Cleaning the Navigation Screen/Scratches on lcd (Merged thread)
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 896
Likes: 2
From: Maryland
Originally Posted by bt430
Here's the deal on the 3 lcd panels on the car. According to Lexus they are coated with an anti-glare coating that is not to be cleaned with anything other than soap and water. If it has been cleaned with anything other than soap and water the coating will start to peel and scratch. The glare coating is very easily scratched and it even rubs off once it has been scratched. Even if you clean the panels with a microfiber towel you must be very careful. I tore mine up using soap and water and the microfiber cleaning towel I got with my Apple 23" LCD display thinking that would be the best thing to use. It appears that this coating is very, very fragile and IMHO really something that should not be in a $64,000 car.
Lexus really doesn't want to replace any of these screens. I had a Lexus district manager turn me down saying it had been cleaned with something other than soap and water even though that was not the case. I did get the matter resolved by going to Lexus Corporate and they over ruled the district guy. This however does not solve the ongoing issue of how to clean these things. A few things to try to remember:
If you go to a car wash close the radio and the nav and tell the folks not to clean the radio. (good luck on that one!!)
If you are doing it yourself, soap and water and nothing else. Find the softest towel you can and be very careful. I'd stay away from microfiber and try to find something very soft and absorbent. Now that I’m totally paranoid about this coating, I’ve been somewhat successful at dabbing the soap and water off rather than wiping it.
Don’t wear polarized sunglasses in the car. You’ll see the scratches much better if you do!
Anyone that would like to rant about why we have to put up with this kind of stuff in a $64,000 car is more than welcome to sound off. I’m pretty hot about it myself and I used that argument to get Lexus Corporate to replace the part.
Lexus really doesn't want to replace any of these screens. I had a Lexus district manager turn me down saying it had been cleaned with something other than soap and water even though that was not the case. I did get the matter resolved by going to Lexus Corporate and they over ruled the district guy. This however does not solve the ongoing issue of how to clean these things. A few things to try to remember:
If you go to a car wash close the radio and the nav and tell the folks not to clean the radio. (good luck on that one!!)
If you are doing it yourself, soap and water and nothing else. Find the softest towel you can and be very careful. I'd stay away from microfiber and try to find something very soft and absorbent. Now that I’m totally paranoid about this coating, I’ve been somewhat successful at dabbing the soap and water off rather than wiping it.
Don’t wear polarized sunglasses in the car. You’ll see the scratches much better if you do!
Anyone that would like to rant about why we have to put up with this kind of stuff in a $64,000 car is more than welcome to sound off. I’m pretty hot about it myself and I used that argument to get Lexus Corporate to replace the part.
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 3,872
Likes: 396
From: Ohio
BT's post makes no sense.
Many "soaps" are a lot harsher than glass cleaners made to clean sensitive and touch-sensitive screens. One big problem is that many "all purpose" glass cleaners have chemicals that harm the coating, so you have to do some research to find ones that are safe. In general, stay away from household cleaners. Check the "detailing" forums for discussions of specific brands.
Secondly, a microfiber towel, at least a real microfiber towel and not some mis-labeled cheap knock off, will not scratch anything. If you can find something softer than a microfiber towel, let me know what it is.
Close you eye and wipe it across you eyelid. Then try that with a paper towel. The paper towel, which feels soft in your hand, feels like sandpaper on a sensitive surface. Another test is the CD test. Wipe the towel across the shinny surface of a CD, then examine it in the light. If the "microfiber" towel is one of the crappy ones, you will see scratch marks. If you don't see such marks, feel free to use that towell on anything, even your baby's bottom.
The point, and I often don't have a point, is that you should not stay away from microfiber towels, but should find a few good ones and use them exclusively for cleaning Nav screens, plasma screens, palm pilot screens, and other surfaces with delicate coatings. There is simply nothing better for the job. It's the harsh solvents that cause the most harm.
Many "soaps" are a lot harsher than glass cleaners made to clean sensitive and touch-sensitive screens. One big problem is that many "all purpose" glass cleaners have chemicals that harm the coating, so you have to do some research to find ones that are safe. In general, stay away from household cleaners. Check the "detailing" forums for discussions of specific brands.
Secondly, a microfiber towel, at least a real microfiber towel and not some mis-labeled cheap knock off, will not scratch anything. If you can find something softer than a microfiber towel, let me know what it is.
Close you eye and wipe it across you eyelid. Then try that with a paper towel. The paper towel, which feels soft in your hand, feels like sandpaper on a sensitive surface. Another test is the CD test. Wipe the towel across the shinny surface of a CD, then examine it in the light. If the "microfiber" towel is one of the crappy ones, you will see scratch marks. If you don't see such marks, feel free to use that towell on anything, even your baby's bottom.
The point, and I often don't have a point, is that you should not stay away from microfiber towels, but should find a few good ones and use them exclusively for cleaning Nav screens, plasma screens, palm pilot screens, and other surfaces with delicate coatings. There is simply nothing better for the job. It's the harsh solvents that cause the most harm.
i kinda doubt about soup solution too. they are harsh on these surface. personally i wouldn't use anything more than normal water to wipe those areas. i have to be very very careful
about the microfiber, i agree, it should be one of the smoothest kind of wiping "tool" you can get?
about the microfiber, i agree, it should be one of the smoothest kind of wiping "tool" you can get?
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: italy
Thank you very much for the infos.
The fact is that the scratches are the result of using a normal lcd cleaner solution . If I knew it would harm the screen I won't have used it anyway !! The dealer says that it is not possible to replace only the front glass, they must substitute the whole system with a cost of 3500 euros + vat , but if you say that they have replaced just the front glass with no problems I will ask them again for it. I think Lexus dealers have a specific cleaner solution, how does it work?
Thanks again.
Andrea
The fact is that the scratches are the result of using a normal lcd cleaner solution . If I knew it would harm the screen I won't have used it anyway !! The dealer says that it is not possible to replace only the front glass, they must substitute the whole system with a cost of 3500 euros + vat , but if you say that they have replaced just the front glass with no problems I will ask them again for it. I think Lexus dealers have a specific cleaner solution, how does it work?
Thanks again.
Andrea
Rookie
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
From: CA
Originally Posted by bt430
You guys can doubt what you want but this is what I was told not only by a Lexus dealer but by a district manager. Soap and water that's it or they won't cover it.
BT
BT
Pole Position
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 333
Likes: 0
From: Maryland
[QUOTE=tfischer]BT's post makes no sense.
My point exactly. Lexus knows they have an issue with the coating on these screens and they come up with this nonsensical soap and water story so they don’t have to replace pretty expensive parts. Now this might be just a localized thing from the dealer and this district manager. Because other dealers are telling customers to clean the screens with other things. (check out the eyeglass solution post). So do I believe you should use soap and water? No I agree with you that soap is harsher, but that’s not the point. The point appears to be from this particular dealer and this particular district manager that soap and water is what you are supposed to clean these screens with.
I think you can probably argue the softness of towels from now to the end of time. Just check out a few detailing threads, those guys will debate that point for days. The problem is I used a manufacturer’s towel specifically designed for these types of screens and it tore it up. I use that same exact towel on my flat screen monitor and plasma screens with no issues at all. Obviously there is something wrong with the coating on the screens in our vehicles. So that leaves me wondering exactly what type of cloth to use.
BT
My point exactly. Lexus knows they have an issue with the coating on these screens and they come up with this nonsensical soap and water story so they don’t have to replace pretty expensive parts. Now this might be just a localized thing from the dealer and this district manager. Because other dealers are telling customers to clean the screens with other things. (check out the eyeglass solution post). So do I believe you should use soap and water? No I agree with you that soap is harsher, but that’s not the point. The point appears to be from this particular dealer and this particular district manager that soap and water is what you are supposed to clean these screens with.
I think you can probably argue the softness of towels from now to the end of time. Just check out a few detailing threads, those guys will debate that point for days. The problem is I used a manufacturer’s towel specifically designed for these types of screens and it tore it up. I use that same exact towel on my flat screen monitor and plasma screens with no issues at all. Obviously there is something wrong with the coating on the screens in our vehicles. So that leaves me wondering exactly what type of cloth to use.
BT
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: MD
Display Screen Problem
I noticed some streaking on my time/temperature/etc. display screen. I thought is was just dirty so I put a little windex on a cloth and wiped it down. This seemed to remove a dark "film" on the screen so that now in the daytime there is very little contrast and it is very hard to read the screen. Does anyone know of a way to restore this "film"?
Lead Lap
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
From: California
Originally Posted by mikey5549
I noticed some streaking on my time/temperature/etc. display screen. I thought is was just dirty so I put a little windex on a cloth and wiped it down. This seemed to remove a dark "film" on the screen so that now in the daytime there is very little contrast and it is very hard to read the screen. Does anyone know of a way to restore this "film"?
Unfortunately you removed the film by using windew which has amonia in it. This is fairly common on the nav screens in most cars. The only cure that I am aware of is to have it replaced.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 896
Likes: 2
From: Maryland
Originally Posted by mikey5549
I noticed some streaking on my time/temperature/etc. display screen. I thought is was just dirty so I put a little windex on a cloth and wiped it down. This seemed to remove a dark "film" on the screen so that now in the daytime there is very little contrast and it is very hard to read the screen. Does anyone know of a way to restore this "film"?
yeah sorry to hear that, but the film is cmopletely damaged. there is no way you can restore it, personally i don't even know what kind of film it is...
for me, i just avoid using any solution to clean that at all..
for me, i just avoid using any solution to clean that at all..
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,015
Likes: 0
From: il
Originally Posted by mikey5549
I noticed some streaking on my time/temperature/etc. display screen. I thought is was just dirty so I put a little windex on a cloth and wiped it down. This seemed to remove a dark "film" on the screen so that now in the daytime there is very little contrast and it is very hard to read the screen. Does anyone know of a way to restore this "film"?
