Rav 4 PHEV defective windscreen

[varastevens]

I had my 2021  Rav4 PHEV premium dynamic delivered in July and have a windscreen defect. In low level bright sunshine thousands of speckles appear over the whole screen.

Has any one experienced the same problem  in UK and explanation of the problem and solution?

I query diffraction effect from sunshine  from contamination of the laminate in the windscreen construction. The screen appears clear although slightly darker than clear glass in normal light.

Toyotas response if this has been reported in UK would be appreciated. There are reports of such problems in US if googled.

[FROSTYBALLS]

So has your Toyota dealer examined the screen, and, if so, what was the result??

[varastevens]

Seen by franchise dealer from my  photograph of defect, needs bright low level direct sunshine to show and demonstrate . Being forwarded to Toyota for action.

Dealer unaware of problem in UK  and EU. Car Japan manufacture . 

[FROSTYBALLS]

All Rav4 vehicles for the UK market are manufactured in Japan.

[ernieb]

I’ve not heard of the issue you report in the UK.

[Cyker]

Can you post the picture here? I'm curious what this looks like...!

It reminds me of a major annoyance I had with the C1 loancar I had once, where the pattern on the dash top was reflected onto the windscreen in bright sunlight and made it very hard to see - It was like driving through rain that your wipers couldn't remove!

Ended up draping a black towel over the whole dash to block the pattern (Amusingly the towel is the same one I'm using as lumbar support in my Mk4  )

 

[varastevens]

Photograph difficult to show minute sparkles all over screen as taken into sun. They appear like metallic paint effect green/blue /red colour. Cannot be seen with

magnifying glass. Needs direct sunshine.

[ernieb]

This photo triggers something that I noticed on the front screen and front side windows. I had tried to clean some mist off the screen with a microfibre cloth and found that the fibres where being transferred to the screen. I tried cleaning the screen but it got worse I used a traditional ‘pink’ window cleaner and managed to slowly remove the film. It was not all over the screen but in patches, I also used the same to clean the outside of the screen. I had thought that this was as a result of the guys cleaning the car at the PDI, I did not pay for any treatment but it was very clean and polished. I had a similar issue a few years ago and found out that they had used some of the left over products but not necessarily in the right places.

This obviously may not be related to your problem but thought it might be worth sharing.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Looking at various forum for different manufacturers, it seems to be a relatively common issue with no definite cause. One site (glass.com) reckons it may be due to very minor imperfections in the glass, despite stringent manufacturing tolerances - not a manufacturing fault as such.

[Roger_N]

Given the amount of light scatter this will cause it should be replaced under safety grounds if it cannot be removed.

Even worse this time of year with the sun being so low in the sky.

[Cyker]

Wow, it looks like your windscreen got sandblasted by the wind or something!!

If those are 'in' the glass, it must be some sort of defect during manufacture, like it was cooled too quickly or something.

Have you tried just polishing the buggery out of it, inside and out?

 

[rav4x4man]

Hi, Just a thought, have you tried Polaroid sunglasses? We have another car that suffers with serious reflections from the dashboard when the sun is at certain angles.

I wear glasses all the time but I bought some slip-over Polaroid glasses from Boots for £25.00; they are marvelous; light weight, just the right level of tint (some optical specs I paid a small fortune for are too dark and were a waste of money), and the key thing; no reflections at all; perfect!!

 

[ernieb]

14 minutes ago, rav4x4man said:

Hi, Just a thought, have you tried Polaroid sunglasses? We have another car that suffers with serious reflections from the dashboard when the sun is at certain angles.

I wear glasses all the time but I bought some slip-over Polaroid glasses from Boots for £25.00; they are marvelous; light weight, just the right level of tint (some optical specs I paid a small fortune for are too dark and were a waste of money), and the key thing; no reflections at all; perfect!!

 

I also use Polaroid glasses pretty well whenever I drive.  Today I was driving south on the M1 nearly always into the sun fro me impossible without the glasses.

[Cyker]

Polarized glasses are magic for filtering out reflections, but those speckles look like they're in the glass, not reflected, so the polarizers won't work so well...

I was missing my polarized glasses on my drive yesterday - I can't wear them driving the Mk4 because the HUD uses polarized light, so if I wear my polarized glass I can't see it!  

 

[ernieb]

I hadn’t thought of that issue with the glasses and the HUD.

[Stopeter44]

31 minutes ago, Cyker said:

I was missing my polarized glasses on my drive yesterday - I can't wear them driving the Mk4 because the HUD uses polarized light, so if I wear my polarized glass I can't see it!  

Now I don't feel so bad about not having the HUD, my sunglasses are polarised and around here, I pretty much need them, for anything other than around town, for 9 months of the year!

[Woofwoof]

Looks to me like the demisting issue where a lot of new cars must up extremely fast

The issue is due to the plastics of the dash melting slightly and giving off fumes (normal by all manufacturers, not considered defect though I doubt it’s too good for health) which attach to the windscreen and attract the moisture/mist

looks similar to the film on your windscreen

if the vehicle was left out in the sun during transport this could be possible

try cleaning off the inside of the windscreen with a good automotive glass cleaner 

[ernieb]

I had to resort to a good old fashioned 'pink' cream glass cleaner it was the only way I could remove the film from the front and side windows.  Rubbing a dry micro fibre over the uncleaned surface just grabbed the cloth.

[Terry10]

Hi

Thanks for that info.

Not over the moon with my screen either.

Can you name the pink cream cleaner or is that not allowed under club rules 😀

Regards Terry

[Roger_N]

I could be wrong but I think Ernie means Windolene

 

[ernieb]

1 hour ago, Roger_N said:

I could be wrong but I think Ernie means Windolene

 

Or something similar there a few alternatives but I’ve found that works when other things fail.  What I’ve used is a product called Wonder Glass which is marketed for cars inside and outside, I’ve had it years as it came in a 5ltr container.

[Nick72]

Not had any problems with my windscreen. Clear as any car in any weather and low sun.

But, I read on the American forums a while back that some folk had similar problems which also made the HUD difficult to use for those with that fitted.

I think it could be a lamination issue as you say.

[varastevens]

Windscreen has been replaced.

Screen change authorised second week December.

Wait approx 7 weeks. 

[ernieb]

58 minutes ago, varastevens said:

Windscreen has been replaced.

Screen change authorised second week December.

Wait approx 7 weeks. 

Is it OK now?

[Cyker]

Great! Glad you got them to replace it - I was worried they'd try and say there wasn't anything wrong, so good on them for being reasonable!

Any chance of a before and after comparison for future reference?