Crap on windshield! does it look like glitter or soap scum

[blissdancer]

After reading several threads about the crap on the windshield it appears that two different issues are being described, so please help me here. Does it look like glitter when the sun hits the windshield at the right angle or is it like soap scum? Mine looks like glitter in the sun and some of it tiny white specs otherwise. It seems to be getting worse.

Also one poster said he waited 6 months after getting his new car to allow for the “degassing” of the windshield before trying to get this gunk off. What’s that about?
Another poster said he complained enough to Tesla about the glitter that they finally replaced his windshield.

Has anyone documented this issue and filed it with Tesla?
If this is a regular issue with random cars Tesla needs to do something about it.
I have tried several glass cleaners, steel wool and alcohol (recommended by a race car driver), soft bar keepers scrub and clay bar/clay lube all suggested by this group or
Tesla service people. Nothing seems to work. This really seems to be IN THE GLASS not on the glass.


I hear that glass polish with a orbital sander works, then one has to use a glass sealer. This scares me.
Has anyone solved this problem by going to a detailer?

I am having a hell of a time trying to get a picture of this crap. I am going to try a night photo with a light shining through the glass.

I would like to collect any data anyone has about this issue and take it to Tesla.

Thx M

 

[TomServo]

We’ve all seen it, it looks like micro glitter when the sun catches it at the right angle. I have NEVER been able to get rid of it using consumer products. I haven’t tried a glass polish with an orbital buffer yet.

But to get the glass clean from “off gassing” etc aka the VINYL FOG. I have had good luck using the old school detailers product - a few sheets of newspaper and any glass cleaner.

Good luck.

 

[Nubo]

I'm curious as to whether this is from contaminants, or if the surface of the glass is actually pitted (a.k.a. "sand sparkle"). One way I've seen this diagnosed is to apply some shaving cream, and then scrape it off with a plastic edge (like a credit card). If there are pits they should show up as small white spots in the pitted glass. Or I guess it's also possible there could be defects/contamination within the glass matrix itself or in the polymer "safety" layer but that would really be surprising.

 

[Jdmoto]

I believe what we see is clear coat overspray during rework. I've heard SC using a razor blade to remove the overspray off glass. I'm tempted to try it and see the outcome.

 

[Pianewman]

We’ve all seen it, it looks like micro glitter when the sun catches it at the right angle. I have NEVER been able to get rid of it using consumer products. I haven’t tried a glass polish with an orbital buffer yet.

But to get the glass clean from “off gassing” etc aka the VINYL FOG. I have had good luck using the old school detailers product - a few sheets of newspaper and any glass cleaner.

Good luck.

Nope. Not here, at 34k miles.

 

[Icehedgehog88]

I had some gunk on the windshield when I picked the car up. Ended up using an alcohol mix (25% Alcohol/75% H2O) and then a clay bar. Took some elbow grease but finally got the gunk off.

 

[CyberGus]

Why Am I Seeing Tiny Specks in My Windshield and Glass Window? - Glass.com

Question: Dear Glass Detective, What are the tiny specks I see in tinted glass? I see them in my car glass and I see them in my home’s windows. When the sun hits my car’s windshield at about 10 o’clock in the morning you can really see them. No one has had an answer […]

info.glass.com

Windshield glass is a laminate, with two panes glued together. While it's possible to have contaminants between the layers, this seems to be very rare.

 

[avs007]

Try using a claybar on the windshield. Ive used that to remove paint over spray as well raildust before, quite easily.

 

[Yelobird]

Try using a claybar on the windshield. Ive used that to remove paint over spray as well raildust before, quite easily.

She already noted that they tried this along with many other options.

 

[ilovecoffee]

I have this quite a bit, I just noticed it after cleaning my windshield this weekend with plain old soap and water and a squeegee.

I thought it was after 1 year of a lot of highway driving...it does seem worse than any of my other previous vehicles.

 

[Pianewman]

34k miles here. I see the exact same "sparkles" on all of my cars at this mileage, only when the sunlight is at a specific angle.

FYI, my windshield took 2 direct hits, small gravel, at 80mph...no damage. I don't think Tesla windshields are very different from any other car, as they're all sourced from the same manufacturers.

Of course, defective units still exist.

 

[RSpanner]

It looks like very small pitting, so my first knee jerk reaction is crappy glass. On the other hand.... I am usually right 49 percent of the time...( Model 3, 1 year old )

 

[msanborn08]

Agree with others, sounds like paint over spray. I just helped my father in law with this exact same issue (not a Tesla but still was a new car). Since i was traveling i didn't have access to my polisher so i tried a clay bar as others mentioned. That helped but still wasn't enough. Since time was limited i ended up using a razor blade and some soapy water in a spray bottle as a lubricant. Got it all off the windows but obviously can't use a blade on the paint.. Hes not a picky person so he might just live with the rest.


If you can, go the polisher with some compound first before you jump to this extreme, but if you do use a razor just make damn sure you keep your working area VERY saturated with the lubricant.

 

[GretaRocks]

My new 2020 sr+ is on its 3rd windshield. The first 2 had micro air bubbles that could be seen with a cheap pocket microscope. Nothing would clean it and it was very problematic when the sun was low. Tesla would not fix it but in Ohio auto glass is free covered by AAA

 

[GretaRocks]

Glitter bubbles

 

[kindofblue]

If you're going to try clay bar on the glass be mindful to get a glass specific clay bar as it is denser and a more aggressive cleaner compared to paint clay bars that have to be softer.

 

[RickParker]

After reading several threads about the crap on the windshield it appears that two different issues are being described, so please help me here. Does it look like glitter when the sun hits the windshield at the right angle or is it like soap scum? Mine looks like glitter in the sun and some of it tiny white specs otherwise. It seems to be getting worse.

Also one poster said he waited 6 months after getting his new car to allow for the “degassing” of the windshield before trying to get this gunk off. What’s that about?
Another poster said he complained enough to Tesla about the glitter that they finally replaced his windshield.

Has anyone documented this issue and filed it with Tesla?
If this is a regular issue with random cars Tesla needs to do something about it.
I have tried several glass cleaners, steel wool and alcohol (recommended by a race car driver), soft bar keepers scrub and clay bar/clay lube all suggested by this group or
Tesla service people. Nothing seems to work. This really seems to be IN THE GLASS not on the glass.


I hear that glass polish with a orbital sander works, then one has to use a glass sealer. This scares me.
Has anyone solved this problem by going to a detailer?

I am having a hell of a time trying to get a picture of this crap. I am going to try a night photo with a light shining through the glass.

I would like to collect any data anyone has about this issue and take it to Tesla.

Thx M

After reading a good bit of this thread, don't lose sight of alleged "glass bubbles" which can be most ofter because of tree micro sap droplets. Sappy and acidic.

 

[EL CapiTRAN]

Is this what folks are seeing? This is after I've cleaned inside and out. I only see it at certain angles.

 

[Jdmoto]

Is this what folks are seeing? This is after I've cleaned inside and out. I only see it at certain angles.


View attachment 869740

More or less yes. Thats actually the lint off the microfiber grabbing on to the windshield due to contamination. Try lintless microfiber, but that contamination grabbing those lint will still be there.

 

[blissdancer]

I have been traveling but thanks for all the comments. I am about to try again to get this crap off my car. My last car a Prius had 80K on it and I drove it all over the US, never had this issue. My Y is not even two years old and the glitter is getting worse. I cannot find a thread on this site that described this issue as being a warp in the windshield and Tesla finally put a new windshield in. I think the post was 2018-19. If anyone knows of that post please let me know as I have to do something about this issue. I have used all compounds that others have suggested but it doesn't come off. There is nothing to feel on the surface, it seems to be in the glass. Any other suggestions are appreciated. Thanks again.