Light reflections from the hood

[2seater]

I did some searching and didn't find anything. I had an experience tonight after two months of ownership and I found multiple reflections from the hood in addition to the direct sun glare when driving into a low angle sunshine. I could block direct sun with the visor but the hood has multiple reflections due to the shape. Much like being on the water looking into a bright sun with reflections from water ripples below. It was truly scary. I suppose the white color increased the effect, but short of covering the hood with black velvet, are there any tips for mitigating this situation? I was wearing level 3 polarized sunglasses as well.

Sponsored

 

[Baloo]

Vinyl, paint, or sandpaper.

 

[Shakesbear]

You always want the sun at your back in a gun fight I actuall try to time my long drives so as to minimize driving into the sun either at sunrise or sunset. I do love driving west early as the sun is rising. Everything is more vibrant and clear

 

[Ozarkbeard]

I did some searching and didn't find anything. I had an experience tonight after two months of ownership and I found multiple reflections from the hood in addition to the direct sun glare when driving into a low angle sunshine. I could block direct sun with the visor but the hood has multiple reflections due to the shape. Much like being on the water looking into a bright sun with reflections from water ripples below. It was truly scary. I suppose the white color increased the effect, but short of covering the hood with black velvet, are there any tips for mitigating this situation? I was wearing level 3 polarized sunglasses as well.

Maybe choose a darker color vehicle next time? This is one reason I would never buy a white vehicle.

 

[KSC Grey Ghost]

I have had the same problem with my Maverick. I put a dash pad on that is flat black and I put two flat black stripes on the hood and this has helped considerably not 100% but a lot better I was before . Maybe I need to stop waxing it so much. . You can see both in pic .

 

[K5Blazer]

I had a similar thing happen to me the very first day I drove my truck. The sun reflection off the outboard, passenger side hood divot angled directly into my eyes.

I was pretty concerned about it. I had it happen only one more time a couple months later. The sun has to be just right and the vehicle direction exact, but when they align its brutal.

I haven’t had sun reflection problems from any other sections of the hood, just the passages side outboard divot.

I bought some flat black vinyl hood decals for that whole sculpted area but wrinkled one and never completed the project. There are some decals that cover the entire divot in the hood but they are extremely hard to apply correctly. Flat surfaces are easy, I can apply those dry, but that area has several different angles and you need to line up the edges exactly. I have done several tints and decals over the years and this hood area was the hardest I’ve ever done, in fact, I couldn’t get it right.

I am surprised nobody else has mentioned that potential problem.
When the sun hits that area just right it is blinding.

This company makes these but they cover the wrong side, (inboard), the reflection bounces off the other surface which I outlined in the picture. Too bad they don’t make the opposite surface decal. Just the one side would be simple to apply.

https://www.vortexsigns.com/car-decals/ford/ford-maverick/vinylhoodinsertdecal13

 

[K5Blazer]

I have had the same problem with my Maverick. I put a dash pad on that is flat black and I put two flat black stripes on the hood and this has helped considerably not 100% but a lot better I was before . Maybe I need to stop waxing it so much. . You can see both in pic .

Those would have no effect on the area I outlined. They would just absorb more infrared and make the engine compartment hotter, which is the last thing I want.

 

[gp1200x]

Never had this happen yet driving into the sun...mine is alto blue metallic with nothing on the hood other than a hood deflector for bugs. I suspect this can happen on any car if the angles are just right and many of the new cars / trucks have styled hoods.

 

[K5Blazer]

Maybe choose a darker color vehicle next time? This is one reason I would never buy a white vehicle.

Buy what you want, some colors are very pretty when clean.

However,
when it comes to reflective sun issues, white isn’t the problem, darker colors like black can be far more reflective. It’s not a paint color issue. In fact white doesn’t show a “mirror shine“ nearly as much as dark colors, light reflection is actually less.

The advantages to white painted vehicles is that it is superior to all other colors in hiding dust and dirt, and I know, I have had almost every color car made. There’s no comparison, some colors hide dirt better than others, but white tops them all.

White paint keeps vehicles much cooler. The difference between a dark vehicle and a white one can easily be 20 degrees difference in the hot summer sun.
White paint does not absorb heat like darker colors.

And another thing, white hybrid owners probably get better summer mpg’s since the system isn’t working as hard to cool the interior and power plant systems. Take that!

 

[campngolf]

The hood divots have been a bit of an annoyance for me but not so much from sun reflection. It's more of their angle vs the rest of the hood. It's that the divot reflects things like utility poles, billboards, trees and even taller buildings that don't reflect from the hood.

I've gotten used to it but it still catches my attention every now and then. I did think about getting vinyl decals just for the divots.

 

[ABMich]

How about putting the hood scoop on

 

[ABMich]

 

[Stevezilla]

Can confirm. Mine is shadow black. When I drive east in the morning and the rising sun hits the hood just right -- the hood might as well be a mirror.

 

[billbillw]

Easy solution: Polarized sunglasses. Most vehicles have some issues with sun reflections, whether it is the hood, the mirrors, or a reflective piece of interior trim. Sometimes, the issue is reflections off the vehicle in front of you.

 

[2seater]

Some creative ideas there, thank you for that I was wearing polarized sunglasses, which usually help a lot, but the polarization only works in one plane and something is different about this. Rotate your polarized lens in front of an LCD type screen and you can see the effect clearly. Mine is white as it is a summer only vehicle, and the cooler surface temperature was the goal. I did have a light ceramic tint done to the side glass and a band at the top of the windshield and was toying with the idea of a dark band low on the windshield but it seems the group has not tried that yet.

I agree that avoiding the situation all together is the best solution, but until you experience it, you don't know it exists. This was shortly before sunset and I found it was difficult to get home by driving east, with my goal being to the west LOL

Sponsored