I've had my car for a year now and just noticed the front windshield is littered with a zillion little dots. It's not noticable unless you are stopped and looking out at a fixed object. The loaner RX I had was even worse.
So what was the point of this feature from the fatory? Is there some purpose other than it playing with my mind at red lights?

 

I have a BRAND NEW IS250 and noticed the same thing, but on the side windows as well. I am wondering the same thing.

 

if the window is perfectly clean, it may be the sound absorbing laminate on the inside of the window.

 

SO what are the purpose of the "dots"?

 

I just remembered Lexus claims we have water-repelling front glass. Maybe it's something to do with that?

 

I was told the same thing from salesperson at local dealer!!...windshield and 2 front doors had some "water-repellant" properties...he also mentioned something about the glass sandwiching some sort of sound absorbtion laminate.....not sure how true it is...any one ever had 1 break or in a car accident to look closely at it?

 

Well, what you are seeing is the inner vinyl layer of the windshield called the cellulose. Windshields are manufactured out of two pieces of glass. The purpose is to strengthen the windshield and to prevent the glass from shattering into a thousand pieces. Of course this is all safety so you dont end up wearing your windshield all over your face after an impact.....

 

Are you wearing polarized sunglasses while driving?

Usually I see defects and oddities in rear windshields while wearing my polarized glasses. Get a rainbow effect on windows that are tinted.

To the natural eye I don't see this.

Just my .02

 

Yup, that is true. You see a bunch of appox 1 sq. inch squares with small dots in them all over car glass. But only when I wear my polarized sun glasses. At first it tripped me out and made me kind of dizzy.

 

Ok, for some clarity:

It's NOT the dots you see wearing polarizing sunglasses, I'm familiar with that. This is without sunglasses and it looks overspray from a paint shop. As for the laminated glass, cars have have laminated windshields for decades and I've never seen this before. I also had a Toyota 4 Runner with water repelling side glass and windshield and it didn't have this stuff on it. I have been driving 35 years and never seen this. I was concerned at first but then I thought since my car had the front bumper repainted that maybe it was overspray. I tried to clean it but to no avail. Then I get on her this morning and find this post so I know it's not from the paint shop.

Hoping to find some answers. I'll call my dealer tomorrow and see if he can shed some light.

 

I dont see anything.

 

Are you referring to what seems like little pit marks/craters on the windshield, similar to very small water marks that can occur on the car's paint?

If so, I have this on the windshield of my F150. And, like you, I had never seen it before.

I've tried good ol' elbow grease using a professional glass cleaner/bartender's friend "paste", and that didn't seem to remove them. But, the windshield is ultra clear now, which means that I can notice it even better now

I was thinking it's just the way the laminate was laid. But, I do find it annoying at times.


BTW, I haven't noticed this on my IS

 

It's not overspray paint or haze. It's an exact, evenly-spaced pattern of dots on the entire windshield. For reference, it looks a lot like the black dots around the rearview mirror area, but clear. One has to really focus when the vehicle is stopped in order to see it. Once you do and move your head or eyes side to side, it causes a slight blur to the picture. I don't like it, but it's not something I'd make a stink over at the dealer.

 

Hmmm... yours is different. Sorry I assumed ours were the same. Mine are more like I mentioned or possibly even the other dude with the Ford truck. It's distracting for sure.

I'll check mine to see I notice what you are talking about.

 

Yep, this is a better description than mine. I too have cleaned and cleaned but to no avail. I'm baffled.