Chips/damage to Lariat windshield laminate coating

[AndrewinMD]

I posted about this some time ago, but I'm curious if anyone is seeing the same things I am now. My '22 Lariat (17k miles) has serious and widespread damage to the windshield, though I think it's actually the sound reduction lamination on it (see photos). That's not dirt or dust or anything like that -- I had just cleaned the windshield with the wipers. At night, you can also see the damage as tiny glints from ambient light/headlights. It's becoming a visibility issue.

[edit] Some of the larger spots/smudges are bug remnants. It's the tiny points that are increasing in amount. I cleaned the windshield with a really good cleaner and a professional-grade rubber scraper/squeegee, which made no difference.

I have taken it to my local dealer twice. The first time, the guy just blew it off and said there was no problem. The second time, I emphasized that there is indeed an issue, and they "cleaned it". After the service guy consulted with the service manager and some other manager, they said maybe it was sap on the windshield and said it wasn't damaged. Well, the spots cannot be removed in any way. You can ever so slightly feel that there's damage/indentation at some points.

I have NEVER seen this kind of damage to a relatively low mileage windshield that has not experienced some sort of "event" like a sandstorm, which I haven't. It's much worse than it was 6 months ago, and I swear that it worsened considerably on our holiday trip to and from Georgia. We encountered rain but no other kind of bad weather and no ice or scraping. For comparison, my daughter's VW still looks pristine, and it's over a year older.

I have a feeling that the dealer is just going to give me the finger again. Any ideas?

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[unlimited]

I'm at 26k and seeing it.

 

[AndrewinMD]

I should also mention that I do have a chip, and I know exactly when it happened. That's not visible in these photos and is clearly a different type of damage. It's not from repeated impacts from road debris, at least not ones that I can hear or identify.

 

[commadorebob]

I only have 4,000 on my Lariat but I have not seen that. Can you feel it when you rub your hand over it?

 

[bgn]

Mine is not as bad, but the deterioration is there. 18k.

 

[Montana]

14K and it's pretty awful.

I've used clay bars, teflon scrubbers to avoid scratching, you name it - if it was mentioned somewhere in a detail video I used it and none of it helps.

Unfortunately I just have to try and ignore it and I'm lucky that I only get 7 1/2 hours of daylight in the winter and the sun is never really beating down at the angles it would in the lower states or it would drive me crazy. I had my Escape for a year and a half and it was the same way. I will say that maybe I am fortunate enough to not have anything serious, no major chips or cracks or anything and I have not had any for a long time in any vehicles I've owned, but the little dings all over the place are distracting sometimes. Even in summer when the bugs are so bad, sometimes I see the dings and think they were bugs then I end up hitting the washers constantly.

 

[AndrewinMD]

14K and it's pretty awful.

I've used clay bars, teflon scrubbers to avoid scratching, you name it - if it was mentioned somewhere in a detail video I used it and none of it helps.

Unfortunately I just have to try and ignore it and I'm lucky that I only get 7 1/2 hours of daylight in the winter and the sun is never really beating down at the angles it would in the lower states or it would drive me crazy. I had my Escape for a year and a half and it was the same way. I will say that maybe I am fortunate enough to not have anything serious, no major chips or cracks or anything and I have not had any for a long time in any vehicles I've owned, but the little dings all over the place are distracting sometimes. Even in summer when the bugs are so bad, sometimes I see the dings and think they were bugs then I end up hitting the washers constantly.

Did the Escape have the same acoustic laminate coating on it?

I had two Fusions prior to this ('07 and '16), with the later one made in Mexico as well and never had any issues with the windshields. Neither had an acoustic coating though. Something just seems very wrong to me -- had a lot of cars over the years and never seen this kind of "wear and tear" damage to a windshield.

 

[YazYaz]

Did the Escape have the same acoustic laminate coating on it?

I had two Fusions prior to this ('07 and '16), with the later one made in Mexico as well and never had any issues with the windshields. Neither had an acoustic coating though. Something just seems very wrong to me -- had a lot of cars over the years and never seen this kind of "wear and tear" damage to a windshield.

The acoustic layer is in between two layers of glass. It is not a "coating" on the outside.

 

[Edge Haley]

I posted about this some time ago, but I'm curious if anyone is seeing the same things I am now. My '22 Lariat (17k miles) has serious and widespread damage to the windshield, though I think it's actually the sound reduction lamination on it (see photos). That's not dirt or dust or anything like that -- I had just cleaned the windshield with the wipers. At night, you can also see the damage as tiny glints from ambient light/headlights. It's becoming a visibility issue.

[edit] Some of the larger spots/smudges are bug remnants. It's the tiny points that are increasing in amount. I cleaned the windshield with a really good cleaner and a professional-grade rubber scraper/squeegee, which made no difference.

I have taken it to my local dealer twice. The first time, the guy just blew it off and said there was no problem. The second time, I emphasized that there is indeed an issue, and they "cleaned it". After the service guy consulted with the service manager and some other manager, they said maybe it was sap on the windshield and said it wasn't damaged. Well, the spots cannot be removed in any way. You can ever so slightly feel that there's damage/indentation at some points.

I have NEVER seen this kind of damage to a relatively low mileage windshield that has not experienced some sort of "event" like a sandstorm, which I haven't. It's much worse than it was 6 months ago, and I swear that it worsened considerably on our holiday trip to and from Georgia. We encountered rain but no other kind of bad weather and no ice or scraping. For comparison, my daughter's VW still looks pristine, and it's over a year older..

I have a feeling that the dealer is just going to give me the finger again. Any ideas?

No issues with my windshield...but on the exterior I only use a soft spouge and blue Dawn soap...and a water hose to wash it off. Just did a 7,000 trip out west and 1,000+ miles of gravel/dirt roads and windshield washed off like a new one when I got home. Have never had the commercial windshield cleaners work for me....they seem to always leave residue streaks behind.

 

[gunnmitten]

and here I am with 3 chips and cracks in my plain old XLT windshield, reconsidering buying an acoustic replacement now

 

[AndrewinMD]

The acoustic layer is in between two layers of glass. It is not a "coating" on the outside.

Ok, thanks for that. I guess it's just a crappy windshield then. Maybe subpar glass.

 

[MightyMaverick]

I guess some are less fortunate than others because I've had mine for about 2 years and 12,000 miles (I know, that isn't much) but even still, I haven't had any issues with the windshield. No cracks, no scratching, no chips, nothing. I'm truly impressed. And it's been on the highway a few times long distance which is a prime spot for developing chips. I've only replaced the wipers once since I wipe them often and will do the occasional WD40 spray on the blades to avoid sticking and streaking. Also, I'm not an aggressive driver that follows too close to any vehicle, especially commercial trucks that notoriously pick up rocks and stones from the road directly to your windshield. The one part that is showing heavy wear is the front bumper. It's plastered with rock chips which thankfully don't show from a few feet but up close it's pretty evident. But I'd rather have it on the front bumper than the windshield.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

I posted about this some time ago, but I'm curious if anyone is seeing the same things I am now. My '22 Lariat (17k miles) has serious and widespread damage to the windshield, though I think it's actually the sound reduction lamination on it (see photos). That's not dirt or dust or anything like that -- I had just cleaned the windshield with the wipers. At night, you can also see the damage as tiny glints from ambient light/headlights. It's becoming a visibility issue.

[edit] Some of the larger spots/smudges are bug remnants. It's the tiny points that are increasing in amount. I cleaned the windshield with a really good cleaner and a professional-grade rubber scraper/squeegee, which made no difference.

I have taken it to my local dealer twice. The first time, the guy just blew it off and said there was no problem. The second time, I emphasized that there is indeed an issue, and they "cleaned it". After the service guy consulted with the service manager and some other manager, they said maybe it was sap on the windshield and said it wasn't damaged. Well, the spots cannot be removed in any way. You can ever so slightly feel that there's damage/indentation at some points.

I have NEVER seen this kind of damage to a relatively low mileage windshield that has not experienced some sort of "event" like a sandstorm, which I haven't. It's much worse than it was 6 months ago, and I swear that it worsened considerably on our holiday trip to and from Georgia. We encountered rain but no other kind of bad weather and no ice or scraping. For comparison, my daughter's VW still looks pristine, and it's over a year older.

I have a feeling that the dealer is just going to give me the finger again. Any ideas?

Ok... I went out just now with sun low near horizon. I seen the bug juice residue that wiper/fluid won't clean off. I also seen lots of the itsy bitsy things that appear in your picture. I got mine to disappear by laying a light brown paper napkin on my dash. I presume that your daughter's dash is smoother than the mavericks and/or she doesn't have dandruff nearly as bad as I do. It appears that the three , I believe, layers of sound deadening plastic are acting as a mirror reflecting the lite up dust particles on the dash. The texture of the dash could reflect a small amount of light which in turn is reflected in the windshield. Dang something else to clean.....

 

[OleFordGuy]

That almost looks like sorta sand blasted from maybe a dump truck ahead of you hauling sand or something. Wouldn't think its the actual SoundScreen component. From what I've read:
"An acoustic windshield is two layers of automotive safety glass sandwiching two layers of clear PVB vinyl, which in turn sandwiches a layer of clear acoustic PVB"

 

[fltwd]

If you don’t follow closely this damage does not happen. That is from road debris/sand pelting the front of your vehicle. Happens to every car, but much less if you leave room in traffic. You’ll have to pony up for a replacement. That’s wear/use.

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