Hard water stains on windshield

[Jaredc]

Hi! I've had my 25' EB for around 5 months. About a week ago it rained while I was at work. My windshield now has hard water stains that are all but impossible to remove.

One thing I noticed though, is that there is some sort of plastic film protector on the exterior of the windshield, which is allowing the hard water stains to remain.

I have tried scrubbing it with a sponge while I was washing her. I then tried Windex and allowing it to sit a minute. I then tried vinegar/water solution. Nothing works. Im positive this has everything to do with that protective film on the windshield.

Has anyone else had this issue? I I bd if want to take the film off but it is protecting my windshield from cracking due to rocks.

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[AZ_Ryan]

Hmm. I know this might be tricky, but can you get a picture of that film? Sounds like an aftermarket thing. Maybe someone put PPF on the windshield??? Did it come that way from the dealer?

 

[MAT1955]

@Jaredc ..... there should be no film on your windshield.

 

[Skye]

I did some general googling on the topic. Commercial companies are now selling Paint Protection Film for windshields.

"Windshield Protection Film"

New car. Less than six months old. I wonder if the dealer installed it as some sort of package?

If it is this film...

- I wouldn't wash it while hot or in direct sunlight
- Avoid Windex
- Avoid any cleaner with ammonia
- No pressure washing
- Avoid any dry rubbing
- Do not operate wipers when the material is dry or almost so

Knowing the brand of the film could help. If it was a dealer install, it's probably not the highest quality or best performing.

I realize you've already tried vinegar/water, which is what most sites recommend.

There are paint/clearcoat water spot removing solutions and PPF-safe water spot removing solutions. If considering these products, I'd read the descriptions thoroughly as to how to use and what they're safe to use on.

 

[Jaredc]

Hmm. I know this might be tricky, but can you get a picture of that film? Sounds like an aftermarket thing. Maybe someone put PPF on the windshield??? Did it come that way from the dealer?

I can try and get a picture. And yes, the film came with the car straight off the dealer lot.

 

[Jaredc]

@Jaredc ..... there should be no film on your windshield.

I'm 100% there is a protective film. Have you ever had a plastic film screen protector on your phone and you when you dropped it, you can see where the impact area is because the film kinda sorta blisters? That's what my windshield looks like.

 

[Jaredc]

I did some general googling on the topic. Commercial companies are now selling Paint Protection Film for windshields.

"Windshield Protection Film"

New car. Less than six months old. I wonder if the dealer installed it as some sort of package?

If it is this film...

- I wouldn't wash it while hot or in direct sunlight
- Avoid Windex
- Avoid any cleaner with ammonia
- No pressure washing
- Avoid any dry rubbing
- Do not operate wipers when the material is dry or almost so

Knowing the brand of the film could help. If it was a dealer install, it's probably not the highest quality or best performing.

I realize you've already tried vinegar/water, which is what most sites recommend.

There are paint/clearcoat water spot removing solutions and PPF-safe water spot removing solutions. If considering these products, I'd read the descriptions thoroughly as to how to use and what they're safe to use on.

Hey I appreciate that! I think I'm going to remove the film. It's making it really difficult to drive at night. I can't explain it but, have you ever seen one of those glass doors on a shower stall? You know how after awhile the hard water stains set in, making it difficult to both see out of and clean? That's my windshield. I look through my back window and I just wish that my front windshield was as clear as that.

 

[Alan Applegate]

I wonder what the worse offense dealers impose on new car buyers? I can't think of anything but those secondary price stickers offering VIN etched windows (that fact makes them easier to break), plastic door guards (which always crack and fall off), window protection films (their ills are described above), and worst of all, chintzy-dealer markups blown all out of proportion.

I can't speak for others, but when I see these added extras, I always point them out to the nearest salesperson telling them this is the reason I won't buy a new car from them. Interestingly enough, I (you?) always get a dumb ass look in return!

 

[Jaredc]

I wonder what the worse offense dealers impose on new car buyers? I can't think of anything but those secondary price stickers offering VIN etched windows (that fact makes them easier to break), plastic door guards (which always crack and fall off), window protection films (their ills are described above), and worst of all, chintzy-dealer markups blown all out of proportion.

I can't speak for others, but when I see these added extras, I always point them out to the nearest salesperson telling them this is the reason I won't buy a new car from them. Interestingly enough, I (you?) always get a dumb ass look in return!

Funnily enough, I never paid for this film to be installed. I mean, it's saved me from a cracked windshield no doubt. But at what cost

 

[Skye]

I did some further searching on film-safe water spot removers. The only product I found was Xpel's.

https://www.xpel.com/shop/xpel-wate...ifQGL6qpwptD7Dn59OEDK_tV9SSI8WL&variant=55849

There are tons of water spot removers. I was specifically looking for statements of PPF and film.

I'm sure many other body panel or glass water spot removers can be used, in limited amounts and periods of time. But it's not the kind of thing most of us would want to experiment with. Some of these items are lightly acidic. Others are extremely acidic.

 

[DT-GT]

Sure glad my dealer followed my instructions for them to not add any thing like this to my car! That being said, the windshield with no film waterspots very easily and they’re a PITA to remove — until I got the following. It works GREAT and just takes a very light spray on a microfiber rag.

https://a.co/d/iMySDXz

 

[Jaredc]

I did some further searching on film-safe water spot removers. The only product I found was Xpel's.

https://www.xpel.com/shop/xpel-wate...ifQGL6qpwptD7Dn59OEDK_tV9SSI8WL&variant=55849

There are tons of water spot removers. I was specifically looking for statements of PPF and film.

I'm sure many other body panel or glass water spot removers can be used, in limited amounts and periods of time. But it's not the kind of thing most of us would want to experiment with. Some of these items are lightly acidic. Others are extremely acidic.

Wow! Thank you for looking into it! I was actually reading a bit into that xpel stuff earlier.

 

[Jaredc]

Sure glad my dealer followed my instructions for them to not add any thing like this to my car! That being said, the windshield with no film waterspots very easily and they’re a PITA to remove — until I got the following. It works GREAT and just takes a very light spray on a microfiber rag.

https://a.co/d/iMySDXz

Another poster suggested Xpel because of the film. I'm going to try this.

 

[BimmerDriver]

I wonder what the worse offense dealers impose on new car buyers? I can't think of anything but those secondary price stickers offering VIN etched windows (that fact makes them easier to break), plastic door guards (which always crack and fall off), window protection films (their ills are described above), and worst of all, chintzy-dealer markups blown all out of proportion.

I can't speak for others, but when I see these added extras, I always point them out to the nearest salesperson telling them this is the reason I won't buy a new car from them. Interestingly enough, I (you?) always get a dumb ass look in return!

I worked in car sales for a few months this past summer. All I can say is that nearly all of the tricks and games and lies come from the management of the store. The salespeople are often clueless as to what goes on and are not responsible. At least that's what I told my customers...

Now, there are plenty of lying, sleezy and untrustworthy salespeople, don't get me wrong... I'm just suggesting that they can't do anything about those added extras and deceptive sales practices.

Anyway... I've not had luck with hard water cleaners. I will suggest though, using a claybar on your windshield will do wonders for cleaning it and making the wipers work better.

 

[Jaredc]

I worked in car sales for a few months this past summer. All I can say is that nearly all of the tricks and games and lies come from the management of the store. The salespeople are often clueless as to what goes on and are not responsible. At least that's what I told my customers...

Now, there are plenty of lying, sleezy and untrustworthy salespeople, don't get me wrong... I'm just suggesting that they can't do anything about those added extras and deceptive sales practices.

Anyway... I've not had luck with hard water cleaners. I will suggest though, using a claybar on your windshield will do wonders for cleaning it and making the wipers work better.

Yeah but the protective plastic film on it prevents pretty much any and all cleaning. My windshield is so terrible, it's like driving with a windshield that looks like your shower glass door.

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