YearToAvoid

2012 Toyota Prius Visibility & Wipers Problems

NHTSA logged 30 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2012 Toyota Prius, 7% of its 423 total complaints. Most describe a windshield

Visibility & Wipers complaints
30
7% of 423
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
850 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical visibility and wiper symptoms owners report

  • Owners report a ghosting or prism effect through the windshield at night, seeing headlights, taillights, and traffic lights split into two or three overlapping images.
  • Owners describe eye strain, fatigue, and distorted distance judgment during extended nighttime driving caused by the duplicated light images.
  • Some owners say the effect appears in daylight too, especially under cloudy conditions, and does not improve with new eyeglasses.
  • One owner reported dangerous rear blind spots on both sides of the vehicle that made it hard to see other cars when changing lanes.
  • One owner reported the front wiper's high setting stopped working during heavy rain, forcing use of a lower speed to keep visibility.

When 2012 Toyota Prius visibility and wiper complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 12, 2012, latest Sep 6, 2023.

2012 Toyota Prius visibility & wipers complaints: complaints filed per month4Jul 2012Nov 2012Mar 2013Sep 2013Feb 2014Jun 2023
30 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2012 to Sep 2023; peak Nov 2012 (4).

Visibility & Wipers recalls for the 2012 Toyota Prius

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Visibility & Wipers complaints by Prius model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201020 (1%)
  2. 201112 (2%)
  3. 201230 (7%)
  4. 20138 (2%)
  5. 201411 (5%)
  6. 20155 (3%)
  7. 201641 (27%)
  8. 201717 (19%)
  9. 20186 (17%)
  10. 20191 (3%)
  11. 20200 (0%)
  12. 20210 (0%)
  13. 20222 (8%)
  14. 20230 (0%)
  15. 20241 (4%)
  16. 20251 (6%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Toyota Prius have a windshield ghosting problem?
Yes. Multiple NHTSA complaints describe a prism or ghosting effect where light sources appear duplicated above and below the original image when viewed through the windshield at night.
How many visibility and wiper complaints does the 2012 Prius have?
NHTSA lists 30 complaints in the Visibility & Wipers category for the 2012 Prius, which is 7% of its 423 total complaints for the model year.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Prius windshield issue?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2012 Prius.
Did the windshield ghosting cause any crashes?
NHTSA data shows 0 crashes and 0 fires tied to these complaints, though 1 injury was reported.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.