I noticed yesterday that when the sun hits my windshield at certain angles that there is what appears to be like "sand sparkle" in the windshield. It's definitely not on the inside or outside of the windshield and I have low mileage (1,600 miles). It appears to be on the plastic sheet sandwiched inbetween the glass. I just never noticed it before. I don't drive excessively fast (though I should since it's easy in the Maxima). Does anyone have this "sand sparkle" in their windshield, is this some type of defect or what?

 

I have noticed it on my windshield. It looks dirty but no amount of cleaning will take it off. I assumed it was pitted and nothing embedded in the glass.

 

mdeal, really weird, isn't it? Looks lightly pitted everywhere...I just can't figure it out. I mean I could understand if the car had been driven at 85MPH for the last 500 miles, but that's not the case. And for me the pitting (sand sparkle) is not on the surface of the glass.

 

Both my wife and I have had the same problem with our windshields but it has only been after a significant amount of highway driving.

You could get the windshield replaced under your insurance for free . . . IF you "just happen to have" a chip or crack somewhere.

 

Max_Gator, roger that!

 

Mine looks exactly the same way. The windshield was crystal clear for the first 2000 miles or so, and now that I'm around 6500 it looks like it was lightly sandblasted. In a way, that's exactly what has happened.

I'm used to it where I live. They use tons of sand in the winter to melt ice and snow and provide traction, and then it sits around all summer and gets blown around and the pea-sized gravel gets kicked up by traffic. Then there's the inordinate amount of gravel trucks running around. I basically budget a windshield every two years; some people I know buy a new one every year.

I leased a Ford Ranger a few years ago so I'd have something to carry lumber and stuff with, and the windshield was cracked all the way across from left to right before I'd even gotten 900 miles on the truck.

 

Chance, that's interesting, I hadn't thought about that. Recently they were repaving some of the roads and there was lots of sand covering the surface until they put the pavement down. That could be the culprit...but it still looks like it's inside of the glass.

 

Well, there's a way to check to make sure it isn't on the outside. Since the pits are so small, you can't really feel them with your fingers or fingernails and they have to start getting relatively large before your windshield wiper will start smearing as an indication.

The first time I noticed this phenomenon after buying a new car, I used one of my wife's sewing pins (a sewing needle or anything suitably sharp with a very small tip would probably work as well), and ran it lightly across the outside with one hand, while actually sitting on the edge of one of the front seats, looking through the windshield to find the pitted spots to guide my pin.

If the spots are large enough, you can feel the tip of the pin run across them, letting you know they are on the outside. Some of them are too small for this to work, though, so you might have to play around awhile. I confirmed that mine were definitely on the outside, though.

Because of where I live, I just figured it was due to sand and pea gravel strikes, but I suppose it could just as easily be etching from acid rain or chemicals in the water used to wash the car.

 

Chance, thanks, I'll be sure to check it out using your method this weekend.

 

I have that as well, but as soon as I get my orbital buffer, I am going to hit the glass with Zaino Z12 glass polish.

 

PrinzII, I don't know about Zaino Z12 polish, but I do know that I once had a glass company come out and use an iron oxide paste to buff out some small scratches in my '95 Stang and they distorted the glass. I then had to replace the windshield.

 

Mark S - I bought my 2k2 in April and I noticed this same problem the first week I had it. I only had a few miles on the car - so it's definitely a flaw in the windshield. Personally - I think Nissan should recall this and correct the problem. When the sun hits it just right it is blinding. It's like a million specs of glitter in the windshield, and they appear to be embedded inside the glass. Cleaning does NOT help. I love EVERYTHING about the car - but I hate the windshield. This is the WORST windshield I've ever seen in any car in my entire life. Does anyone know how to get Nissan to issue a recall on this???

 

Parker2k2, glad to see that I'm not the only one seeing this. Yes, I've tried everything to get rid of it and it's still there...embedded inside the glass. I really don't want to have the windshield replaced if I can help it (there's always the resealing issue, etc.).
And like I said earlier, I looked through the windshields of other 2K2's (new ones) and have noticed the same "sparkles" in their windshields when the sun is at a low angle (morning/evening).

 

This may be a solution to lessen the glare. Here's what I did.

1) Spray some glass cleaner or whatever you have onto the windshield.
2) Take a clean new razorblade and slightly angle it with the curve of the windshield.
3) Lightly scrape the entire windshield making sure there is plenty of fluid beneath it.
4) Dry with a towel
5) Use a clay bar and some soapy water and spray that all over the glass again.
6) This time use the clay bar over the entire surface and once again dry it.
7) Use some chrome polish such as "Mothers Chrome Polish) and apply over your entire windshield.
8) Let it dry to haze making sure you do not get any on the rubber stripping because it will stain!
9) Buff off with a microfiber towel and there you have it.

This took a lot of that so called sparkle out and left the window perfectly clean.

 

My windshield had so many pits in it that I had it replaced with PPG glass.A mobile unit came to my home. It took about 45 minutes. Sealed just fine. Don't wash the area with high pressure water or slam the doors with windows rolled up for 2 days to allow the adhesives to fully cure. Design and tint identical to Nissan windshield.

 

SHPatel, I did use a razor blade, clay bar, etc., and it seemed to lesson some of the "sand sparkle" but it did not eliminate it. I still see it...I even see it on the outside rearview mirrors and door/back windows. Really strange. I think that most of that "sand sparkle" is in the plastic sheet(s) between the glass...just my opinion.