Got someone coming out to the office on Monday to replace my windshield again. My FOURTH one since I bought the car 10 years ago, three damaged from flying rocks, last year's shattered in the corner from a big broken storm launched branch Just curious if everyone else has had to replace theirs as frequently or if I'm just "lucky" to be in the wrong place at the wrong time this many times. Or if the 2007 has a design flaw that makes them more susceptible to breakage or something. My boss thinks maybe it's because they've made the Prius to be more aerodynamic and are using lighter weight glass to make that easier. Would certainly make sense, I drove a Ford Escort LX for nearly 20 years and never had to replace the windshield on that one once. But this is last year's break, probably the most impressively broken windshield I've ever had replaced. The first thing I said after it happened: "Well, at least it won't cost me anything to fix!" Thankfully I added on Allstate's $12 zero deductible add on after the previous windshield break, so didn't have to pay the $100 to have it fixed. And the one on Monday will be free as well. Yay.
I have to imagine that safety standards would not permit a "lighter weight" glass, but I don't know for sure. I'm just going to guess that you're just experiencing life's unfairness.
Can you confirm that the replacement windshield is the same part number as the OEM? My theory is that the aftermarket windshields aren't as resistant to cracking and damage as the OEM. Theoretically the windshield on the Prius should be less likely to get cracked due to its steep angle and the fact that the good aerodynamics make it more difficult for rocks, etc, to get "trapped" as they approach the windshield.
let's take the branch out of the equation. still, 3 ws in 10 years is probably high, so i'll have to say the amount of highway driving you do, or the amount of rocks on the road in your area. do you follow trucks to closely?