the urgent need for a new car). Given what you've said about the 1, though, I think I'm happier with the 2, but I think a 3 or 4 would have been more googaws than I want or need.

 

I'm paying $375 for my 4... geez, the more I hear peoples payments and totals, the more I realize what a great deal I got.

I didn't realize the 1 didn't have a rear wiper.

 

Honestly, that would drive me nuts.

 

My SO just pointed out that his new Volt does NOT HAVE a rear wiper, and that , even were it the wimpy one I have, he'd like one (I do not know why!)

Why is everyone looking out their rear windows so much? I honestly would like to know. I look out the back just to break up the monotony...

 

Because it's an important aspect of driving safely?

 

I think that in California, the driver that does the rear-ending is "at fault" automatically, so what other considerations would there be...I am genuinely curious

 

I'm always checking my back.... especially with the prius c since it's so "slow" and I don't want to block anybody that's coming up fast on my butt.

 

Yeah, no rear wiper...

 

That's where my confusion was... thanks.