2016 Toyota Prius: windshield cracks

Filed Jul 23, 2022 · Body, Visibility · ME

At the beginning of this week, I was checking fluid levels and upon dropping my hood, I watched a crack in the windshield extend up from the base of the windshield. Then, while I was driving, I watched the crack extend and branch into a second crack. Upon further inspection, it appears cracking started under the windshield wiper and arched downward to the base of the windshield and another a new crack extend upward. I am the only person who drives this car. I do not park under a tree or anything that might fall on the windshield. I have not experienced any rocks hitting the windshield recently. I have not driven in the rain in several weeks. The only time the windshield wipers moved recently is when I cleaned my windshield over the weekend and lifted the wipers to reach underneath. Best as I can tell, the crack started due to the windshield wiper being picked up and let back down. This concerns me a great deal considering that is not a great amount of force.

Filed Oct 20, 2021 · Visibility · CA

Moments ago, I entered my 2016 Toyota Prius to find that my windshield had mysteriously cracked while parked over night. The crack was not present when I last drove the car last night. Based on some online research for windshield replacement cost, I've learned that Toyota was faced with a class action lawsuit regarding 2016-17 Toyota Prius containing defective windshields; in which these windshields are known to unexpectedly crack while parked or under ordinary driving conditions. Furthermore, my Toyota Prius is equipped with safety features (such as pre-collision system, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams and full-speed dynamic radar cruise control) that require a front camera to function properly. The cracked windshield now interferes with the camera's visibility, line of sight and perceived orientation, thus causing me to feel unsafe while driving the vehicle. I am filing this compliant because I am now faced with not only an unsafe vehicle to operate, but also the cost to fix a windshield that is known to be defective from Toyota.

Filed Jul 16, 2020 · Visibility · 58,500 miles · TX

For the second time in my ownership of this toyota 2016 prius, the windshield has cracked considerably due to tiny road debris making contact with it. I was driving along the highway when a small pebble from the road made contact with my windshield causing a crack which has grown in size and has snaked along my windshield considerably since the crack occurred earlier this week (7/13/2020). The total replacement of the windshield along with the calibration of the equipped ads camera system is very expensive, especially considering that this will be the second time that I must replace and re-calibrate. Although I would prefer to use a toyota dealership, it would be very difficult for me to do so as the estimated cost is over $1k. With the current state of global affairs, no glass repair companies in my vicinity offer any oem windshields and they are heavily inundated with clients so the earliest that I could get a replacement service would be at the end of this month. I fear that the crack may fully spread across the windshield and that the integrity of the windshield may give. As a healthcare worker, I cannot afford to not use my vehicle.

Filed Jun 7, 2019 · Visibility · 20,000 miles · VA

I have a 2016 prius with approximately 20,000 miles that was pursued new from the dealership in nov 2016. At around 10:30am, I was two blocks from home, driving on a residential street (25mph) and decelerated to approx 10mph as I approached a red stoplight at the oncoming intersection. Cross traffic was moving but there were no other cars in the lanes left or right of me and/or approaching my car. I heard a very faint click/popping sound coming from the upper right upside of the windshield and immediately pulled over to examine the glass. I found a very small star shaped ding, less than a millimetre wide about 3-4 inches from the top right of the windshield. I then called my insurance agent who stated a small ding like that could definitely be fixed by a glass shop and would be covered in full by allstate. I decided to just go back home and look online for somewhere nearby I could take in my car. I drove back, parked my car back into my underground temperature controlled space. I wasn't able to get a same day appointment so stayed in until 5:30pm when I left to go to dinner. I was shocked to see that the small ding was now a large diagonal crack from the upper left corner, to just past midpoint of the windshield. Because of the crack, the windshield can not be fixed. I was told that replacement and recalibration will cost approx just under $1000, which I will end up paying out of pocket because my insurance deductible is $1000. Has now been 8 days since the initial ding and the crack has continued to elongate. It is now 2/3 of the length of the windshield. I have owned eight toyota vehicles, three of which have been new priuses. This is the first and only car where anything like this has ever happened. It appears that many other 2015-2016 prius owners have experienced similar problems with their windshields too. Toyota must address this safety issue,

Filed Mar 1, 2019 · Visibility · 24,542 miles · WA

With no impact whatsoever, and the car parked and stationary for more than 15 hours, I woke up this morning to find a crack in the front windshield. This crack is in the lower, middle section of the front windshield, generating up from the base of the windshield, and veering towards the left. There is absolutely no feeling of an impact (I.e. Scratch, dent, ping, etc.) on either the outside of the windshield or the inside of the windshield - it appears that the crack is embedded in the glass itself. I have contacted my local toyota dealer and will be bringing it in for their inspection this week. However, in my online research, it seems that there have been a number of 2016 toyota prius' that have had this mysterious front windshield crack occur - enough to make me wonder if there is something wrong with the factory-provided windshield, and that would possibly warrant a recall. Thank you for your consideration.

Filed Nov 18, 2018 · Body · 40,000 miles · IL

I have now had my windshield develop cracks twice. The first time was on january 8, 2018. I was driving behind a large truck, and a pebble was kicked up by the truck's rear tire that struck the middle of the base of my windshield. A crack developed the next day, and started spreading. I had my windshield replaced. The second windshield crack occurred on 11/6/2018. My spouse and I had returned from dinner, and he noticed a crack at the base of the windshield, just to the right of center, before we got out of the car, after we had parked in our indoor garage. This time, I do not recall any objects, such as a pebble, gravel, or hail, hitting my windshield prior to the crack developing.

Filed Nov 7, 2018 · Body, Visibility · 16,400 miles · CA

The windshield on my 2016 toyota prius cracked for no reason. I parked my prius in a covered parking garage. When I returned to my car later, there was a large crack in the windshield (over a foot long), and the crack curved down to the bottom of the windshield. I don't know what caused the windshield to crack all of a sudden. There were no signs of debris or impact. I believe the windshield maybe defective or was set on my car improperly in the factory, which caused stress on the windshield which LED to the large crack.

Filed Jun 28, 2018 · Visibility · 64,000 miles · ND

Small rock chip caused windshield to crack all the way through across the entire windshield. I've been driving since I was 17 and never have had a windshield crack from a small rock chip, even the shop said he has seen a lot of this generation prius coming in for replacements. Toyota has made a sub par windshield that isn't able to withstand anything. This glass is thin, and very unsafe. Now my windshield is cracked all the way across imparing my visibility.

Filed May 1, 2018 · Visibility · 30,000 miles · CA

Windshield has cracked in drive way for no reason. Now has spider webbed across windshield obstructing my view. Called to repair and found out many people are reporting the same problem. Even after they fix and replace new windshield I=its cracking again. New windshield is $600plus install and re calibration im looking at $1300. Please help us customers because windshield is defective!

Filed Feb 20, 2018 · Visibility · 13,798 miles · CA

While at highway speeds I was struck by a rock. Windshield cracked. Had to have it replaced. Costly and now I am told it will cost another $400+ to have it calibrated. I am now reading that the prius is prone to windshield breaks and the cost of recalibration is both expensive and the dealers don't like doing it so the time to get it done is excessive. I now worry if safety features are compromised and it is dangerous to drive.

Filed Feb 10, 2018 · 100 miles · TX

I have owned 3 toyota prius and since I purchased this 2016 prius in 09/2016. I have had to replace the windshield twice so far, 1 in 09/2016 and 06/2017. And now have cracked windshield all cause by small rock chip starting in the corners of the windshield. This is getting ridiculous, I have never had this issue with other 2 models or other vehicle I have owned.

Filed Feb 8, 2018 · Visibility · 24,000 miles · KS

Windshield cracked while driving down the highway