Many tiny specks on windshield.

Author	All Replies
cissado Premium join:2008-01-14 Clifton, NJ	Many tiny specks on windshield. Can they be buffed out? After a little research, it's mixed to mostly having to get a new windshield. Here is a pic of what it looks like. This is not my car in the pic, I just found it while researching. Looks like what is happening to me, but I have half as much maybe... »www.toyotanation.com/forum/104-5···eld.html I had just finished "buffing" and cleaning the windshield after watching a youtube tutorial with 0000steelwool and Rain-x afterwards. It seemed to work well, but after wards in the sun, I see the above stuff. Not sure if I noticed it before this. I'm sure it was there but my windshield may have been pretty dirty so it blended in. Ha. Not sure.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-12 10:08:02 ·
PrntRhd Premium join:2004-11-03 Fairfield, CA	Call the small divots "wear". It is cheaper to install a new windshield, also the replacement assures the glass strength meets specs. I would never recommend someone use steel wool on a windshield.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-12 10:41:42 ·
MooJohn join:2005-12-18 Milledgeville, GA Reviews: ·Windstream	reply to cissado I was going to recommend glass polish like that from Eastwood: »www.eastwood.com/pro-glass-polis···kit.html but even the reviews there say if you've got sand pits then don't bother trying to polish them out. -- John M - Cranky network guy
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-12 13:27:06 ·
cowboyro join:2000-10-11 Shelton, CT	reply to cissado Cerium oxide works very well for polishing glass. Fairly cheap on ebay.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-12 17:28:02 ·
Juggernaut Irreverent or irrelevant? Premium join:2006-09-05 Kelowna, BC kudos:2	But, it doesn't remove the tiny chips from road grit. With a windshield like the OP's, I'd get it replaced. It's dangerous. -- I'm not anti-social, I just don't like stupid people.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-12 18:04:55 ·
cissado Premium join:2008-01-14 Clifton, NJ	reply to cowboyro Thanks for all the replies. I did see the Cerium oxide and was thinking of using that. I was stressing all day after seeing the wear on the windshield this morning, but when I went out later and checked again, it wasn't as bad as I had thought. It is 10 -20% of the amount in the top link. After closer inspection it doesn't really look that bad, especially when the sun is not directly going through the windshield. You can't even see the wear unless you are at that angle. The glass does look clean after I buffed it. I may use that oxide just for the little extra touch. I was excited to do my wife's car before I noticed this stuff on mine. I doubt that I caused it from the buffing, right? She was complaining about her windshield/windows not being clean enough so I looked up how to clean them well. That's how I got to the steel wool idea. I'll post a link if I find it. It was an RV windshield cleaning tutorial.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-12 20:35:09 ·
bgraham join:2001-03-15 Smithtown, NY Reviews: ·VOIPo ·Verizon VoiceWing	reply to cissado Personally I don't think any amount of buffing, polishing whatever would remove the chips. If they are only say 4 or 5 thousandths of an inch deep you would have to take that amount of the entire windshield to remove them. My car had about 50k miles on it and the windshield got hit by a rock. When I drove the car out of the glass shop with the new windshield it was like night and day. I guess windshields "wear out" just like everything else.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-12 23:42:17 ·
AlphaOne I see Premium join:2004-02-21	reply to cissado If road debris can do such damage to the windshield, imagine what they can do to the paint.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-13 00:38:30 ·

Bob Account deleted join:2012-07-22 New Jersey Reviews: ·Optimum Online	reply to cissado said by cissado: Can they be buffed out? After a little research, it's mixed to mostly having to get a new windshield. Here is a pic of what it looks like. This is not my car in the pic, I just found it while researching. Looks like what is happening to me, but I have half as much maybe... »www.toyotanation.com/forum/104-5···eld.html I had a windshield that was much worse than that. I suspect they could make the glass harder, but that would make it more likely to crack. So I guess it's a trade-off between pits and cracks.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-13 04:46:16 ·
TheMG Premium join:2007-09-04 Canada kudos:2	reply to AlphaOne said by AlphaOne: If road debris can do such damage to the windshield, imagine what they can do to the paint. Yup, my car is full of little pit marks all over the windshield and the front of the car. Over here during much of the winter, they use a sand/gravel mix on the roads instead of salt as it is often too cold for salt to be effective. As a result, windshields and paint get lots of those little marks. Although, I have never seen a windshield get bad enough that it impairs vision. But that may be because most windshields get replaced due to rock chips and cracks before they get that bad.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-13 20:17:26 ·
cdru Go Colts Premium,MVM join:2003-05-14 Fort Wayne, IN kudos:7	reply to AlphaOne said by AlphaOne: If road debris can do such damage to the windshield, imagine what they can do to the paint. you are right that the same type damage happens to both. Windshields get it worse because they sand and road debris has a greater "angle of attack" to the road then a lot of your car body such as your hood or side panels have. The exceptions to this would be your bumper, grill area, and side mirrors. You also don't have to see through your car's paint job. You can also use non-transparent waxes/polishes/etc to buff out and fill in some damage.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-14 08:57:30 ·
Jim Gurd Premium join:2000-07-08 Plymouth, MI	reply to cissado Mine is doing the same thing. I don't remember older windshields doing this. I wonder if automakers are using a softer type of glass which is more vulnerable to chips.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-14 10:48:53 ·
cissado Premium join:2008-01-14 Clifton, NJ	This is a 2001 pathfinder with only 50k miles on it, but I had the windshield replaced a few years ago, so it's even less. Maybe they used a lower quality glass than the oem. I may just try that oxide stuff. I do see some actual scratches as well as the other tiny wear marks, so the scratches might get fixed in the process at least. One question; should I take the rain-x application off the windshield before I tackle this job with the oxide? I'm guessing yes. Maybe I'll wait until it wears out. Then clean, then apply. Just fyi, my paint is all scratched up from my own abuse. You don't want to know how.... I'm not gentle with it. (think snow/snow shovel) I don't care I just want to see clearly through the windshield (which I do now except for straight ahead sunlight.)
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-14 10:57:58 ·
MooJohn join:2005-12-18 Milledgeville, GA	You can strip Rain-X instantly with rubbing alcohol. That probably won't matter at all to any substance that is capable of removing layers of glass. -- John M - Cranky network guy
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-14 12:17:59 ·
cissado Premium join:2008-01-14 Clifton, NJ	reply to cissado »www.youtube.com/watch?v=D05vX-G9···ts_video ^^^ Here is the clip of how to use the steel wool to "superclean" your windshield. It seemed innocent enough. It did feel smoother after i did it.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-14 13:23:50 ·
Subaru 1-3-2-4 Premium join:2001-05-31 Greenwich, CT	reply to Jim Gurd said by Jim Gurd: Mine is doing the same thing. I don't remember older windshields doing this. I wonder if automakers are using a softer type of glass which is more vulnerable to chips. Laminated glass
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-25 03:50:58 ·
PrntRhd Premium join:2004-11-03 Fairfield, CA Reviews: ·Comcast	reply to Jim Gurd said by Jim Gurd: Mine is doing the same thing. I don't remember older windshields doing this. I wonder if automakers are using a softer type of glass which is more vulnerable to chips. Older glass does it too, but yes there is something to be said for how hard the particular glass is (harder glass cracks easier). Modern windshields are thinner than years ago which saves weight for better gas mileage but that weight reduction requires a stiffer glass to retain structural rigidity. It is also about the percentage of driving closely following other vehicles on the roads and the amount of loose sand and debris on those roads. Paved emergency lanes on freeways actually allow more fine debris to become airborne vs the grassy berms from years ago. As you pointed out, a softer glass resists cracking but pits easier. Subaru, Laminated glass is designed to control broken glass shards when struck hard enough to crack the glass. It is made by bonding two thin glass windshields with a plastic material between the two glass layers. The discussion here is about pitting of the outer glass layer.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-25 11:01:31 ·
David Now accepting new patients Premium,VIP join:2002-05-30 Granite City, IL kudos:78 Reviews: ·DIRECTV ·AT&T Midwest ·magicjack.com ·Google Voice ·AT&T Southwest	reply to cissado I was about to post another topic asking about these white spots I have all over my side windows and side mirrors. My side mirrors (with the whiteish spots) is so bad that I can't hardly make out how far the car is behind me from the side mirrors. I am wondering if this will work. Ironically the side windows are just as bad and getting worse. First my sister told me acetone would take it off so I was out there scrubbing with acetone and it didn't do a thing. The front glass was replaced (got a crack that went straight down, and since I had a glass waiver I had it replaced) about 2 years ago. So now the front glass is fine... However the side windows (glass) and the side mirrors are just chocked full of those white (what looks like hard water) spots. -- If you have a topic in the direct forum please reply to it or a post of mine, I get a notification when you do this. Koetting Ford, Granite City, illinois... YOU'RE FIRED!!
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-26 13:40:26 ·
PrntRhd Premium join:2004-11-03 Fairfield, CA	No acetone, use vinegar to remove water spots.
	to forum · permalink · 2012-12-26 14:06:48 ·

Technical > Automotive > Many tiny specks on windshield.