Windshield is dirty... looks like theres something "inside" the glass?

[James Bond]

This is very difficult to explain, but I'll try.

I've noticed that for the last few months, there has been something on my windshield. It doesn't appear to be on the inside or the outside, almost like it's burnt into the actual glass. It almost looks like smudging, but it isn't.. It also sorta resembles heat, or steam rising.

Anyone have ANY clue what I'm talking about?

 

[Pliablemoose]

Not sure how your particular glass is made, what kind of car do you have?

Some glass, especially windshield glass is made by sandwiching a layer sf plastic between 2 layers of glass, it's quite possible that the plastic in your windshield has become opaque in some areas.

If your car is under warranty, I'd have the dealership look at it ASAP.

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
Not sure how your particular glass is made, what kind of car do you have?

Some glass, especially windshield glass is made by sandwiching a layer sf plastic between 2 layers of glass, it's quite possible that the plastic in your windshield has become opaque in some areas.

If your car is under warranty, I'd have the dealership look at it ASAP.

It isn't under warranty, so that sucks.

It's a 02 BMW 325i

 

[James Bond]

Here is a picture of where the discoloration is, and the shape it has taken on. It IS multicolored, but it's not nearly as prevalent as in the picture. Also, it is easier to see from the outside than the inside (maybe because of the sun hitting it?)

http://s66.photobucket.com/alb...current=windshield.jpg

 

[nakedfrog]

Have you ever cleaned the inside of the windshield?

Those spots look a bit like they coincide with where the defroster blows and where someone might wipe frost off the inside of the windshield so they can see better.

 

[exdeath]

Is it a bluish rainbow colorful oily looking residue on the inside of the glass and do you ever smell hot coolant inside the car? That could indicate a leak in the heater core and that results in the windows getting a nasty oily film on the inside from heater/defroster use. It's a pain to clean it off all the way instead of just smearing it around.

If it's inside the glass itself it may just be a flaw in the lamination, bubbles in the glass, etc, the plys separating and blistering in spots due to glue breakdown and extreme heat (ie: Phoenix, Arizona), etc. They can't use tempered safety glass (the stuff that shatters into cubes) for windshields because a simple rock chip on the freeway would at the very least obscure your vision by spider webbing the whole windshield instantly, or worse, flying glass and projectiles at 65 mph. So instead they use normal glass that doesn't shatter that way, but it's two plys glued to a plastic sheet in the middle to keep it all in one piece for safety.

How long has it been that way? Do you know for sure it was never there before?

 

[imported_Truenofan]

it could be a combination of what ex says and something like what they use on aircraft windshields.....you can kinda see that on some if its really heavy on it.(the name escapes me right now)

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: exdeath
Is it a bluish rainbow colorful oily looking residue on the inside of the glass and do you ever smell hot coolant inside the car? That could indicate a leak in the heater core and that results in the windows getting a nasty oily film on the inside from heater/defroster use. It's a pain to clean it off all the way instead of just smearing it around.

If it's inside the glass itself it may just be a flaw in the lamination, bubbles in the glass, etc, the plys separating and blistering in spots due to glue breakdown and extreme heat (ie: Phoenix, Arizona), etc. They can't use tempered safety glass (the stuff that shatters into cubes) for windshields because a simple rock chip on the freeway would at the very least obscure your vision by spider webbing the whole windshield instantly, or worse, flying glass and projectiles at 65 mph. So instead they use normal glass that doesn't shatter that way, but it's two plys glued to a plastic sheet in the middle to keep it all in one piece for safety.

How long has it been that way? Do you know for sure it was never there before?

It seems like it developed during the summer, but I'm not 100% sure. It does get hot here, low 100s constantly in the summer.

It is definitely "inside" the windshield - I can't do anything from the inside or out.