MX5NES350

So I've had the RX for a month now and I noticed in varying light conditions what looked like fingerprints on the drivers side window right by the mirror. Since I could only see it in certain light conditions and at only one angle I thought I was nuts. Then my wife was in the passenger seat and as we were driving she said I did a crappy job cleaning the windows since she saw fingerprints by the driver's mirror. So she confirmed a couple of things. First that she is as picky as I am to having a clean car. Second is I wasn't nuts.

So I thought it could be some kind of residue from getting the a-pillars done with the 3M clear bra. So I took it back to the shop that installed it and they said there isn't anything they use that would cause them to leave fingerprints. Since I could take them off with a regular cleanser they offered to try some of their 'special sauce' since they are a detailing shop as well. Didn't work. Moreover, after looking closer at the prints (and finding a small palm print as well) we summized the prints weren't on the surface... they were inside the glass. So if you looked at them from the outside they looked like they are interior prints, and vice versa.

Took it to the dealer yesterday and showed the sales director. After staring at me like I had two heads he looked at it, confirmed once again I wasn't nuts, and said to call the service advisor Monday to have them order a new window. Apparently there must have been an error when the lamination was put on and someones greasy fingers got sealed in.

But at least it's getting replaced. I tried to take pics but do you realize how hard it is to get close up pics of fingerprints on glass in varying light conditions?

DunWkg

Be careful using special sauces on that front driver's side and front passenger's side windows. The exterior surface of the glass is coated to improve water shed. Abrasive products will damage or reduce the coating.

jamiec

I noticed in my 2 month old 2012 RX that I have three circles with three dots on my rear windshield. Can only see them at night. At first I thought it was somebody drawing smiley faces on my glass, but, I have cleaned the glass inside and out and the problem remains. It looks like "suction cups" possibly done when installing the rear glass? Any thoughts out there?

rxsuperman

Jamiec, I noticed the exact same thing on my 2011 RX350 purchased 2 months ago. I knew it was from the suction cups used in the factory to hold the windshield during installation. I tried to use the gas station squeegy to clean it off during fill up but they are still there...

MX5NES350

So the glass is on backorder. Probably will take a couple more days to get it in. I would take the vehicle back to the dealer and have the service advisor have a look at it. It would be odd to attach 3 GPS units to the rear window...

jamiec

RXsuperman, it's nice to know I'm not the only one! I've tried cleaning with glass cleaners and micro fiber and still those damn circles re-appear.

MX5NES350

So are the sucker marks raised at all? Like if you take your finger nail or a cigarette pack wrapper over the window (trick to see how contaminated your paint surface is) can you feel them or no? If not I would be wondering if they are etched in there somehow.

zmanRX350

MX5NES350, thanks for the post. I have same fingerprint issue on driver side front window above the side mirror. Picked up my '11 RX350 back in Feb. Since, I've cleaned it 20+ times and it's still there. I thought I was not rubbing hard enough. I'll take it into the dealer to inspect and suggest fix. Thnx again!

MX5NES350

Yup. Just got it replaced under warranty

jamiec

My suction marks are not raised and are starting to fade away.

zmanRX350

Took mine into dealer. They were able to "buff" out the prints with solvent. It took them four different solvent tries until one worked. The finger prints are gone. Thus, they must not have been in between the panes of glass.

MX5NES350

Most likely yours were not. Mine were definitely sealed between the tint.