Well, I sprayed down my Mini with a Simoniz pressure washer (using a diffuse fan spray, not narrow & focused) and I subsequently noticed tiny little specks all over my windshield. They won't come out with ANYTHING -- tried Invisible Glass, armor all glass wipes, even vinegar. It sort of looks like my windsheild has been "salted" (they're little tiny whiteish specks), and I can't even rub these specks out with my finger or even scratch them off!! They seem like they might be embedded in the coating of the windshield like tiny pits, though it's not easy to tell. They're uniformly spread out across the entire windshield, not just in one area.

My theory is that we have hard water in the area, and by spraying my windshield down I was shooting disolved minerals at the glass. If they were just sitting on the glass then vinegar should have helped, I'm worried that they penetrated into the coating (assuming that's possible).

The question now is how should I proceed -- if indeed they are tiny pits, can they be buffed out somehow, and if so should I take it to a windshield repair place? Anyone have any experience with something like this?

 

Are they pits or are they raised? You could try claying the windshield if it is embedded. Another thing to try might be a glass polish. Good luck!

 

You used a pressure washer on your windshield?


Sorry but I would bet its permently damaged as in tiny little pits. I can take my pressure washer against fencing and rip it to shreds ... I use it to clean my concrete walk! ... I cant imagine using it on the soft glass of a MINI windshield ... if you had it on a fine spray, I bet it would have broke the glass

I'm sorry this is not of any help but I shudder at just the thought of bringing a pressure washer anywhere near a car.

 

please post some photos.

 

I agree, that wouldn't be a decision I'd make because of possible damage, but I have heard of folks using a pressure washer on a vehicle. Glass is pretty tough. I do work for a glass shop and some of their pieces are blasted with a silicon carbide and they have to make a few passes to really get them frosted. Funny because the alumina carbide did very little. Wood and concrete are porous so a pressure washer does really tear them up. I guess it also depends on how much pressure your machine has too. Anyway, I think if there is something embedded rather than it being pitted you have some hope of fixing it. Although glass can be polished with cerium but it does takes some elbow grease.

 

I used Stoner's invisible Glass cleaner and wiped dry the inside of my windshield with a green 'micro fiber for glass' cloth and it left zillions of little specks that looked liked pits or like the windshield was crazing....they would not wipe off and would not scrape off with your fingernail..I eventually cleaned it completely off with a very wet sponge with a very little bit of Bon Ami on it and they scrubbed right off and left no scratches or marks on the glass.....instructions say safe for glass but not for windshields but I have heard that some dealers will use it...some will say not to use it....who knows?

 

Guess I learned my lesson... in retrospect I guess it wasn't the brightest idea, but normally one doesn't associate spraying water at glass with causing damage...

I tried taking photos, but they didn't really come out -- the spots are very tiny. But they're annoying enough (particularly in bright light) that I'll replace my windhshield if worst comes to worst and I can't get them out any other way.

Umberto, thanks for giving me hope -- I applied Invisible Glass immediately after spraying my car, so it might be possible that that's what left the specks rather than the washing. I'll see if I can find some Bon Ami, & if that doesn't work, it's going to a glass repair shop and I'll see what they have to say.

 

Not with a pressure washer no way. This may just be the first time you noticed the normal sandblasting that these soft windshields get. Mine is an '03 so its badly frosted. Just don't drive west as the sun is setting Look at another Mini windshield close-up.

 

umm.....actually, I was thinking my specks were lil pieces of lint from the cheap micro fiber towels that were stuck by static to the inside of my windshield.....if you do try the Bon Ami, I would try it along the side to see if it does cause scratching

 

All it is is road debris damage.

After you washed it, it probably showed up alot better than it did before.

Thats nothing new, it happens to all windshields.

 

I've been using a pressure washer (at the coin-op places) on my cars for years, including the windshield. Its a nice touchless way to get some of the volume of crap off the car.

I never get really close since I've torn up fencing in the past too, but I've never had any problems. I think the other posters had it right... its road debris pitting that you're just now noticing.

 

I agree. Those of you who don't agree, take your MINI for a ride facing into the sun. The pitting of our windshields--so easily-- is sad. Maybe the 07's will have a glass like most cars have that don't pit out after several hundred miles. BMW/MINI should be ashamed.

 

It sounds like all you did was do a very good job at cleaning your windshield, and finally are seeing the hundreds of tiny chips that are left in your windshield. You'll notice them every time you use a very good glass cleaner, or a glass polish. Normally the dirt camoflages them. In other words, nothing to worry about.

As for the pressure washer, I don't think I would recommend using that with the car as it could damage parts or get under seals and cause rust or shorts. But I really don't think it sandblasted your windshield..unless you loaded sand into it. And if you're talking about a coin-op place, that is not nearly as strong as a real pressure washer, and if you are careful nothing to worry about.

 

All of you guys must check out this thread:
http://www.historylink.org/essays/ou...m?file_id=5136

Never look too closely at anything.....

 

Did you try one of those razor scrapers that you use for getting of inspection stickers and such? I don't want you to cause more damage though!

 

Funny!

But in my specific case, given that a) the pits are almost uniformly distributed; b) are fairly noticeable; c) my car is fairly new (7500 miles), & d) I'm **** about keeping my windshield clean, I'm convinced that they haven't just been there are along.

I'm hoping to take it to a glass repair shop on the weekend, will let you know what they have to say...

 

My windshield is covered with chips. It looks like it's perpetually covered in dust from the inside.

 

Here in AZ it is just a matter of following a dump truck on the freeway. It won't take long a rock will fly out of the truck and crack the glass. Full glass coverage is a wonderful thing.

 

Mr-T Man...did you ever see if your windshield could be repaired? I just noticed mine has become pitted a couple of days ago. It is really hard to see when light shines through it. I am going to have another ding fixed tomorrow and plan to ask the windshield repair guys if something can be done about it. My husband seems to think there is something out there that will fill in the specks. I will report back once I get some answers.

 

Amen! now that the sun is coming up a little later, but is directly in my vision, my windsheild looks horrible, to the point it is difficult to see through.

Normally though youd never know it.

 

Clean it with clay bar before you assume it's pitted... My windscreen had those same "pits" in the sun after only ike 1200 miles - there's NO WAY that it was disintegrating that fast and I've never used a power washer or even a coin-op car wash. My money's on some subtance on the window.

When you clay your car, don't throw away the stuff that you accidentally drop or use up (turns gray with dirt), instead put it in a container marked "Wheels and Glass" and use it o those surfaces - stuff that would scratch paint won't damage the wheels or glass but it WILL scrub of anything that's embedded or stuck to the glass surface.

You'll know a real pit by using the tip of a ball point pen... If the tip goes into the hole, you'll know it's really a rock hit or something else that's really struck the glass.

 

In post #1, it was mentioned about the pits being in the windshield 'coating' ......some windshield have a polycarbonate layer laminated on the inside of the windshield, but the MINI's windshield is just glass, on both surfaces, with no coating that I know of......I agree, try clay first, then try a very little bon ami on a very wet sponge( but do this along the side at first to make sure the bon ami isn't scratching the glass )

 

I just read the link in post #14....there is a reference to 'Jesey devil of 1909' ......I googled that ...very interesting....he probably drives an SUV, while talking on his cell phone drinking coffee(with caffeine)