Halo effect on tinted rear windshield?

September 19, 2006

Hello, I recently purchased a new car. The dealership performed window tinting on the rear passenger windows and the rear windshield. Due to laws in Alberta, they could not do the fronts -- which I did aftermarket with a good local company.

The problem I have is that, at night (or very early in the morning), all lights (headlights, greenlights, etc.) appear to have an odd halo effect through the rear windshield. I've had two cars in the past that have had tinted windows, and I've never seen this before. Before I call the dealership, I want to know if this is normal or what I can say/explain to them to get this fixed. I assume this isn't really good from a safety aspect.

Thanks in advance.

September 19, 2006

I'm no expert when it comes to tint, but maybe I can be of some help.

It depends on how long ago you had the tint done. For the first 30 days or so (I think climate has a lot to do with the time frame) the tint will appear to have a foggy quality to it. This is nothing more than moisture in the adhesive and will dissipate with time. Also bear in mind that if it is a new tint and you have not washed the windows there will be some visual degradation as a result. This is all normal. Also note that there may be small bubbles in the tint for about the same time period. This is also caused by moisture and will more than likely go away by itself. It is important to note that these issues do not follow a particular curve, so they may appear to get worse before they get better.

This is all normal for new tint. The best thing to do is to keep an eye on it and give it some time. Follow the recommendations of the tinter with regards to treatment. If after several weeks it is a concern to you take it back to the tinter and have them look at it. Try to keep an open mind however. Don't go in with an accusatory attitude. Explain your concerns and if they're a good shop you'll get a straight answer.

If I'm wrong, someone please correct me.

-Shaidtan

September 19, 2006

Thanks for the information. The tint was done about a week ago at the dealership. The weather in Calgary as of late has been in the 5-9C mark during the day but I keep it in underground parking at night (20C inside). The rest of the windows that were done by the dealership appear to be fine, and the aftermarket ones on the front are as well.

I used a little tap water and paper towels yesterday to clean the inside of the rear windshield to see if it would make a difference. Oddly, a lot of gluey substance was cleaned up and the paper towel was pretty dirty. Almost as if they didn't clean up after they were done.

Anyhow, I'll keep an eye on it and see how it goes for another week before calling up the dealership. Honestly, I don't remember seeing this halo effect on my other cars immediately after tinting though.

Thanks for the info.

September 19, 2006

I think it has a lot to do with the type of tint as well. Don't confuse this with quality though. On the water thing, I know you did it as a test, but I would avoid any type of "cleaning" for the recommended time. Remember though that the tint will get better, it's just an intermediate period. Unless you notice any big bubbling or lint or something like that, I wouldn't worry about it.

Also a side note, for when the time comes to begin washing it, I'd be sure to read up on what cleaners to use/not use. Some very common glass cleaners can be very bad for tint films.

-Shaidtan