Sidewinder

[r04drunner1]

You know those wet and cold mornings when you go out to the car and the windows are covered in moisture? Not just the front and back windows, where the wipers are, but the side windows too? And it's the side windows that you need to look out of when at a junction!

On every other car I have owned, I have been able to clear each side window by winding down the window then winding it back up again. (Really I mean "wind" down or up as in "press the electric button" to lower or raise the window, so to be pedantic it's the electric motor that winds the window not me! Anyway...) The rubber strip at the bottom of the window acts as a wiper blade and clears the moisture off.

However on the Prius putting a side window down then up again has ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT on the moisture on the window. It's still there. It's as if the rubber strips are not tight enough against the glass. Has anubody else noticed this?

This is rather annoying as, to get visibility at junctions, I have to take the windows down completely. Not a prospect I look forward to if we have a winter like the last one!

Any useful suggestions or comments?

R04drunner1

[Ancient Nerd]

You know those wet and cold mornings when you go out to the car and the windows are covered in moisture? Not just the front and back windows, where the wipers are, but the side windows too? And it's the side windows that you need to look out of when at a junction!

On every other car I have owned, I have been able to clear each side window by winding down the window then winding it back up again. (Really I mean "wind" down or up as in "press the electric button" to lower or raise the window, so to be pedantic it's the electric motor that winds the window not me! Anyway...) The rubber strip at the bottom of the window acts as a wiper blade and clears the moisture off.

However on the Prius putting a side window down then up again has ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT on the moisture on the window. It's still there. It's as if the rubber strips are not tight enough against the glass. Has anubody else noticed this?

This is rather annoying as, to get visibility at junctions, I have to take the windows down completely. Not a prospect I look forward to if we have a winter like the last one!

Any useful suggestions or comments?

R04drunner1

Yes, it is a bit frustrating. I used to get into the habit of wiping them down quickly with a bit of kitchen roll each morning before I started. Eventually I started using Rain-X on all the glass except the windscreen. The water on the glass beads, and clears very quickly once you start moving. Much easier.

[fuel miser]

Wimp!! Us gen 2 owners don't even have the luxury of heated mirrors! And the rear wiper only sweeps about 40% of the rear screen (mind you, that's 40% of the area of a virtually horizontal glass panel, this probably only represents about 30% of the entire glazed area you have available to see what's behind you (including the separate glass panel below the thick spoiler which doesn't have wash/wipe).

You want a car that does 60 mpg and expect to be able to see what's about to hit you from the rear or the side? :lol2:

[timberwolf]

A cheap squeegee ice scraper. I am not the sort that literal is trying to pull out of the drive while struggling with my seat belt, so a minute or two spent squeegeeing the windows is just part of the ritual of preparing to leave.

[Jan&tone]

A cheap squeegee ice scraper. I am not the sort that literal is trying to pull out of the drive while struggling with my seat belt, so a minute or two spent squeegeeing the windows is just part of the ritual of preparing to leave.

I agree with you timberwolf. My Prius lives in the garage so i've not had that problem yet, but the wife's Aygo lives under a tree most of the time, ao not only do we have to remove moisture but leaves as well ao the wiper doesn't just move the leaves about!

2 or 3 minutes with the squeegee while the engine is warming up and the defroster is clearing the back window is well worth spending IMHO....

[kithmo]

You know those wet and cold mornings when you go out to the car and the windows are covered in moisture? Not just the front and back windows, where the wipers are, but the side windows too? And it's the side windows that you need to look out of when at a junction!

On every other car I have owned, I have been able to clear each side window by winding down the window then winding it back up again. (Really I mean "wind" down or up as in "press the electric button" to lower or raise the window, so to be pedantic it's the electric motor that winds the window not me! Anyway...) The rubber strip at the bottom of the window acts as a wiper blade and clears the moisture off.

However on the Prius putting a side window down then up again has ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT on the moisture on the window. It's still there. It's as if the rubber strips are not tight enough against the glass. Has anubody else noticed this?

This is rather annoying as, to get visibility at junctions, I have to take the windows down completely. Not a prospect I look forward to if we have a winter like the last one!

Any useful suggestions or comments?

R04drunner1

And when you lower the windows, water off the top seal falls in and wets the window switches :ffs: .

It's not just the Prius though, my previous car, a MK4 Ford Mondeo, was the same. I think it's to do with the curvature of the windows.

[fuel miser]

And when you lower the windows, water off the top seal falls in and wets the window switches :ffs: .

It's not just the Prius though, my previous car, a MK4 Ford Mondeo, was the same. I think it's to do with the curvature of the windows.

Now that, I have to admit, is not a problem I suffer with. I fitted a pair of Climair wind deflectors to the front windows, you can even drive with the windows down a few inches in the rain, and water won't come in. In hot weather (or even if it's a sunny day in winter), you can park and leave the windows down an inch (but the car is still secure) and it allows the heat to vent out and therefore makes the car interior much cooler. They are a very worthwhile addition for a car without a sunroof, since you can drive with your windows down and allow fresh air in but not get the blast of wind that you do without them. Also having the windows slightly down in heavy rain is of great benefit in preventing the windscreen and side windows from misting up, and saves you from having to engage the air-con. I had them on my previous T4 and immediately fitted them to my latest T-Spirit, I wouldn't be without them.

Link for their site here.......

http://www.climairuk.com/home.php

(they can supply for all 4 windows on gen 2 and gen 3 models)

[Doesn'tExist]

Our one came with rain repellent windows so no such issue. However the loaner I have got is terrible like that.

[Carltona123]

My mechanic told me never ever to clear the windows by scrolling down then up again. Could do all sorts of damage. Toyota think of everything. And he works for Nissan.

[r04drunner1]

My mechanic told me never ever to clear the windows by scrolling down then up again. Could do all sorts of damage. Toyota think of everything. And he works for Nissan.

May I ask what reasons were given? I've been doing it for years, with zero ill effects. Also modern cars are exhaustively tested with windows being scrolled up and down repeatedly, in all sorts of climate conditions. So I don't think the mechanism will wear out! Can you find out why?

R04drunner1