Rear-wiper: Anybody miss it yet on the new Prime?

I miss the wiper on my old car terribly. That is easily one of my top 5 issues on this car, probably top 3.

 

To tell you the truth i never use them...keep it clean and you will be fine

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Drove in on and off rain for 600 miles 3 days ago. Blind spot monitor takes the place of a need for the rear wiper. Big curved rear window stayed pretty clean. The little one below it was dirty and difficult to see through.

Pearl Prime

 

Given I came from a Camry which doesn't have a rear wiper I can't miss what I never had. But I thought that part of the reason for the curve was to allow for the two back seats to have headroom. In the Volt when you lower the hatch the back seat people better duck, so I thought it was nice that they gave a little extra headspace.

Anyway, I have noticed things pooling at the bottom of the curved window. I then to clear it when I get home to try to keep it from building. So far it hasn't posed a risk though. I also carry a squeegee in the car to help clear the back and side windows. I often come out in the spring and fall to windows covered in dew and this has been very important to making the world visible again. Until they make side wipers, it isn't all that important that I don't have a rear one.

 

I have never used the wiper on either my 2005 or 2011 Prius.

 

I use the rear wiper on my 2004 dozens of times a year. I just used it last week when we had snow. New snow kept being deposited on the rear window.

 

No, Prime's roof goes back further and is taller. It's not squished like Volt.

 

No wiper is not an improvement. This is another case of the engineers not looking at how the car might be driven. Not everybody is cruising at hyway speeds. Definitely no help in slower stop and go driving conditions.

 

I would probably have an accident with a rear wiper.

I could not help but watch that wiper go up and down the glass valley on the back window.

Hell, I could even back the car up to the house, turn on the wiper, set in a chair on the porch with a beer or two, and just watch it.

jp

 

I've turned mine on a few times and the damn thing still doesn't work.

 

Didn't we just have a thread diverge into 'wiper snappers?'

Bob Wilson

 

I hardly ever use the rear wiper on my Gen 3 either, so i doubt if I'll miss it, but it doesn't snow here...

 

Same here, but it doesn't rain that much around here. I can count in one hand how many times I really needed to use it in my 2014. So far, the short time I've had the prime, it's only rained a few times, and there wasn't a need to use it.

 

How could you get a wiper to follow the contour of the rear window ?

It would probably have to be centered, and the blade adjusted to stay vertical as it moves side to side.

Would probably mean that the blade would be vertical when turned off.

I wouldn't want that.

 

It rains a LOT here, it just doesn't get cold enough to snow much.

 

I rarely used the rear wiper on my 2011, so I don't expect to miss having one now. So far so good.

 

I always carry a roll of toilet paper in every car we've ever owned since my wife caught me. Before, just a roll of paper towels.

Bob Wilson

 

I hate the missing rear wiper. Worst design decision ever.

 

I've had 1 Prius (Gen2) and 2 Venza's (2009 2013) and all had rear wipers that over time
suffered some damage from automatic car washes.
Usually just amounted to them not parking exactly where they should.
Kind of like a gear or belt jumped a tooth or two.
Don't expect to have this issue with the Prime.

 

Use aquapel. It’s like rainX but 10 times better. Rain won’t stick