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Windshield residue!

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Hi everyone. Took delivery of my S85 almost two weeks ago. Just last week as I was driving home from late night hockey, it was the first time I was driving in humid conditions and the windshield was fogging up. Weird, front defrost wasn't working. Then I realized the outside was fogging up. In fact, it was fogging up so fast that i re-fogged after a single swipe of my wiper so I had to keep them on like I was in a rainstorm. To wipe FOG. Looking outside to every other car on the road, no one else was having this problem.

Looking closer, I could see that there is actually a thin residue on the windshield - if i took a damp cloth and wiped across the windshield, I could see remnants of the residue by looking at the windshield at an angle. Cannot see this when it is completely dry. I realized this is what was causing the fogging (residue picks up the moisture, but shouldn't happen on clean glass). Windex didn't help. I ended up using a solution of baking soda as a mild abrasive and scrubbed my windshield down - problem solved, totally smooth, residue gone. Haven't driven in humid conditions again, but I suspect the fogging problem will be gone.

I think this residue is from the plastic on the windshield after they rip it off on delivery. The guys at the showroom probably didn't see it because once you wipe it with windex and it's dry, you cannot tell.

Did anyone else here have this experience, or any useful comments?
 
I took delivery in February 2013. I have what I would call clear coat overspray symptoms, and I can see it in the sun driving to work....what stubborn residual!!! I will def try the baking soda , and would live to hear your recipe for that.
Thanks for posting this!! I have tried: rainex , no good, thought all the polishing I would have to do after application would clear it, then , I tried Griot's Garage glass clay, no chAnge, of course, Windex, no change, now hoping to get this "stuff" off with your formula .
 
You guys may consider using a "dedicated" glass polish or a medium clay, glass clay may be too fine.

Reason being, glass is rather soft and there are coating on them that baking soda may be too abrasive for.

Just being safe, as replacing the Tesla glass can be quite expensive.

Also, put a nano glass coating on so it helps issues such as dirt, snow, ice, etc. from actually adhering to the glass surface. What's nice about nano coating the glass...no wipers past 30 mph.
 
Also, put a nano glass coating on so it helps issues such as dirt, snow, ice, etc. from actually adhering to the glass surface. What's nice about nano coating the glass...no wipers past 30 mph.

I was tempted to do this but Tesla tells you not to in the manual (claims it will cause problems with the wipers). I find that claim strange, so I'd be interested in what products people here have used and the experience they have.
 
I was tempted to do this but Tesla tells you not to in the manual (claims it will cause problems with the wipers). I find that claim strange, so I'd be interested in what products people here have used and the experience they have.

Nano will reduce friction, increase visibility since glass is deep cleaned and polished, and it keeps dirt/snow/mud, etc. from adhering to the glass.

I'd be curious as to why Tesla recommends not doing this. I'm sure they have their reason, and that supersedes my advice :)

Do you have a copy of where and what they have stated?
 
Nano will reduce friction, increase visibility since glass is deep cleaned and polished, and it keeps dirt/snow/mud, etc. from adhering to the glass.

I'd be curious as to why Tesla recommends not doing this. I'm sure they have their reason, and that supersedes my advice :)

Do you have a copy of where and what they have stated?

Page 103 of the owners manual, under the first entry for Cautions for Exterior Cleaning:

Do not use windshield treatment fluids. Doing so can interfere with wiper friction and cause a chattering sound.
 
I took delivery in February 2013. I have what I would call clear coat overspray symptoms, and I can see it in the sun driving to work....what stubborn residual!!! I will def try the baking soda , and would live to hear your recipe for that.
Thanks for posting this!! I have tried: rainex , no good, thought all the polishing I would have to do after application would clear it, then , I tried Griot's Garage glass clay, no chAnge, of course, Windex, no change, now hoping to get this "stuff" off with your formula .


no real formula - just added baking soda and water to make a slurry (thickish, paste consistency), put it on a paper towel or cloth, and scrub. As far as I know, baking soda is pretty mild as an abrasive. It doesn't make sense that windshield glass is soft especially with all the tiny flying debris on highways and stuff, so I didn't have any hesitation in trying this.

on a tangent - I definitely would not do this on the paint on the car!

Let me know how this works for you!

- - - Updated - - -

You guys may consider using a "dedicated" glass polish or a medium clay, glass clay may be too fine.

Reason being, glass is rather soft and there are coating on them that baking soda may be too abrasive for.

Just being safe, as replacing the Tesla glass can be quite expensive.

Also, put a nano glass coating on so it helps issues such as dirt, snow, ice, etc. from actually adhering to the glass surface. What's nice about nano coating the glass...no wipers past 30 mph.

what's funny is that i looked up this video on youtube to make your glass absolutely clean, and they recommend ultrafine steel wool! are you kidding me?

i've tried rain-x on my previous car and it worked really well. don't need to use wipers at all, let alone >30mph! problem is that it does leave a bit of a hydrophobic residue on the windshield and you need to keep reapplying. But I find it pretty effective. haven't used it on my MS yet, but i might put some on for the winter, good for repelling snow/ice/etc too.