Windshield wiper haze when raining...

[Sonnie]

My wife just got her a new 2013 Lexus ES350 and after buying it I took it straight home, cleaned and polished it, then treated the car with Cquartz... and the treated the windshield with FlyBy30 from CarPro. This past weekend was the first time we have driven it in the rain... and at night. As the wipers moved across the windshield it left a temporary haze, although it quickly faded away, it came right back with the next wipe. It was bad enough to cause either of us from being able to see very well. It was very dangerous to even be driving under these conditions.

I also got a new 2013 Honda Civic (yeah, she got the nice one) and we drove it as well this weekend and low and behold it has the same haze. I did not treat it though. However, the car dealer did put some type of protection treatment on the car. They tried to charge me $499 for it, but I refused to pay it, yet they still put it on the car. Ultimately he told me it only cost them $89 so they included it because they had already applied it to the car I wanted.

What can I do to make sure the windshields will not haze? Obviously I need to stay away from FlyBy30 and probably other treatments like this, unless there is one that is known not to haze. First I guess I need to strip what is on there, but not sure the best method and what to use.

Any recommendations and advice is much appreciated. I would like to get these fixed before it rains again.

[Robert8194]

I would start by polishing it with Glass Science scrubber, DP restorer or ceriglass. Then, wipe with IPA or one of the glass cleaners like the one made by optimum or Nanoskin. Once you have it perfectly clean, I would spray water on it and operate the wipers to make sure it doesn't streak or haze. Finally, seal it with sealant of choice. If the dealer put some coating, it will most likely have to be abraded off with a glass polish and disk.

[Sonnie]

Strange... the CarPro kit I purchased came with FlyBy30 and Ceriglass. I was instructed not to use the Ceriglass on a new windshield because I would risk scratching it.

There is a bit of irony in having to use the Ceriglass to remove the FlyBy30 so I can see clearly out of the windshield. I thought FlyBy30 was supposed to help, not make driving our new car more dangerous. I suppose we live and learn.

[Robert8194]

But if the dealer did put some coating on the windshield, it is likely the Fly by wouldn't bond properly so it would need to be removed. There are other products to get it off besides ceriglass. You could even polish with M105 or 205 and foam pad. It just sounds like there is something on your "new" windshield that does not make it act like new.

[PiPUK]

This is an unfortunately side effect of rain repellents on glass. Because they are hydrophobic, any water remaining after a pass of the wiper blade will start forming into small droplets and these small droplets are the 'haze' you are referring to. The extent to which products will do this will depend on the specific formulation. I have found that the more strongly repellent the finish is, the worse the effect will be - this fits with the science. So I believe this is where the compromise lies - if you want the rain to run off at the lowest speed possible, you are more likely to get a haze. As a result, this type of product is best kept for an individual who is keen to avoid using wipers unless absolutely necessary. If you want the best possible visibility, there is a good chance you will actually want to use your wipers, at least intermittently. In this instance, the glass treatment is actually a visibility enhancement, not a wiperless screen treatment. Here I think you are better sticking to a product which is less strongly hydrophobic - it will make visibility better but will not smear as badly. Downside is that run off needs higher speeds.

Getting rid of most of these products won't need ceriglass - a bog standard abrasive polish will generally do the trick.

[Sonnie]

But if the dealer did put some coating on the windshield, it is likely the Fly by wouldn't bond properly so it would need to be removed. There are other products to get it off besides ceriglass. You could even polish with M105 or 205 and foam pad. It just sounds like there is something on your "new" windshield that does not make it act like new.
The FlyBy30 was put on the Lexus, which did not have anything from the dealer on it, at least not that we were told. Only the Civic has the car protection treatment.

I do have some M105. I used Fixer polisher on the windshield before applying FlyBy30. This is what I was instructed to do by the guy at CarPro I spoke with on the phone.


This is an unfortunately side effect of rain repellents on glass. Because they are hydrophobic, any water remaining after a pass of the wiper blade will start forming into small droplets and these small droplets are the 'haze' you are referring to. The extent to which products will do this will depend on the specific formulation. I have found that the more strongly repellent the finish is, the worse the effect will be - this fits with the science. So I believe this is where the compromise lies - if you want the rain to run off at the lowest speed possible, you are more likely to get a haze. As a result, this type of product is best kept for an individual who is keen to avoid using wipers unless absolutely necessary. If you want the best possible visibility, there is a good chance you will actually want to use your wipers, at least intermittently. In this instance, the glass treatment is actually a visibility enhancement, not a wiperless screen treatment. Here I think you are better sticking to a product which is less strongly hydrophobic - it will make visibility better but will not smear as badly. Downside is that run off needs higher speeds.

Getting rid of most of these products won't need ceriglass - a bog standard abrasive polish will generally do the trick.
So it sounds like I can remove it with M105... and that FlyBy30 is not really the best product for me (or my wife).

What product do you guys recommend that would help repel, but not create the haze with the wipers?

Thanks!

[Robert8194]

Sorry Sonnie. I misread the OP. I am always worried about the protectants the dealer sells. But, I see your wife's Lexus did not have that and the windshield should have been in good shape. Good luck. Hope you can find a solution.

[Sonnie]

They could have very well put something on it and not made me aware of it. I remember they told me that it had some extras that the dealer they got it from had already done to it, but since we had already agreed on a price, they obviously could not charge me for it. However, I did use the Fixer on it, which Avi at CarPro advised would remove any sealant they may have put on the car, including the windshield.

[rmagnus]

I've used Rain-X in the past now I keep it simple just machine polish the windows when I do the car. Then machine wax the galss when I do the car.
I use a lot of Col 845 works like a charm.

Just buff the glass then wax it.

[Sonnie]

You don't get any hazing in rain with that Col 845?

I thought I read somewhere here that others had issues with it.