Double vision (ghosting) at night through windshield?

[rmiggins]

I took delivery on 12/31 - have had my Model X for 3 weeks. At first I thought this was fatigue or age (43) or bad vision, but it's not.

At night, when looking through the front windshield straight ahead, I see two sets of brakelights on cars in front of me - one set low and the other set slightly higher. In other words, this is a high/low effect not left/right, where the lower lights are brighter and the higher lights are dimmer - but still visible. Same is true of headlights if a car is driving towards me.

This has something to do with the windshield slope, glass type or tinting. I am 6'5" so I am probably looking forward towards the top of the windshield. I don't wear glasses or contacts and have great vision.

I have found that if I crouch down about 3 inches and look forward it goes away. This is not only super annoying but a serious safety issue.

Two questions:

1. Has anyone else experienced this?
2. Can it be explained and fixed?

I looked about 50% of the way through this forum but couldn't see this topic posted.

Thanks

 

[pvogel]

I took delivery on 12/31 - have had my Model X for 3 weeks. At first I thought this was fatigue or age (43) or bad vision, but it's not.

At night, when looking through the front windshield straight ahead, I see two sets of brakelights on cars in front of me - one set low and the other set slightly higher. In other words, this is a high/low effect not left/right, where the lower lights are brighter and the higher lights are dimmer - but still visible. Same is true of headlights if a car is driving towards me.

This has something to do with the windshield slope, glass type or tinting. I am 6'5" so I am probably looking forward towards the top of the windshield. I don't wear glasses or contacts and have great vision.

I have found that if I crouch down about 3 inches and look forward it goes away. This is not only super annoying but a serious safety issue.

Two questions:

1. Has anyone else experienced this?
2. Can it be explained and fixed?

I looked about 50% of the way through this forum but couldn't see this topic posted.

Thanks

No one has posted about this before, but if I were to guess, I'd say that you are looking through the curve at the top of the windshield which in most cars would be opaque and you would be forced to look through a lower point because that's where the windshield ends.

As a test, run your windshield wiper and look at where the arc ends, that's the highest point a driver is expected to be looking through for driving purposes.

 

[rmiggins]

Thanks - ran the wiper - and that crosses above my eye level. so no issue there.

I'm tall but not that tall. Interested in hearing if anyone else has the same experience. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[SamT]

Instead of crouch down, can you lower your seat So your eye level would be lower and not be at the curvature of the windshield? Interesting to know if that makes any difference.

 

[rmiggins]

seat is all the way down already.

This is NOT because I am sitting too high or peering out of the wrong part of the windshield. (is there a wrong part??).

Might have to wait until nighttime but again, awfully curious if anyone else is seeing this. thx

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

seat is all the way down already.

This is NOT because I am sitting too high or peering out of the wrong part of the windshield. (is there a wrong part??).

Might have to wait until nighttime but again, awfully curious if anyone else is seeing this. thx

how thick is the glass on the windshield? like 'standard' cars or the MS or thicker? (if you can tell)

 

[dirkhh]

Is there a difference of color between the two perceived lights? Could this be a chromatic diffraction issue?

 

[Spidy]

There is actually a thread in the German forum with people having a smilar issue on the Model S. Although that seem limited to LED lights at night, so might be a different issue.

Windschutzscheibe spiegelt im dunkeln extrem Freunde

 

[Jeff McClure]

I picked up my model X yesterday and I am having the same issue. Did you get it resolved? The only solutions I can imagine is a new windshield or some sort of film like a tinting.

 

[quartzav]

I also see the astigmatism-like double slightly superimposed at superior to the actual tail lights of the cars in the front when its about 1000 feet. More noticeable when the cars' tail lamp is LED light stripes such as Honda insight or Toyota Prius.

 

[FA1820]

Count me in. I am not tall and it makes no difference when I try to sit higher up or lower down. I noticed it with all head lamps, starts at a certain distance and I think it is due to curve of the glass. Very distracting, but not dangerous. Would most likely find it extremely troublesome in heavy rain or long drives.
ANybody has asked Tesla about it?

 

[EV Family]

Count me in. I am not tall and it makes no difference when I try to sit higher up or lower down. I noticed it with all head lamps, starts at a certain distance and I think it is due to curve of the glass. Very distracting, but not dangerous. Would most likely find it extremely troublesome in heavy rain or long drives.
ANybody has asked Tesla about it?

Please notify your Service Center+Tesla directly about this. I can see this being a larger problem when 10 times more MX owners are out there and we all have to take our cars back in for a new windshield.
In my case, my X would be driven mostly at night so this seems more troublesome.

 

[jame521]

ufff. replacing all those windshields would be pretty expensive..... maybe they can design some fashionable eyewear that reduces the image back down to normal

 

[sneezydwarf]

I noticed this double vision thing while driving last night. I thought something was wrong with my vision because my wife who was sitting on the passenger side said that she didn't notice anything. It was making me feel ill after driving a while. By any chance, do you wear high prescription glasses? When I took off my glasses, I didn't see double anymore (but it was obviously blurry, so not entirely sure). I thought maybe the double curvature of the windshield and my glasses was causing it. I didn't think to test the seat height, I will try that tonight.

 

[FA1820]

@sneezydwarf, I don't wear glasses. I'll call Tesla's SC on Monday. I also want to be clear that the double vision is only with the headlamps and LED street lights. I cannot remember seeing their tail lights, but now I am not sure if there was a car in front of me when this happens. I'll do a test drive tonight. Also, it seems, there are only a handful with a faulty windshield so far.

 

[Jeff McClure]

I'm getting the double vision for all strong light sources that are 100 feet or so away. If I look closely I can also see it in the light reflecting from white reflective street signs (eg speed limit signs).

I put a vertical strip of 3" wide clear packing tape on the inside windshield to do a simplistic simulation of window tinting film. It seems to solve the issue however I can't be sure because the tape blurs the image a little, but there is definitely no double vision at that point.

I was already planning on tinting.

Is there anyone with a Model X that can absolute confirm no double vision?

The easiest way to see it is to get on the highway at night and look at oncoming headlights from the other side. You'll one or two extra sets for each car.

 

[sneezydwarf]

@sneezydwarf, I don't wear glasses. I'll call Tesla's SC on Monday. I also want to be clear that the double vision is only with the headlamps and LED street lights. I cannot remember seeing their tail lights, but now I am not sure if there was a car in front of me when this happens. I'll do a test drive tonight. Also, it seems, there are only a handful with a faulty windshield so far.

Yes, exactly, rear lamps and street lights in front of me appear as double. The double light appears right on top of the actual light, kind of looks like a fainter outline of the actual light. I will also call SC on Monday and see if this is a known issue.

 

[FA1820]

I called Tesla's support line and after explaining the issue, he said it was the first he had heard about it. I had the same response when I called our local SC, that is why I called their 877 number, hoping they had heard of it. Please call in if you have not already so that we can escalate this issue. From both calls, I inferred this issue affects a small number of vehicles, which is a good thing for Tesla, hence problematic for us as we cannot replicate the problem during the SC's working hours until fall arrives. I have offered to try to take photos at night, the tech rep asked to receive it in the next 24 hours since he would be able to attach the files to the case til that point. That requires a bit more logistical planning at my end which I may not be able to make tonight. I checked in another forum when people were picking up their cars before or after me, and none had this issue. So I know, not everybody is affected for sure.
Did Anybody else get open a ticket or get a proper answer from Tesla or a workaround to fix this issue?
I'd like to hear what has been the reposed to your request from your local SC. I am in Palo Alto, CA.

Thanks, Farzi

 

[Jeff McClure]

I was at the service center today for a different issue (I left my front door open during last nights software update, and after that it would not operate. It needed to be recalibrated. My service guy said do not leave the door open for long periods or it may need to be recalibrated)

I also told him about the issue and provided the attached photos.

 

[FA1820]

Yes, this is it. Awesome. If I don't to take proper shots tonight, may I use on of these photos?