The wind blows the Yaris door

[Type456]

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

We own a 2010 Yaris two door. These doors are very long and care must be taken to open the door in a parking lot to avoid dinging other people's cars.
The design of these doors is such that when you pull the little door handle and the door opens a bit, if there is a wind blowing from the back of the vehicle, the wind catches the door so fast before you can grab the door handle and whips it open, and smashes any vehicle unfortunate enough to be next to the door.
The handle grab is too far up on the door to allow a regular person to grab the door with enough force to stop the opening. This is horrible.
Several times the wind has grabbed our doors and flung them open, despite our efforts to stop this.
Yesterday, the driver door smashed into someone's vehicle, we left a note with our info, and called insurance, who will pay for the dent in that person's car. The same time, our Yaris passenger door opened and was flung out by the wind, and had there been a vehicle there, that would have also banged into a car. So both doors flew open at the same time. Horrors!
We think this is a terrible design flaw and if anyone agrees, let us know.
Today, we are going to Toyota to trade in this car, we do not want to be having doors fling open and causing damage to other people's vehicles.
It is bad enough that people ding other people's cars by being inconsiderate, we are not inconsiderate, and cannot keep the wind from blowing open the door without warning. Happens really fast. Anyone else have this problem?
We love the Yaris, but are thinking to get a four door, the door are shorter, and if they blow open won't reach another vehicle. Comments? Help?

I'm new to the forum, but I'm sorry, this was the stupidest post I've ever read on any forum, on any interest.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Type456

I'm new to the forum, but I'm sorry, this was the stupidest post I've ever read on any forum, on any interest.

[jpmck03]

How did I miss this thread the first time around... that's for reviving it, gave me a good chuckle!

[enviri]

yeah the 2 door version the doors are just ridiculously heavy too compared to the 4 door hatch. i can see that happening.

[why?]

I still don't see how on earth this is a big deal. Wind catches everything. That is why you have two hands. Not to mention the real door handles are just a few inches below the opener, if you can't make that transition before the wind blows your door into something else I don't think you should be allowed to drive, because it is obvious your reactions are too slow.

[Alan1962]

Yeah that's right my reactions are too slow @ 52.
I'll sell my car tomorrow , thanks for the pearls of wisdom

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by why?

I still don't see how on earth this is a big deal. Wind catches everything. That is why you have two hands. Not to mention the real door handles are just a few inches below the opener, if you can't make that transition before the wind blows your door into something else I don't think you should be allowed to drive, because it is obvious your reactions are too slow.

Let's say you want to bring something with you (when you leave the car) that is in the back seat. Because of the size of the item, you can't pull it to the front while sitting in the driver's seat. If you aren't in a parking space that allows enough clearance for the door to swing all the way open, it is an issue. I suppose it could be argued that in that scenario, the person should just remove the item via the hatch. However, some of us keep the area behind the back seat and under the package shelf neatly packed with stuff (that one might put in a trunk...given a car that has one). Even if someone doesn't have anything else back there, what if the car is dirty and the person has on light colored clothes? Much easier to avoid any issue in that case by not using the hatch.

[why?]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Let's say you want to bring something with you (when you leave the car) that is in the back seat. Because of the size of the item, you can't pull it to the front while sitting in the driver's seat. If you aren't in a parking space that allows enough clearance for the door to swing all the way open, it is an issue. I suppose it could be argued that in that scenario, the person should just remove the item via the hatch. However, some of us keep the area behind the back seat and under the package shelf neatly packed with stuff (that one might put in a trunk...given a car that has one). Even if someone doesn't have anything else back there, what if the car is dirty and the person has on light colored clothes? Much easier to avoid any issue in that case by not using the hatch.

Yes, that might be harder, but by then you know if you have any space. I'd leave the door wide open so it doesn't snap open, and if there wasn't enough space, I'd move the car to a spot where I could do this. The hinges are going to be fine, but guaranteeing I won't hit other people's car is more important to me than parking as close as possible. Or parking where someone else is going to let their door smash into mine.

Basically, thinking about the situation and not letting it happen first.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by why?

Yes, that might be harder, but by then you know if you have any space. I'd leave the door wide open so it doesn't snap open, and if there wasn't enough space, I'd move the car to a spot where I could do this. The hinges are going to be fine, but guaranteeing I won't hit other people's car is more important to me than parking as close as possible. Or parking where someone else is going to let their door smash into mine.

Basically, thinking about the situation and not letting it happen first.

When I was out on the cape last year, I was just about relentlessly conscious of the wind. If I lived there, I would probably be as conscious of always allowing for the wind as you are. Here, in my experience, we can get big gusts that start up and seem to come out of nowhere, and I've lived in some other windy places...all with what I imagine have wind conditions/sources more like where you are and not where I live now. I'm just guessing though about the sources and type. I don't know that much about the wind in different areas...you probably know 100x more than I do. I do try to be as considerate as I can within my usual experience around here re other other cars. I can't control whether other people think that is enough or not .

[DebbyM46227]

Those hinges are pretty strong on the 2 doors. I had a friend in the passenger seat who couldn't wait until I got him home to pee....we were only 2 miles away. Anyway I whipped it into the nearest parking lot, made a quick left, not knowing he had the door already open so he could jump out and go. I cringed when I saw the door swing open, thinking it was going to break the hinges. They're fine.

[bairjo]

When it rains, my windshield gets wet....sometimes really wet. It is scary when that happens. Does anyone else have this happen?