golfster

Hi Fellow M-B E'ers,

I was driving into the late afternoon sun and noticed the windshield looks like it has little tiny specs all over, even after cleaning. Almost a very, very slight sandblasted look. I don't notice it at other times of day but only when the sun is at that certain, "high afternoon" position. I see this from inside the car looking out. I haven't been on the highway very often (yet) and don't follow trucks or tailgate, and it has been this way since I picked up the car new at delivery.

It seems my Porsche windshield has the same characteristic, again, only late in the day, but the car is back in Chicago so it will be a week or so before I can check it again to confirm as I'm in CA now. Has anyone else noticed this?

Thanks in Advance!
~Golfster

ttoE550

I have this too. I had it on two Porsches. I was told that it is caused by unavoidable dust and dirt in the air with everyday driving. I didn't have it in my old Subaru, and my wife's BMW did not have it.

golfster

tto, Thanks for the quick response. So this isn't unusual then. Wow, this much dust at now 900 miles. I guess I should plan on a windshield replacement with every oil change...or avoid driving into the sun at high afternoon!!

Thanks again!!

RNBRAD

Yes it looks really bad with the right angle of lighting. It seems to me that the glass on the MB cars seems rather delicate and is more succeptable to these small minor chips. I had a few from the factory as well. My 211 looks like it has a light layer of very tiny chips all over uniformly over the entire windshield and makes the windshield look dirty with the right angle light even when the windshield is clean. I've noticed this with my other cars as well but with them it just seems less severe than my MB windshields.

WGB

At 900 miles it sounds likeyour car has been in a sandstorm - is it perhaps a dealer responsibilty if it happened before they sold it to you?

Might be hard to prove.

Sounds unusual though in a new car.

Bill

ZephyrAMG

There has been an opinion as to "soft" windshields on these cars. You may just need to replace however getting the dealer to do it will take quite a bit of fancy foot work...

By the way, how you like being back and forth from Cali to Chicago, I'm on that same nutty schedule and lifetyle!!

fromthebeginnin

I agree while very minor this is an issue (I thought it was me), with only 4500 miles and less than 800 on freeways there is no way this should be happening. Let's see how this thread runs and maybe we can take an action, I agree though it is only in direct sunlight.

mg-E550

Every car I've ever owned has had this to some degree or another. Includes many Toyotas, an Acura, 3 bmws, and my current e550.

It's exacerbated by cleaning windshield in that first wipe before the sprayers are kicking full blast.

Reminds one of the old saying "a ship is safe in its harbor, but that's not what ships were made for".

golfster

On one hand, I'm a bit relieved to learn my car isn't the only one with this, but on the other, I'm disappointed yours are affected as well.

Zephyr, I suppose there are benefits, especially this time of year. The high tomorrow in Chicago is 25, but 67 in NorCal. Going back and forth saves miles on the cars in either location, but adds miles to my body!! Nutty it is!

ImInPA

I notice this on my E as well. In all fairness, I have noticed this same "pitting"on my Volvo's, VW's, Acura's, etc. I do not know why this happens so quickly today, especially when you consider that the front glass of all cars has to meet specific impact criteria, so, the idea that the glass is "softer" is just not the case. The windshield is laminated to help prevent shattering and separation. The side and rear glass is tempered so that when it does break it shatters into small "non-sharp" fragments. In any event, it does seem that this "pitting" is certainly more noticeable today than it was 20 years ago. I have often wondered if it is because of the increased rake of modern windshields that it might just be more noticable today. The visibility of this pitting could just be the price we pay for sleeker, more aerodynamic shapes. As was pointed out earlier, the angle of the sun, etc. make this visible. Just my two cents.