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.Update: My windshield was ruined as the result of my neighbor paying his gardener to blow decomposed granite all over my car, the sand was found beneath my wipers.
Last edited by s550hollywood; Jan 18, 2021 at 02:03 PM.
Reason: Update of info
I have yet to find anything that will actually stain glass permanently. Not much will even scuff or abrade it. Most likely the cleaner left some persistent residue on the glass. I’ve had a similar issue after using Rain-X... the crap is almost impossible to get off. I’ve had good luck scrubbing with Bon Ami or Barkeeper’s Friend and water, followed by a good rinse. Either one removes water spots, mineral deposits, and residue from other cleaners and won’t damage the glass.
I have yet to find anything that will actually stain glass permanently. Not much will even scuff or abrade it. Most likely the cleaner left some persistent residue on the glass. I’ve had a similar issue after using Rain-X... the crap is almost impossible to get off. I’ve had good luck scrubbing with Bon Ami or Barkeeper’s Friend and water, followed by a good rinse. Either one removes water spots, mineral deposits, and residue from other cleaners and won’t damage the glass.
Eagle One Chrome wheel cleaner will stain very quickly if it happens to get on it from overspray. Happened on my Range Rover.
I agree with DaleB, you have a residue issue. I would not declare it ruined. You might try to clay the windshield. Mothers sells a kit with a couple bars and detail spray. You could then polish the glass with a pad and polish. I use Klasse products for paint and glass. This process worked for me to get rainex off. Good luck.
At this point you have absolutely nothing to lose by trying a little cleanser like Bon Ami or Barkeeper's Friend on one of the affected areas, right? I have never in my life seen or heard of a car windshield with any sort of coating on the outside surface. I've seen (and have) several with various things laminated into the windshield... but not externally coated like a camera lens. The life expectance of any such surface coating would be very short indeed.
Pick a small spot down toward the bottom on the passenger side and give it a try. Or don't, it's up to you...
And have you contacted Chemical Guys to get their input on the whole situation?
The video is EXACTLY what it looks like on one of my RR's. Sorry to say, there is no fix. I've tried everything and it's been this way for years now. If you do happen to find some miracle fix, definitely let us know.
Another alternative would be to replace yours with a used S550 windshield. Might be able to locate one in your area that could be inspected (by you), purchased and delivered to dealer or installer. I had to replace drivers side mirror, housing the works. Found one at a local parts recycler for 1/3 of new cost at MB. You could try this: https://www.usedpart.us/
I'm an MechE not a ChemE, but, like DB said, there's not much I can think of that will permanently etch glass-- hydrofluoric acid and chlorine gas come to mind... However, your windshield may be different. I have code 595 glass and yours is 596???
I recently ceramic-coated my car and in the process/prep used Meguiar's Ultimate Compound on the glass... I tested it on my 20 year old Jag that had very noticeable wiper marks on it. The compound was able to remove them, at least most of them, until I called it "good enough"...
On the Merc, I only did the rear window with ceramic after compound-- not wanting to put ceramic on the windshield or moving side windows because of potential abrasion from wipers and going up and down...
I also did the light lenses with ceramic after compounding.... Looks pretty good...
I'm not suggesting ceramic coating, just that Meguiar's Ultimate Compound is safe on glass... at least for code 595 glass.
In auto body school, we used "Sprayway" glass cleaner and a new OOOO steel wool pad (a used pad may have picked up grit) to remove overspray on glass and chrome. That doesn't scratch glass and even removes baked on clearcoat. Some cleaners can etch glass, Simple Green used to (may still) have a warning on their concentrate bottles about mixing it too strong and leaving it too long.
Laminated glass has glass on the outside/inside of the sheet and plastic in-between That is what makes it "safety glass". If the tech intimated you did physical damage to a plastic coating on the outside of the windshield, I would suspect research other things he says.
We've discovered my neighbors gardener has been blowing the decomposed granite my neighbor installed in his front yard next to where we park the cars and the sand was found beneath the wipers. Dealership lifted up my wipers and there it was, sand!!!
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