Lately I've been doing lot of late night driving and noticed that I can see lots of streak marks on the windshield. Its on the track where the wipers would clear the water off. I'm sure you've probably seen them on older cars but my question is is there anything I can do to get rid of them? I guess they're like tiny little scratch marks. I use rain X alot and it cleans the glass very well and leaves it clean for a long time and does a great job in the rain but those streak marks REALLY show up in the dark when the light shines on the glass. Is there a product I can use to get rid or them or do I have to replace the windshield? Thanks

 

Id wait until your latest coat of rain-x is pretty much gone then give the car a good wash. Commercial Windex is usually strong enough to get even to rough streaks off of my windshield. Other products like generic auto glass cleaner might do the trick as well. Make sure to do it in the evening, early morning, or at night though for the best results. If you do it at noon when its warm out, some of the spray might dry on the glass leaving an annoying little stain taking you back to square one.
If they are actual scratches in the glass though, scratch-x might do the trick, you may be able to work some magic with some rubbing compound, or try somewhere like autozone, discount auto, etc. A buddy of mine got some glass scratch stuff a few months ago that made his look new and it was a '68 Camaro original glass. Good luck.

 

Check your windshield for chips, cracks, etc. in the driver's line of sight. If you have full coverage insurance, by law the insurance has to pay for a new windshield. If you only have a $100 deductable, then some windshield places will pay the deductable if you go through them for the window.

I usually get one new windshield per year on my cars. I don't know if we have more rocks around here or what, but I definitely don't have the streaking problem you are talking about, since I've always got a new windshield.

 

Well I dont have any chips or cracks or anything just those annoying streak marks. Its really annoying and makes the light streak and curve at night. I'll try some rubbing compound or scratch X and see what happens.

 

Have you tried cleaning ur wiper blades and making sure there is no dirt on them?

 

Ya actually I even replaced the blades and clean them every time I wash the car which is about every week or two weeks. I think it was kinda streaky when I first got the car but its hard to remember. I'm about 90% sure the car was like that when I got it.

 

Bentley,

a new windshield every year? Is that a state law in UT or a federal law?

 

Its a law in FL too, Im not sure about the amount here, but I know the insurance company has to pay for some of it. Nationwide always gives it to us for free .

 

jimmit, I have exactly the same issue - my '93 SC4 has its original windshield, at least 3 epoxy chip repairs, and it is streaky in wet weather even with a brand new set of Bosch blades. When the car has been sitting in the rain, the water on the windshield looks different in the swept area of the wipers. It's like the glass has absorbed oily road muck or something. I have cleaned the wiper blades with isopropyl alcohol right after a thorough wash, and it doesn't help. I just bought my car last spring, so this is my first winter with it, and I gotta solve this problem or I will go blind and insane here in rainy Seattle...

Anybody got a slingshot I can borrow??

 

As far as Utah is concerned, it is a law that your windshield must be free of cracks and chips in the driver's line of sight. If you have them, you'll fail the yearly safety test, so that's why I typically get a new windshield every year right before the safety test.

If you want to find out if it is a law in your state, just take a look at your last safety inspection. If there is a place on there where the inspector had to check off your windshield, then your state probably has a similar rule.

 

Uhmm...

We only have smog check in CA, never heard of a mandated saftey check

Will check with my insurance co. about the windshield.

 

I heard about those car safety checks up in North Carolina but had no idea it was in different states. Smog checks....never seen one. Makes me glad I live in Florida where the gov't is still trying to figure out how an engine with more than one piston works.

 

In Utah, they don't stop at the windshield either. They actually inspect your wiper blades and gas cap! They have this device that they hook your gas cap up to so that they can verify that it has a tight seal. You also need to have functioning windshield washer sprayers, horn, seatbelts, brakes, etc. A couple years back, I had my other Lexus (ES300) inspected, and the jerk failed it because he couldn't find the middle seatbelt in the back. It had fallen back behind the seat, so I had to fish it out and take the car back in a couple days later to show them that the belt was functional, before they would let the vehicle pass the safety test.

These safety tests can be a bit overboard, but I guess it's nice to know that people are forced to pay attention to their vehicle maintenance at least once per year. I hate being tailgated, but I'd rather be tailgated by a functional vehicle, than one with worn out brakes, a cracked windshield, and burned out head lights...

 

Florida is nice, no emission laws (depending on county) and a zero deductable winshield replacement. You gotta crack, and its free to replace as long as you have current insurance, and no, it is illegal for the winshield claim to raise your rates. I've used this option about 3 times on other vehicles thanks to the sheer # of dump trucks slowly dropping pebbles at 70 mph on the highway.

If I'm reading the thread right, it looks to be that the window is actually scratched due to worn wipers, causing these streaks. There is a glass scrath remover- buffing compound. It works great for slight streaks, but your screwed if the winshield is actually scratched noticibly.

Go to a paint/body shop (store) that sells to the public; like a supplier. They will have what you need. But you will most likely need a buffer to do it right. Elbow grease isn't stong enough. I've used it in th epast on a friends car; takes forever BTW.


As far a wiper blades, I use the cheap Anco brand and change the blades every oil change and replace the whole frame once a year. Refills are like $2 a pair and new frames w/ blades are $3 each. Expensive blades work great, but still wear out and should be replaced at least twice a year; which is more expensive than replacing them more frequently with a cheaper alternative.

I have used the Bosch in the past and really saw no difference from the Anco brand, so why pay 3 times the price? Just my opinion though.

Keith

 

Hey Keith thanks for the info. So all I have to do is call up the insurance company and tell them my windshield has streaks on it and they will replace it with an OEM one?

The streaks arent that deep and are pretty much only noticable at night but I dont think I have the time to go out and get the stuff and a buffer right now. Maybe in a couple months. Anyways thanks for the info. Greatly appreciated