"smeared" Windows In '92 300es

[Carrie]

:o Help! My 92 300ES has a "film" on the inside of the windows that smears when you clean them. I have tried every window cleaning product, even acetone to try and cut through the film. There is no applied tinting on the windows, only the factory tinted glass. A guy at an auto body repair shop said that there may be a pin-hole leak in the radiator and that the fluid may be coming through the AC vents and causing the film??? Has anyone heard of this problem? The car also has an "old" smell to it....could this be related? Thanks!

[SW03ES]

Its entirely possible that this is some sort of heater core leak causing antifreeze residue to deposit on the windshield. Is it worse on the windshield than anywhere else? I would use some sort of degreaser (Simple Green, Meguiars APC+) to strip the film off the glass, then follow up with glass cleaner to polish it perfect. Windows can also simply be very difficult to clean properly, years of plastic fumes, cigarette smoke, dead skin cells and food residues coat them and its just really hard to get off.

As for the old smell, thats more likely caused by wet carpeting, clogged cabin filter, dirty A/C intake etc.

[mirrorfinishman]

It sounds like it could be a 'pin hole leak' in your heater core. The heater core is located under the dash; so you might want to have that checked. Sometimes a heater core will have a very slow leak for months and then it will finally go bad and leak a large amount all at one time. Best to get it checked now.

[VBdenny]

When the heater core leaks, you will smell a sickly sweet smell. I really doubt it is a leak in your heater core though as I have never heard of one going bad in a Lexus. I finally got the inside of the windows clean by using Windex and a bath towel. The towel works so much better than anything else. People breathing in a car gets the inside windows nasty until they look like one of those minivans with the opaque window look.

The smell could be anything. When I was younger, a half gallon of milk broke in the car. That car never smelled right again. Something could have been spilled, or maybe someone blew chow in the car at some point, you just don't know unless you bought it new. Maybe replace your carpets or have them steam cleaned? The fact is, people ruin cars.

[Bandit]

To remove the film from the inside or outside of your windshield, use a soapy SOS pad. You may want to cover the dash with towels and then use the SOS pad on the inside. If an SOS pad will not remove the film, start sourcing a new windshield.

[SW03ES]

You dont want to use an SOS pad, they're too abrasive. #00 steel wool is fine, but I wouldn't touch the windows with an SOS pad.

[Bandit]

I've used soapy SOS pads for years. You need a very light touch. I am not saying bear down on the pad.

The Soap in an SOS pad is much slicker than you can get with soapy water. After soaking the SOS pad in water, squeeze it between your fingertips several tip and it will produce a thick soapy texture that makes the pad slide very easily over the glass. With a very light touch, it will remove any and all buildup on the class. I've uses it for years on windshields, real chrome bumpers.

Trust me, it works!

[Bandit]

One other comment, if Carrie has used Acetone to cut the film and it did not work, there is NO chemical, not Simple Green or any other wonder chenical that will cut this film. Acetone will peal the paint right off your car. This requires an abrasive material that will remove the film without scratching the glass.

[TOGWT]

~One mans opinion / observation~

Apply a quarter size amount of Autoglym Car Glass Polish to a dry 100% cotton or Microfiber cloth

Apply to half of the windshield, polishing first in an up and down motion then in a left-to-right motion and then repeat on the other side.

Go over the glass several times in each direction. (Glass will polish virtually residue free.)

Wipe off any residue, and polish with a clean dry 100% cotton Microfiber cloth

If this does not remove the ‘smearing’ use Autoglym Car Glass Polish and #0000 steel wool.

Wipe off any residue from glass and dry with a damp waffle weave towel

Inspect glass for clarity and smoothness. Repeat if necessary.

~Hope this helps~

Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/

justadumbarchitect * so i question everything*