Tinted Model X Windshield - Is Ghosting & Blurry Normal?

[phxelectric20]

I recently had my 2019 Model X tinted on all windows with 3M Crystaline. CR70 on my windshield and CR40 on all other windows. It's been about 2 weeks since it was installed and my windshield has terrible ghosting / blurring at night from any bright light.

There was no ghosting / blurry effect before the tint. It was only after the tint was installed.

My side windows (40% VLT) don't have this issue, it's just my windshield. The original Installer blames the angle and says there's no problem. He claims any film will produce this effect on a Model X windshield. I have a hard time believing that.

So is this normal for Tinted Model X Windshields?

 

[mrod1975]

I recently had my 2019 Model X tinted on all windows with 3M Crystaline. CR70 on my windshield and CR40 on all other windows. It's been about 2 weeks since it was installed and my windshield has terrible ghosting / blurring at night from any bright light.

This exact same thing happened to my 2013 Model S so it's no surprise for it to have happened to your Model X.

There was no ghosting / blurry effect before the tint. It was only after the tint was installed.

My side windows (40% VLT) don't have this issue, it's just my windshield. The original Installer blames the angle and says there's no problem. He claims any film will produce this effect on a Model X windshield. I have a hard time believing that.

So is this normal for Tinted Model X Windshields?


View attachment 466749 View attachment 466750

 

[phxelectric20]

Are you saying an aftermarket tint caused the ghosting? For me, my factory windshield was fine, it was just the tint that caused the distortions.

 

[Xminus6]

I don't see all that much ghosting in your pictures but they certainly look hazy. I think there might be something to the idea that the shallow angle causes the issue where other windshields might not. If you think about it you're looking through a much more oblique angle and the film was probably intended to be used. You're essentially looking through more of the film than if it were flatter.

The earlier MX had a decent amount of image ghosting just bare. Mine does but I've gotten used to it and just tune it out now. It also had some general waviness, but that seems to be the norm for large panels of glass. My old BMW M3 had a really distorted windshield where it was even a bit distracting in my peripheral view.

 

[phxelectric20]

I don't see all that much ghosting in your pictures but they certainly look hazy. I think there might be something to the idea that the shallow angle causes the issue where other windshields might not. If you think about it you're looking through a much more oblique angle and the film was probably intended to be used. You're essentially looking through more of the film than if it were flatter.

The earlier MX had a decent amount of image ghosting just bare. Mine does but I've gotten used to it and just tune it out now. It also had some general waviness, but that seems to be the norm for large panels of glass. My old BMW M3 had a really distorted windshield where it was even a bit distracting in my peripheral view.

Right that's what I'm trying to confirm by asking here. If this is normal, then all tinted Model X's should have this effect. And my crummy iPhone photos don't really do justice to how bad the ghosting/bleeding really is. At night, it's easier to see out my drivers side windows (40% VLT) than it is my windshield (70% VLT).

 

[dknisely]

I did similar on my Model S, and ghosting is a problem. It is great for radiant heat reduction, but bad for clarity. Not sure I'd do it again.

So far, I have found the MX standard tinting/filtering to be fine, and don't feel as much heat transmission. I wouldn't do it on a MX for sure.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Windshield glass has several first and second refraction surfaces that can cause difraction, because of the angle of the light going through.
There is also a thin plastic layer between the two pieces of the windshield that can also cause it's own difraction. Adding another layer of plastic on the top can also introduce 2 more surfaces to cause additional difraction.

Due to the increasing angles of modern aerodynamic styles, this difraction has been getting more noticible.

 

[mattack4000]

I forgot to reply when I first read this. My 2017 MX didnt have it with 90% tints, but now with the 70% tints. It is pretty bad. I have a tough time driving at night with it

 

[Daisame]

I have a very light ceramic tint on my windshield for a little extra IR and UV protection. It has a bit of a warping effect, but not terribly noticeable. If I decide it is not worth it, I will just have it removed. The factory coating is supposed to have some IR and UV protection already,.

 

[hybrid_eg]

I just did tint on my 2019 MX and have same issue. Especially noticeable on driver side which is unfortunate as at night makes driving difficult, reflection of lights from oncoming traffic makes it beyond terrible. At first I thought it was tint so I had the guy re-tint and then exact same thing.. weird thing is that I don't see it on passenger side.. in any case Im going to remove the tint as I didn't notice it at all when windshield was not tinted.. I mainly did it to keep the car cooler but trade off for me is just not worth it.

Camera simply cannot catch the ghosting effect but I'm sure all of us experiencing this can agree how annoying it is.. strange thing is, I never had this problem on any other car I've had windshield tinted on..

 

[glusc2002]

great info thank you, I was about to get it on windshield of my 2019 MX but I dont want to sacrifice the clarity

 

[sacfan]

Can I assume that tinting just the upper half of the windshield (comparable to the area covered by the provided Tesla sunscreen) will not contribute to the ghosting problem caused when the whole windshield is tinted.

 

[Babadudu]

That's interesting, I tint the windshield on all my cars and didn't have an issue. Also planning to tint the x after delivery since there are a lot of people saying the oem windshield have bad ghosting and the photosync resolved most if not all of the ghosting for them.

 

[its duke]

Can I assume that tinting just the upper half of the windshield (comparable to the area covered by the provided Tesla sunscreen) will not contribute to the ghosting problem caused when the whole windshield is tinted.

can someone confirm this?

 

[glusc2002]

That's interesting, I tint the windshield on all my cars and didn't have an issue. Also planning to tint the x after delivery since there are a lot of people saying the oem windshield have bad ghosting and the photosync resolved most if not all of the ghosting for them.

I think because your previous cars windshields were not as large and at the angle the X is at. I've had my X for over a year and without tint on the windshield, I have not experienced any ghosting or blurs, in fact I think its very clear. I'm worried about the ghosting if I tint according to the earlier comments.