New windshield has some time of oily film

**emmjay** · 11-06-2015, 04:59 PM

Hey guys, I recently had my windshield replaced with an original VW windshield due to a damaged windshield.

Before the car went in to get fixed my wipers were perfectly fine and would "wipe", while washing the car the water would bead and roll off or sheet off depending on if I was using a hose or my pressure washer.

Fast forward a week later: I got my car back and was cleaning it, noticed the water did not bead or sheet and just sat on the glass like a film...

A few days later we got a sandstorm with some rain and I had to turn on the wipers and holy S*** I was blind and could not see anything in front of me. The wipers did not wipe and just smeared the water all over the windshield, similar to the film when the car was being washed, the water did not bead or sheet either. It was like a standstill film of water.

Could someone help me out on how to fix this?? Wiper blades are new and the car is only 2 years old...

Thanks

**emmjay** · 11-06-2015, 05:32 PM

A few more notes:

1. If i do use the wiper, it leaves a smeary mess, with some areas that are somewhat foggy.

2. Once the wiper work is done, most water remains on the windshield, and even driving down the road at 90kmph, does not budge the water and it just stays on the windshield.

Before however, if the wiper did not do its job, driving down would cause the wind to push the water off the glass with ease.

**emmjay** · 11-06-2015, 05:38 PM

New windshield has some time of oily film-img_7508-jpg

New windshield has some time of oily film-img_7510-jpg

New windshield has some time of oily film-img_7512-jpg

New windshield has some time of oily film-img_7513-jpg

New windshield has some time of oily film-img_7514-jpg

From these pictures you can see that the water does not wipe off.

The "clear" areas are actually films of water that are not wiping off.

**conman1395** · 11-06-2015, 06:07 PM

Have you tried anything yet?

In order I would try the following:

Glass cleaner with newspaper or paper towels (if it is greasy, I'm not going to get that in my nice glass towels!)

APC (Diluted to a paint safe dilution. Car safe APC only, don't use Simple Green or Zep)

Clay with Medium to Heavy Duty (in the chance that it's a bonded contaminant)

Paint cleaner

Polish/Compound

Cerium Oxide based glass polish. Maybe even the new glass polish (Wolfgang I think) would work but I have no experience of it yet so I won't endorse it.

**irvsmith** · 11-06-2015, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by conman1395

Have you tried anything yet?

In order I would try the following:

Glass cleaner with newspaper or paper towels (if it is greasy, I'm not going to get that in my nice glass towels!)

APC (Diluted to a paint safe dilution. Car safe APC only, don't use Simple Green or Zep)

Clay with Medium to Heavy Duty (in the chance that it's a bonded contaminant)

Paint cleaner

Polish/Compound

Cerium Oxide based glass polish. Maybe even the new glass polish (Wolfgang I think) would work but I have no experience of it yet so I won't endorse it.

Ditto.

**emmjay** · 11-07-2015, 07:25 AM

I've tried all the above, except polishing the glass and APC.

APC 1:4?

Would m205 on white hybrids do the trick?

I also have UC, UP, Swirl X, Sonax Nano Polish - Orange, white and black hybrids.

**GSKR** · 11-07-2015, 10:35 AM

I think with a sandstorm and rain everybody would have zero visability.Try using oooo fine steel wool and glass cleaner together,then apply some type of rain repellant on glass if that doesn't work go back to the glass guy who installed he may have some suggestions or see something wrong where you can't ,did you buy really good blades or moderate ones.

**GSKR** · 11-07-2015, 10:38 AM

Refrain from using any wax or sealant not recommended for glass you will get chatter ,that is when you turn on wipers they will skip and stick to the glass.

**GSKR** · 11-07-2015, 10:42 AM

And don't use apc on glass even with the weakest dilution use steel wool on glass only nothing is more penetrating than steelwool.unless you have some sort of stains.

**hollerstiltner** · 11-07-2015, 11:09 AM

I've never used steel wool on glass, so I can't say it does or doesn't work. However I tend to follow this guys advice.

Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Autogeek

Count me on the "don't use steel wool on glass" gang...

I don't use steel wool on glass, never have and never recommend it.

I know there are a lot of guys and even detailers that recommend it but steel scratches glass. Just because you cannot visually see the scratches doesn't mean they are not there.

Plus there are a lot of glass polishes available that are safe, no risks at all.