How To Repair Toyota Prius Window Seals For Less Than $100
My 2008 Toyota Prius is now 13 years old. It has its fair share of rock chips, scratches, and even a couple of dents. The car is not new, but it is mine; I owe nothing on it, and it gets 45 to 50 mpg consistently.
While going through a car wash, I recently noticed that the outside window seal began flapping around and then tore off. Bummer, another thing to fix, but I looked at this as an opportunity to help the Prius community. It was time to get new seals.
In this article, I will explain the process of replacing the window seals, why I did all 4 of them, and where you can get them for less than the cost of one at the dealership.
What Are Door Window Seals?
If you look at the picture here, you can see the trim that sits at the base of the window is the seal I am mentioning. It is responsible for keeping out excess wind, dirt, water, and noise.
Over time these seals take abuse from the sun, car washes, and general abuse from the weather. They will crack and tear, causing all the things you do not want to happen.
When this happened to my seals, I thought I would only be getting them from the dealer at nearly $100 a pop. Then I found a better solution.
Aftermarket Factory Fit And Finish
I found these aftermarket window "sweeps" and got all of them for $75 shipped to my house. Normally I am not a huge fan of parts like this, but it was worth a shot.
Once they arrived, I unpacked them and found out they were the exact length and had the correct clips for a perfect installation. I ended up doing a video on it, and the whole process to remove and reinstall the new ones took about half an hour.
Conclusion
If your Prius window sweeps are torn, tearing, or gone, this is a fast and affordable solution to get your car fixed. I ended up getting all 4 and I am glad I did because 3 were torn. 4 for the price of 1 is also a much better deal.
If you need help on installation, take a look at my YouTube Channel, The Hybrid Guy.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach me on Twitter or find me on FB in the Toyota Prius owners club.
Thank you all, and remember, Today's Adventure is Tomorrow's Story.