Windshield Specks

[Commish]

I’ve been particularly OCD about the cleanliness of my 3. One thing that is annoying me is the glass, especially the windshield.

I keep the windshield very clean, using Invisible Glass to clean it inside and out. Even after a cleaning, if my car is aimed toward the sun, I can see thousands of specks or pits in the windshield. I haven’t found a way to clean this, so I’m assuming these specks are ingrained into the glass?

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to take a picture with my iPhone of this, due to the lens not focusing at a macro length. Is anyone else experiencing this with their windshield as well? It’s very annoying when driving toward low sun. Your eyes veer right to the specks and it looks ugly as hell.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Rockster]

I just bought a clay bar that was specially formatted for use on glass. It removed all the specs from my S’s windshield (75k miles) in a matter of minutes. If you’ve never used a clay bar, watch the videos online. Basically, you’ll use a detailing spray as a lubricant as you gently wipe the bar over the glass.

 

[Commish]

I just bought a clay bar that was specially formatted for use on glass. It removed all the specs from my S’s windshield (75k miles) in a matter of minutes. If you’ve never used a clay bar, watch the videos online. Basically, you’ll use a detailing spray as a lubricant as you gently wipe the bar over the glass.

Thanks! I’ll try that out

 

[Commish]

BTW- I was able to get some macro photos using another camera app. I assure you that’s not dust.

 

[9erDog]

BTW- I was able to get some macro photos using another camera app. I assure you that’s not dust.

I’m seeing this on my windshield as well. I’ll try @Rockster ‘s solution. Any recommendations for a detailing spray?

 

[AZatul]

I’ve been particularly OCD about the cleanliness of my 3. One thing that is annoying me is the glass, especially the windshield.

I keep the windshield very clean, using Invisible Glass to clean it inside and out. Even after a cleaning, if my car is aimed toward the sun, I can see thousands of specks or pits in the windshield. I haven’t found a way to clean this, so I’m assuming these specks are ingrained into the glass?

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to take a picture with my iPhone of this, due to the lens not focusing at a macro length. Is anyone else experiencing this with their windshield as well? It’s very annoying when driving toward low sun. Your eyes veer right to the specks and it looks ugly as hell.

Thanks for your input.

I found the same thing on my 3. At first I thought I had scratched it or am just crazy seeing it. I used invisible glass too and still there.
Curious if the clay bar actually removes it or if it’s ingrained in the glass somehow.

 

[Need]

I wonder if they are paint spray from the factory or something. My windshield is completely clear.

 

[alseTrick]

I wonder if they are paint spray from the factory or something. My windshield is completely clear.

Don't they spray before adhering the windshield?

That said, those specs suck. I would be - and shortly here, i will be - upset if that were on my car.

 

[Need]

Don't they spray before adhering the windshield?

That said, those specs suck. I would be - and shortly here, i will be - upset if that were on my car.

I would think so, but maybe some parts need like a touch up? I have a white M3 and I think my bumpers may have been "touch up" to match the paint. So maybe some of the white spray (either at the factory or body shop) got over to the windshield of other cars. I remember one time our work building outside wall was getting repaint and the paint got on to cars in the parking lot. They have to pay for detailer to remove specks that cover all the cars.

 

[Joe F]

Use a product made to remove hard water spots, either Stoner Invisible Glass Water Spot Remover or Rain-X Extreme Clean.

 

[Rockster]

I’m seeing this on my windshield as well. I’ll try @Rockster ‘s solution. Any recommendations for a detailing spray?

I just grabbed a bottle of Meguire's (sp?) detailing spray that I had laying around. It doesn't really matter what because it's just to provide a bit of lubrication. Some folks online say that just using water works okay.

 

[mekberg]

I'm glad I am not the only one. Will try clay bar this weekend.

 

[SMAlset]

Thought I would add to this thread since it most closely seems aligned to what I have on my windshield and maybe will help someone out. Have had a hard time trying to find a post with photos so appreciate @Commish's inclusion.

A little background. Delivery of my Model 3 was 9/23. Car was great but I did have a hood/bumper/fender issue where the fender stuck up a bit from the surface at one point and kind of threw off the alignment around it. Also had three very tiny paint spots where some dirt/dust got underneath the paint and we added that to the due bill. Had to cancel my PPF appointment (actually several times) with the car going to the Tesla body shop in the month of October. Got my car back 11/2. Everything looked great and very happy. Then on 11/5 was driving in the early afternoon and into the sun and saw this on my windshield blocking my view. Clearly a safety issue if you are driving into the sun at some point.

We tried cleaning the windshield with our waterless carwash solution for glass and then with alcohol, to no avail. With the exception of times when the sun would be at a certain angle, the glass and my view would be perfectly fine. Car finally got rescheduled for PPF in December and figured our detailers would be able to remove the spotting. They tried a few different things and when a light was shined on it at an angle the spots were still there. I was beginning to think it must be a defect in the lamination of the glass.

Anyway just took it into service this week to address or replace the windshield. At first service couldn't see it and my husband using his cellphone camera light showed them where it was. They were quite surprised as it was a large area. Several technicians looked at it and tried a few different things on it unsuccessfully and then one guy took what he said to my husband was just a soapy water spray and a razor blade and was able to remove the spotting (he did miss an area so we'll still need to work on removing the last bit). The conclusion was that this was caused by overspray, I'm guessing clear coat. Since I don't think the car would have had clearcoat applied when the windshield was in place at the factory, suspect this happened while in the body shop during our paint touch up. Curious if others with a similar glass spotting had body shop painting done.

Here's a few more photos to help illustrate the issue with the last one being from after the service visit's partial removal so you can see the difference. With my car being great and otherwise problem free, I really am relieved the "fix" didn't require replacing the windshield which could have introduced other issues.

 

[SMAlset]

And yes capturing photos of this is a bit tricky. I found what worked best was to be seated back into the cabin in the front seat and with my iPhone camera lens high enough towards the roof glass to just shield the sun. Once I could see the spotting, I was able to focus the lens on the spots and even took that zoomed in shot. I made sure we had a print out of the photos with us when we went to the service center as I knew they might have trouble seeing the spotting.

 

[Shopmicrocode]

I had specs embedded in my windshield, alongside fingerprints which cant be removed that are stuck within the glass itself.

 

[nvx1977]

I've just assumed that those specs (in OP's case and mine) are just regular wear on the windshield from random sand and stuff hitting it. When I looked at my 7 year old Sonata, it had the same thing, but a lot more of them.

 

[cpxasn]

I had my front window tinted and I thought all those specks were dust that got under the tint when they were installing it. Now I'm not sure at all. I have already tried clay bar on my windshield which did not help.

 

[Oldschool496]

Either sand blasted by transport, paint overspray from where it might have been parked in its life, or imbedded imperfections in the glass.

 

[Super_Popular]

Tesla replaced the windshield in my model X a few weeks ago and it has the same thing, it's very annoying.

 

[lotusland]

My 3 has this issue. I tried the clay bar but it did not help. I believe the specks are micro-cracks internal to the glass. I brought it to the local SC, which was grossly overcrowded, but the guy that checked me in could not see the problem as the sun was not just right. He said the service guys would not fix it if they could not see it. I really thought that it would be safer for the car to wait until this became a known issue and then bring it back. As hectic as the SC was I could not imagine leaving a car there more than a few hours. I will watch this thread as I do want this fixed at some point.