NHTSA Complaint #11099437 — 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS

WHILE DRIVING, WITH NO OTHER VEHICLE WITHIN 100 YARDS, AN APPROXIMATELY 12 INCH LONG CRACK APPEARED FROM THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD. I DID NOT HAVE THE RADIO ON AND DID NOT HEAR OR SEE ANYTHING STRIKE THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION I INSPECTED THE CRACK AND SAW NO CHIP OR OTHER EVIDENCE THAT SOMETHING STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER A FEW HOURS I CAME BACK TO LEAVE AND NOTICED THAT THE CRACK HAD GROWN EVEN LONGER. I ASSUME FROM BEING PARKED IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT, ALTHOUGH IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 80F DEGREES. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD OF TOYOTA'S DURABILITY AND HAVE OWNED EVERYTHING FROM THE PRIUS TO THE TUNDRA. I'VE EVEN GOTTEN MANY OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO SWITCH TO TOYOTA. I NOW HAVE TO WONDER IF TOYOTA HAS STARTED TO "CHEAP OUT" LIKE MANY OTHER MANUFACTURERS. I AM ESPECIALLY DISAPPOINTED AT THE FACT THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE A "FIT AND FINISH" DEFECT. EITHER THE WINDSHIELD MUST BE CHEAP AND THIN, OR THE QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP MUST BE LACKING. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS IS A DISPROPORTIONATELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEW 4TH GEN TOYOTA PRIUS AND THAT THE WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN BACK ORDERED. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, THE NEW TOYOTA SAFETY SENSE SENSORS MUST BE RE-CALIBRATED WITH THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD, WHICH CAN ADD UP TO $500 TO THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIR! I CANNOT RECOMMEND THE NEW 4TH GEN PRIUS IF IT COMES WITH SUCH A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. THIS IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. I WISH I KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE BUYING!