Here We Go Again (Windshield)

I just had the windshield replaced in my 2016. Started with a rock chip that I repaired. That lasted a year. Then one morning when I used the defrost the crack formed and expanded over time.

I watched the tech do the removal and installation of the glass. I do not see how the structure of the car could cause the windshield to crack. The glass rests on a significant bed of rubbery adhesive. It's not like it is clipped to the car at all. Feeling your pain after the deductible payment.

 

I don't know the design particulars of our Prius(s) , but I can tell you a few technical details about glass and in this case windshields. In our case, a windshield itself without having anything attached to it and not being mounted in a car, would not ideally have any significant internal stresses in it. The side windows are a different story and a different manufacturing method for the glass. When our windshields are installed though, there's lots of other things to be considered. Glass, like most materials, will expand or contract with temperature changes. When the windshield is installed and the adhesive cures, the glass gets basically anchored to the sealant at the edges. If not designed properly to "give" slightly to allow the windshield to expand or contract with temp changes, it will build up stress within the glass. There are at least a couple of things that probably are adding to this like the black strip at the bottom of the windshield and also the dark area around the front camera. In sunlight for example, the dark areas are going to heat up significantly more than the clear glass. The result is a lot more uneven stress on the glass. Turning on the defroster on a cold morning also creates even more uneven stress. If you get even a small pebble hit that causes a small weak spot, then all those stresses are given a place to try to start relieving that stress, and the result is shown on the many pictures. I've only had my 2017 Prius 2 since last October, but I recently took it to Toyota for a first service checkup and one of the first things they did was look at the windshield for any small pitting or anything more obvious. The guy did find two VERY small pits in the bottom black area at the bottom which I had not noticed (no cracks just the very small pits), they repaired both of them and I keep a very close eye out now for any more. The fact that they were very quick to inspect and repair, seems to indicate that Toytota is very aware of this problem. What they will do about it is still unknown.

 

Good primer for the challenges that any windshield faces. At least anecdotally there is a perception that the current Prius windshields are failing more often than other cars. If true then it would seem there is something different. Maybe not designed correctly for expansion as you brought up. I would think the shape of the glass could have an effect, inherently creating areas of greater stress. Also, and maybe too obvious to be the problem, the use of thinner glass to save weight. But I don't know if that is a possible cause due to regulations on windshield construction.

 

Really? I've had stars progress to full on cracked windshields in trucks/cars I've driven since I was a kid. And it typically when the temps get to around freezing. How could this be a Toyota specific issue when literally anyone you meet on the street would also know what happens to a starred windshield in freezing temperatures. It just happened to our company work truck this week for the 3rd time this year. (2000 Chevy 1500 pickup.) My brother replaced his 2016 Honda Accords windshield 2 weeks ago for the same reason.

As for myself, here are the vehicles I've replaced windshields on due to star chipped glass progressing on to full on cracks.

That would be (if my memory serves correctly)
1987 Nissan 720 pickup (Multiple replacements on this truck - I was a teenager back then)
2000 Chevy Metro
2003 Toyota Matrix
2007 Toyota Yaris

(Around here they don't pave roads often unless your in town. We get the "Chip & Seal" treatment. (The state highway by my parents house just got it last summer) It's a good cheap fix for the roads, but billions upon billions of tiny gravel on the roadside tend to get picked up by tires from time/time.)

 

In my experience, once you get one of those bullseye or stars in your windshield, it's a 50/50 whether it gets worse.

I used to work for a rental car agency. We'd have cars with minor windshield chips, and someone would pull the car in the garage to wash it, and a crack would suddenly travel across the glass when the cool water hit the warm glass. Cold weather, hot weather, etc, would cause cracks to sprout or grow out of seemingly nowhere.

Prius might have a slightly thinner windshield or something like that due to the extreme focus on weight savings...at least the OEM glass. Aftermarket replacement glass would likely not be engineered to this target, it would be more generic.

I wouldn't be surprised if all auto glass had become thinner over time due to the pressure on manufacturers to save weight in the quest for higher fuel economy. Manufacturers have gone to using thinner sheet metal, eliminating spare tires, etc. Auto paint has become more fragile as more eco friendly processes have been developed. Shaving a pound off a windshield by reducing the glass thickness by a millimeter...wouldn't put it past them...or even maybe a more environmentally sustainable glass production process that slightly reduces strength after a chip damages the surface. Who knows.

 

That theory doesn't stretch my imagination at all! Good thinking.

 

Does Gen 4 Pri use the same front windshield as Prime?

 

How do we get more information about the windshield? Hmmm..

Last summer mine cracked on Friday afternoon Memorial Day weekend. It was a big hassle, but I contacted Toyota USA and they gave me a $560 credit towards any future purchase at a Toyota dealership. Granted this was not an admission of fault to the glass per se, but a ‘good faith offer’ as I am a loyal customer of 3 Prius’. The replacement glass was very expensive, but the biggest cost was realignment of the radar camera.

I have not used the promised credit yet, but the tires starting to wear. I’ll let the Prius chat members knowhow it goes.

 

I think I remember your post when I had to deal with my windshield replacement for then only two week old Prime last summer. From your post, I was expecting a big hassle and expense, but in the end only problem I encounter was shortage of parts. There was no after market windshield yet, and there was national shortage of OEM parts for Prime at that time. I had to wait close to three weeks for the windshield to arrive at the dealer. The cost of windshield was something like $600, I think. Plus labor was all taken care of by my insurance. Then re-calibration of front facing camera was performed at the same dealer and cost was only $120ish, if I remember correctly. It was also reimbursed fully by my insurance. (I have zero deductible comprehensive coverage.) I am just wondering if the shortage of the parts has been alleviated and/or after market windshield are now available for Gen4 Prius and Prime, assuming they use the same front windshield. I know the rear hatch glass is unique for Prime.

 

Hi Salamander. I remember your posts, too. I have a $500 deductible for glass on my insurance policy. The replacement glass was OEM from japan about $600. The dealer charged $900 for the radar realignment. I felt it was a ripoff, insurance or not. They were very difficult to deal with, and I had to pay for a rental car. Hope I never have to go thru this again.

 

That I totally agree. My dealer charged me only 1 hour of labor and no parts. Which came to be about $120. I remember someone posting here the service manual procedure on re-calibration of front facing camera. It didn't look very technical at all. All you needed was some kind of target printed out and put in front of the car at certain distance. I would think even 1 hour of labor was too much. So far my replacement windshield is holding OK. Hope yours will last long.

 

My 2016 Prius 3 suddenly developed a large L-shaped crack in the windshield. I do not recall a recent impact event. My insurance carries a $100 deductible, which is not bag. I understand I will need to have the front facing active safety sensors calibrated, which my dealer is going to charge $350.

 

I would expect the one deductible to cover the entire cost. That is what happened to me when my windshield was replaced.

 

Thanks for that insight.

 

If your insurance will allow your TOYOTA dealer to do the replacement, it could be easier, they mightn't physically do the replacing, but they can arrange to do the calibration immediately afterwards - and invoice the insurance just once.

 

I will check with my local State Farm Insurance agent in the morning regarding the calibration issue to see what the options are. Thanks.

 

FYI, State Farm Insurance indicated that their glass coverage includes the cost of having the active safety sensors calibrated after the new windshield is installed. The insurance company's glass contractor (Arrow Auto Glass in my case) asked me to get the cost of calibration from my Toyota dealer ($417 USD). The glass contractor then gets the insurance company to authorize payment directly to the dealer for the calibration. Also, the glass contractor indicated there is no aftermarket windshield so they will be using a genuine Toyota replacement part.