5.0

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
12,150 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (1 reports)
  2. redesign of windshield with thicker and stronger glass (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Toyota dealer.

problem #2

Dec 052011

RAV4 V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 24,210 miles

click to see larger images

windshield cracks easily windshield cracks easily

The Toyota dealership claims that fuel efficiency requirements drove them to a thinner, lighter windshield. That's madness! The windshield is NOT where I want weight shaved off in order to make a lighter vehicle!!! In the time that I have owned this car, I have had to get small chips repaired twice. It quickly racked up at least five chips in only 25,000 miles. We own a '94 Chysler LHS that has only needed chip repair once in 160,000 miles! It would even have its original windshield except that the hood release failed and the hood smacked the windshield. The windshield even survived one such hit when the latch failed again! The service department at the dealership suggested that since it is winter in Nebraska (which means that due to the icing and extreme temperatures that the windshield will be subject to additional thermal shocks) that I not replace the windshield until the spring. THE CRACK RUNS 75-80% OF THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD!!! Is it really safe for me to drive around in a car like this??? What if there's an accident--the windshield is one of the safety devices of the car! And what's to keep the windshield from continuing to crack and then falling into the interior of the car on its own? I am extremely displeased with Toyota's design of this windshield. I am frustrated that as the consumer, the windshield design is now an area that I am going to have to become an expert on and carefully analyze before I buy our next vehicle. That should be the job of the engineers at the car maker. Toyota is going to hear a lot more from me.

- kriswpi, Plattsmouth, NE, US

problem #1

Dec 312009

RAV4 Limited 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 31 miles

Car came from the manufacturer to the dealership with a crack windshield, dealer had no explaination, as to how that happened, took the vehicle out for test drive heard something hit windshield at nite during the test drive in the rain, another crack occured, complained to dealership after my purchase, they put a third non-factory issued windshield in my new car thus invalidating my warantty.

Apparently there have been other issues in other Toytoa brands with windshield problems as well via internet searches, Toyota lack of quality and lack of quality control is contributing to the recall problems.

- Rick S., Hernando, MS, US