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Distortion in bottom of rear upper glass panel?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by naterprius, Oct 22, 2004.

  1. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    When you look out your rearview mirror, do have severe distortion in the last inch or two along the bottom of the upper glass panel? It's driving me crazy, and I'm trying to see if all the Prii are the same...

    Nate
     
    #1 naterprius, Oct 22, 2004
  2. IsrAmeriPrius

    IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member

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    It is the same in mine. It bothered me for the first few days that I had the car. I have not noticed it since. I must have gotten used to it.
     
    #2 IsrAmeriPrius, Oct 22, 2004
  3. BobA

    BobA New Member

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    Are you sure it's not the mirror... I think my mirror is magnified... 'grills and bumpers look closer than they really are'... I think or HOPE...

    Bob Andersen
     
    #3 BobA, Oct 22, 2004
  4. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Yeah, mine too!

    While sitting in traffic, I have fun slightly moving my head and warping the face of the person behind me. I'm easily amused.
     
    #4 TonyPSchaefer, Oct 22, 2004
  5. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    Boba, no, it's not the mirror. Are you telling me your glass is nice and clear all the way down? If so, I'm going to get a new rear window.

    Nate
     
    #5 naterprius, Oct 22, 2004
  6. 8AA

    8AA Active Member

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    I can see the same distortion. If I had to guess, I'd say that the normal imperfections in glass are magnified because of the extreme angle of the rear window. I noticed it for the first week or so, and now I don't even think about it.
     
    #6 8AA, Oct 22, 2004
  7. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    I'm hoping I interpretted Bob's humor appropriately in thinking that he was talking about tailgaters. There's another thread in which many of us who are accustomed to cars with trunks are shocked by how close cars are to the rear window.

    At least that's what I meant when I said "mine too".
     
    #7 TonyPSchaefer, Oct 22, 2004
  8. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    Strangely, the glass isn't at that much of an extreme angle down there. Take a look at the glass from the outside. Why would it be distorted?

    Anyway, it seems to be a common problem.

    Nate
     
    #8 naterprius, Oct 23, 2004
  9. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

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    The distortion on the prius is very minimal. This is one problem that really bugged me about other cars. My grandfathers 2002 Cadillac Deville has major distortion on each side of the front windshield. It makes me dizzy and gives me a headache. Our prius's are nearly perfect cars from what i've seen. Sure.. they have a little flaw here and there. But otherwise the "normal" problems of other cars are not seen in this car.

    I never really noticed the distortion and sat there looking at it. When i first got the car i was more amused with the gas, break, and lack of gears. Very strange when you are comming from a car with a meaty 5.0L V8.
     
    #9 V8Cobrakid, Oct 23, 2004
  10. BobA

    BobA New Member

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    I have come from driving a '95 Dodge Dakota and my '51 Ford pickup... where I sat high and looked over a pickup bed to see the car behind me... I could look over the car behinds hood and see the driver.. I have not seen the driver in the car behind me since I've had the Prius... and to me cars look real close... I put convex spot mirrors on the outside mirrors and can see well off the sides...

    Bob Andersen
     
    #10 BobA, Oct 23, 2004
  11. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    until you mentioned it, i had never noticed anything, so had to go out and see for myself.

    yep i got it too. but up till now, it never bothered me and i doubt that i'll lose sleep over it...

    BUT

    now that i know its there, lets have a face distortion contest!!
     
    #11 DaveinOlyWA, Oct 23, 2004
  12. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Lucky you.
    Since this thread started I haven't slept a wink.
     
    #12 TonyPSchaefer, Oct 23, 2004
  13. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    I noticed it too. As a matter of fact, while driving it today, I was thinking, "Gee, I should post this on PriusChat. Guess I have been delayed in reading all the recent posts in the last day.
     
    #13 DanMan32, Oct 24, 2004
  14. jimofdg

    jimofdg New Member

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    This may be a Toyota thing.

    Yes, that panel in my Prius has that edge warping. It reminded me of the windshield in my Avalon. Believe me, distortion in a front window is worse than distortion in the rear (hoping you don't look there for very long).

    My windshield was replaced after a crack grew (in the Avalon), and the replacement was probably the same size and shape, but the blacked out edge at the bottom was smaller, so I saw the "waterfall" distortion.

    Passengers notice it more than drivers. It can make you nauseous when you look at it, so my low cost solution is not to look at it (and get some sleep so you'll drive more safely).
     
    #14 jimofdg, Oct 29, 2004
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