Mysterious Film on Tesla Windshields

[Wingsy]

2019 Model 3: 2 windshields
2021 Model S Plaid: 3 windshields
2022 Model X: 1 windshield

Every Tesla I've owned has this problem to some degree. My Model S is the worst. I've tried all kinds of cleaners. I've had a detail shop work on it for half a day. They even tried a ceramic coating on the glass. No success so far. Has anyone found a solution for this problem?

 

[vcor]

On my first 2013 S, I applied Rain-X. It was the worst choice I ever made. Affected the clarity and made the wipers chatter. It took a huge amount of work to get it off. Since then never used any product that added a film or coating to the glass. I've not had any problems with other Teslas, including my new 2022 S and Y. Both are very clear. Any chance you or some detailer added something to the glass surface? I've always done my own cleaning and avoided car washes. I assume you also cleaned the inside of the glass? Some glass cleaners seem to be more streaky than others - so if this is happening to all your cars, maybe consider a different cleaner.

 

[Tdriver]

Best window cleaner is a little dishwater soap mixed with plain water.....and use the textured clothes sold at Costco, which is great and also good for reading glasses. Beats Windex by a wide margin.

 

[Wingsy]

On my first 2013 S, I applied Rain-X. It was the worst choice I ever made. Affected the clarity and made the wipers chatter. It took a huge amount of work to get it off. Since then never used any product that added a film or coating to the glass. I've not had any problems with other Teslas, including my new 2022 S and Y. Both are very clear. Any chance you or some detailer added something to the glass surface? I've always done my own cleaning and avoided car washes. I assume you also cleaned the inside of the glass? Some glass cleaners seem to be more streaky than others - so if this is happening to all your cars, maybe consider a different cleaner.

If anyone added something to the glass surface it was Tesla. I have only used Windex and a paper towel on the windshield, and that was maybe twice. It had this problem the day I bought it, same for my Model 3. The M3 was put through the ringer trying to get it clear, so I'm hesitant to just go through the same process on my S. I was hoping to hear about some miracle cleaner that people have tried and that worked.

Now maybe I'm off on some tangent here but what it feels like is that on a microscopic level the glass isn't smooth. Microscopic pits that retain water until it evaporates. That would explain (in my mind at least) why a swipe of the wipers creates a haze as the water is pushed into the pits and then clears up as it evaporates. That was why I agreed to have a ceramic coating applied to my M3. Unfortunately it didn't work. I assumed the ceramic would smooth over any pits that were there, but I have little knowledge of how exactly ceramic coatings work. The clay bar came the closest to clearing up the windshield. Another hint that a serious clay bar workout might do something is the fact that where the wipers reach the end of their swipe and then tilt the opposite way as they reverse, it has cleared up that small area. Like, given enough scrubbing the glass can be cleared up. I don't have that much elbow grease in me.

 

[Rascoe]

Maybe this thread will help?

Have you de-scummed your glass yet?

This is my 3rd Tesla. First was a Model 3P in 2018 and I never felt I could really get the glass clean and never resolved it before I sold it. Then a year later I traded for a 2019 Model X and noticed the same thing and this time I was gonna figure it out, and I did. See 2019 Model X Polishing...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[Vettepartz]

Years ago I bought a used Corvette that had been sitting outside for a couple of years and was parked on the street where yard sprinklers would hit the rear glass. It had terrible water spots, maybe mineral deposits, that nothing seemed to get rid of. Even took it to an auto-glass shop where they tried their 'secret' cleaner, but that didn't work. On a whim, I used some Simi-chrome polish and it cleared everything up. You know, that stinky pink paste stuff. If you try it, I would try it in a small area first to be sure it doesn't leave scratches. Mine worked fine. Good luck.

 

[Tomhargr35]

I also have had this issue. It seem to be caused by a touch less car wash with wax.. I also tried every detergent, paint thinner and goof off. The only thing that will work is cerium oxide based polish and an orbital with a glass polishing pad. To do it completely will take a couple of hours. I have never seen this on other cars I-have and use the same car wash. I Hope this helps