Toyota factory glass - A phenomenon I've noticed

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truzoom

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Hello all. Apologies in advance if I'm breaking any rules by creating a thread so early on in my membership. I've searched the forum for this information (as well as the greater web) but haven't seen this discussed anywhere else.

I would like to mention a phenomenon I've noticed while detailing Toyotas in particular. On newer Toyota vehicles (including my own!) it seems that the exterior surface of side and rear windows either have:

1. A very bad case of water spotting that isn't visible to the naked eye while dry. Possibly induced by where the glass is stored at the factory, or due to rail transport or sitting on a dealership lot.

2. A film (intentionally applied by the OEM?) that makes it appear that the glass is etched with spots. Perhaps this film provides UV protection or is meant to minimize the chances of more severe mineral-based spotting.

The spotting is easily noticed while the glass is wet. Once the moisture has evaporated, the glass appears to be perfectly clean and spotless. I've even gone as far as running a brand new blade across the glass to determine if any sort of film would come up, but nothing was found.

To demonstrate, I have taken some pictures that show what I'm describing.

This first set shows a side window that has been wiped down with a wet microfiber towel that was fairly damp. The moisture left on the glass is 'sticking" to a pattern of spots. If you leave the glass fairly damp and allow it to air dry, you'll notice random spotting.

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This next set shows an adjacent side window where I polished the glass with a PC, light cutting pad, and some Duragloss glass polish. To ensure that I'm not representing any properties of the polish, the glass was wiped down with alcohol. You can see where my "swipe" pattern is from the towel I used. No pattern or film is noticed.

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I almost suspect this is a film of sorts because the "pattern" is even noticeable on the edge of the glass that normally sits inside the window channel. In other words, if this was externally induced water spotting, how on earth would it manage to creep under the weather strip?

Does anyone here have any thoughts?
 
I have both a 2015 Camry XSE and a 2015 Highlander Limited and have not noticed this phenomenon. Not say its not occurring, but just haven't noticed it. I do notice that I have to flip my glass towels a good bit to buff off. I will say Toyota's have some of the softest windshields I've ever had, on EVERY Toyota I've ever owned (2003 Corolla LE, 2005 Corolla S, 2010 Camry SE, 2013 Highlander Limited, and now current...) I couldn't wait for a chip worth replacing the windshield over, because without fail the replacement windshields were way more durable than the original factory windshield.
 
I have seen this on almost every vehicle I have touched. And some googling shows people with other brands asking the same question.

Would be great if we can get feedback from a windshield manufacturing expert.
 
truzoom said:
1. A very bad case of water spotting that isn't visible to the naked eye while dry. Possibly induced by where the glass is stored at the factory, or due to rail transport or sitting on a dealership lot.

2. A film (intentionally applied by the OEM?) that makes it appear that the glass is etched with spots. Perhaps this film provides UV protection or is meant to minimize the chances of more severe mineral-based spotting.

I almost suspect this is a film of sorts because the "pattern" is even noticeable on the edge of the glass that normally sits inside the window channel. In other words, if this was externally induced water spotting, how on earth would it manage to creep under the weather strip?
Click to expand...

Toyota is known to corporately treat some windshields and driver's windows to improve visibility (some Lexus models), however, since you haven't noted any unusual sheeting/beading, we'll rule that out.

The fact that you were able to polish the "phantom" spots off points to simple water spotting, and the fact that the spots are under weatherstrip areas as well points to, as you noted some sort of storage issue, cleaning before installation, or more likely, simply a result of a washdown at the glass factory.
 
My guess would be spotting due to mobile wash crews who service these dealerships and allow the water to dry naturally.
 
I had it on my Tacoma. And I've seen it reported on other Tacomas on the Tacoma World Forum. When I recently installed a new bathroom mirror, it came from the factory with a plastic film stuck to the glass. Blue on one side and white on the other. It's actually "stuck" to the glass and has to be peeled off. I don't know if it's a protectant or a remnant of the manufacturing process. Or both. Anyway, even after washing the mirror, the mirror still shows a pattern when it gets foggy. Much like my TOYOTA TACOMA WINDSHIELD. Seems to me these vehicles may have had some kind of plastic affixed to the glass at some point. Just a theory.
 
I've seen this on unprotected vehicles that I've done. I actually remember it on the paint of a Cayenne I did back in July. I have a feeling it has something to do with contaminated surfaces, but don't just take my word for it. I'm guessing
 
I've seen this with other brands as well. I think it's more contamination than anything. These cars, even though new, Can sit for months at shipping depots.
 
I've seen it on several vehicles. I polished them with Ceriglass and coated with Opti glass problem solved. I recently switched to Wolfgang glass polish, haven't had a chance to see if this will resolve the problem.
 
My friend just bought a brand new 4runner with the protective plastic still on the car I didn't see any of this on the painted surfaces but all the glass was exactly as you are describing. I'd assume all the vehicles get rinsed and left to dry when they come off the hauler. I didn't bother to polish the glass but applied PBL Coatings to every exterior surface.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone.

What confounds me is that this is obviously something external to the glass, that only comes off with some very concentrated machine polishing, but can't be seen while dry.

I could understand this happening to a painted surface due to the porosity, but my understanding has been that glass is one of the hardest surfaces on a vehicle.
 
FinishingTouchA said:
My friend just bought a brand new 4runner with the protective plastic still on the car I didn't see any of this on the painted surfaces but all the glass was exactly as you are describing. I'd assume all the vehicles get rinsed and left to dry when they come off the hauler. I didn't bother to polish the glass but applied PBL Coatings to every exterior surface.
Click to expand...

Here's a thread on the Tacoma World forum. The first post has a photo. I think the guy was dealing with this same thing. People kept suggesting that it was road film. I really think it's from the plastic on the glass coming from the factory, as I described above. Nice to have this confirmed on your friends 4Runner.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/windshield-condensation.378532/
 
i usually see this happening when the weather is a bit chilly outside or the window has contamination.
 
Don't all normal peoples windows look like that when they are wet.
 
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