We purchased a 2017 Prius 3 touring late December 2016 in the following 5 months we had 3 cracked windshields from rock chips that went immediately to a long crack. The last chip (in May 2017) was delayed for repair because there were 9 replacement windshields back ordered. I would guess there were more than 9 broken windshields since all suppliers in our area had no inventory. This is our 3rd prius and we had no problems with any of them. In every other way, the 2017 is a great car however, I am wondering if the windshield is now made with thinner glass or the new aerodynamics is creating a air channel to hit the windshield. Does anyone else have this same problem? Would a bug deflector create a different aerodynamic that would alleviate this problem?
I have heard of many with cracked windshields but I have not had that issue myself at 18K so far (fingers crossed). On my last car (toyota matrix) I went thru 3 windshields, but that was with 12 years of use and 290K of miles
The new Prius is not just a redesign - but a completely new platform where re-use is minimal. The chassis is totally new - which means that there might be cases in which the windshield is under non predicted stresses that with a stone hit can cause quickly a crack. Moreover, I would expect an out of factory windshield replacement to be a perfectly placed as the original one. So only time will tell - either it is a design flaw of the chassis and the windshield mount that causes excessive stresses, or you are really unlucky with stones hitting your windshield...
I mentioned in another thread that my wife had our 2017 in a hail storm near the edge of a tornado that blew the car sideways across a two lane road. She was surprised the windshield survived. When washing the car last weekend we noticed some small pits in the windshield and a few minor hail dents. Does the 2017 have a stronger windshield? That might explain why they were out of stock for a while.
It might - I wouldn't be surprised if they made a new stronger but thinner design to save weight. Stronger to torsion and pressures from the chassis, not from stones chipping it...
Thank you, Skip50. I agree the car has an inferior windshield wrt cracking. Two weeks ago a rock hit mine and it shattered. I contacted Toyota, and posted on another windshield thread here at priuschat. Toyota agreed with me and helped cover the cost but I took a fair amount of ribbing here. Ive owned 3 prius', been driving almost forty years and never had a windshield shatter. I think the wide tires on my four tourIng are kicking rocks up over the fender onto the hood. I heard a pebble hit the windshield today. Now I'm paranoid! It's my understanding the glass is a heat reflecting thin dual pane with poly laminate between, lightweight. i would like to know the specifics. Tideland Prius can you fill us in?
I remember reading that the Eco had a special heat reflecting windshield. Perhaps Eco and higher have this but my Trim Two has a stronger windshield without the heat reflecting quality.
But what really sucks about the windshield cracking is the camera calibration. It takes a few hours for them to calibrate the camera after the windshield replacement. I wish the dealer could replace the windshield and recalibrate the camera in one visit.
I was just thinking that. Do trims above the two eco have the UV resistant windshield? Maybe the 2016s had defective windshields.
Mine just broke. First window I have ever broken. Toyota says it will be over a month because they are back ordered. They also mentioned the recalibration.
About a month ago while in Texas, My 2016 Prius was hit by a rock and made a small star. Less than 1/2 inch across. By the next day, three cracks appeared and within 24 hours had spread all the way across the windshield. Took it to the dealer.It took a couple of weeks to get a replacement windshield in. They used safelite to install and the camera had to be reprogrammed. All toll took 2 days to complete. It semms like there it undue pressure on the windshield that would make it crack that way.
I wonder if either they improved the windshield for 2017 or the Trim Two has a less fragile design. I know they said the Eco had a heat blocking windshield. All the failed ones I have heard of so far appear to be 2016 Trim 3, 3T, 4, 4T. Perhaps they have this "improved" windshield material too
THREE cracked windshields on a 2017 model? In only 5 months? So now BOTH the '16 AND the '17 have windshield flaws? If true, Toyota sure went cheap! I'm about ready to go back to driving a pickup truck! "We purchased a 2017 Prius 3 touring late December 2016 in the following 5 months we had 3 cracked windshields from rock chips that went immediately to a long crack."
There may be some service bulletin, authorizing them to do gratis replacements. Maybe they're getting a lot of this? I would think technically it's an insurance claim, the rock hitting the windshield, but seems like they are playing nice to placate?
This is really disappointing to keep reading about all these windshields/windscreens cracking. I mentioned this to the service advisor at the dealer, asked him if he's seen broken windshields on the 2016 Prius. "Not one", he replied. (Obviously, he doesn't read Prius Chat! )
I don't believe it's a "design flaw" at all. The Toyota engineers are too smart for that. They've been making the Prius for 18 years??? I just think it's a simple case of going CHEAP, using thinner and lighter glass in an attempt to to cut weight any way they could, and improve mpg. Cheap glass. Thats my opinion, and I'm sticking with it! Feeling grumpy this morning... Where did I put that bottle of Jim Beam?!
