Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Toyota Prius owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The front windshield wiper no longer performs on high but does perform on the lower settings. We experienced very heavy rain yesterday for the first time in a while and needed the high setting to adequately visualize the road and vehicles. It once switched to high the wipers were inoperable and had to be reduced in speed to even function. This is a significant safety concern as it drastically compromises your visibility in heavy rain conditions, such as those we experienced. Yes it is available for inspection upon request.
The glass sunroof spontaneously exploded or imploded. There was a loud popping sound and I looked up at the sunroof, and it was shattered. glass started falling on me as I was driving on the highway. There have been many reported cases of this happening found online. https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/toyota-owners-should-be-aware-of-reported-exploding-sunroof-risk/ It has not been inspected yet. no warning messages.
There is no incident occurring to me .but I change some parts like head light.& whisper .engine .
The windshield causes most light sources, particularly LED lights, street lights, and oncoming headlights (basically any bright light source), to appear with a "ghosting" image. The "ghosting" appears in the windshield vertically below the light source as one, two, or even three images. The dealer has replaced the windshield twice already, but there has been no improvement. In fact, the first and second replacements are worse than the original. I also own a 2008 Toyota sienna, and I drive various Chevy equinoxes and Ford escapes where I work - I do not experience the "ghosting" effect in those vehicles. Personnel from the dealer's service department as well as representatives from Toyota have also observed this phenomena with the windshields in my Prius plug-in. …
Brand new 2012 Prius driving out of the dealership at night, noticed a rather bothersome trait: lights viewed through the windshield have a prism effect where there is a "ghost" image located above and below the actual light source. I wanted to know if this was defective windshield, or just how the Prius is due to the very low angle of the windshield. It is definitely a prism type effect as it differs by color, and as you approach the light source, the ghost images merge into the single image. This happens with all light sources, the sun (worst of all), headlights, tail lights,street lights, traffic lights, etc. When driving at night this ghosting of the light sources is really distracting and makes it look like you are looking at a blurred image. Nothing is crisp or clear. It's bad enough that my wife and I are not driving the car at night and using another vehicle. …
Design of car includes a flaw causing a huge vertical blindspot on both the right and left side of the car. Because there is a bar that runs vertical on both sides at the beginning of the driver and front passengers' windows, this, along with the pillar coming down the windshield contribute to an extremely large spot where objects in road cannot be seen. This is especially hazardous for pedestrian foot-traffic crossing perpendicular to the car. Peds in crosswalks or in parking lots are at times, completely masked by this blind spot by the combination of the front windshield pillars and front window sub-pillars. Other cars (such as Honda insight) with a dramatically angled windshield avoid this by using a smaller sub-pillar on the front window, allowing for things to be seen far more easily. This issue should be addressed before it causes a pedestrian injury or death. …
There are very dangerous blind spots on both rear driver and passenger sides of the Toyota Prius v . Vehicles located near the mid to rear of the car can not be seen in mirrors or by glancing over the shoulder when changing lanes. I have had numerous near collisions due to this design defect. I have brought this to the attention of the Toyota corporation and the local dealership and have had no co-operation in dealing with this safety hazard. I am a very experienced driver an never had an accident that was my fault in my 50 years of driving. Any assistance you can provide for this very dangerous situation will be greatly welcomed. This condition is an accident waiting to happen! [redacted]
I bought a 2012 Toyota Prius plug-in. The windshield creates a ghosting effect on lights, especially at night. Lights from other cars and streetlights are glaring through the windshield with a ghosted image above and below so I see three lights. The effect is so pronounced that it is impossible to read lit highway safety signs at night because the ghosting obscures the letters completely. The lights look fine through the side glass, so it is clearly an issue just with the windshield. I contacted the dealer and they dismissed my complaint. However I see that many people have mentioned the exact same thing online and our local news channel in the san francisco area kabc channel 7 has begin a "7 on your side" investigation. Please urge Toyota to recall these dangerous windshields.
New 2012 Toyota Prius plug-in. Visibility through front windshield is blurry - particularly noticeable at night when light sources are viewed through the windshield. Light sources produce multiple images (up to two additional) below the original light source. Problem is also noticeable during daylight hours, particularly during cloudy conditions. Ghosting effect worse at a distance, does not seem to occur when light source is very close to vehicle (for example within 10 feet). Ghosting effect is quite noticeable at night. I am worried that the problem May cause headaches, visual fatigue, and accidents.
Head lights from oncoming traffic at nighttime have a "halo" and "prism" appearance. Additionally, reflective road signs are also very distorted, seeing what appears to be multiple signs. Since that time eyes have been tested with no change from last exam and new glasses are now being worn. There is no difference. My wife states she sees the same distortion when driving after dark. This has been a continual problem since we purchased the vehicle. In addition, the windshield was replaced in August, 2012, as a result of hail damage. It was replaced with genuine Toyota parts. There is no difference.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Prius years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2012 Toyota Prius?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2012 Toyota Prius, 7% of the model year's 424 complaints. The component named most often is windshield (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Toyota Prius window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for the 2012 Toyota Prius, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2012 Toyota Prius window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 1,000 miles, and 100% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to windows, wipers & sunroof problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.