Ice Scrapers and scratch windshield

[wnstwolf]

I have a 2014 GMC Sierra and up here in Maine the snow season is still in full force but add in the new fun of wintery mix and ice. On Monday the truck was entombed in ice so I started it and let it run for a while to warm up and try to loosen up the windshield. This helped but the ice was really stuck on there. I hate to use a scraper but had no choice.

Plastic scraper very clean windshield other than the ice and somewhat normal use of scraper to remove the ice and holy **** my windshield is all f’ed up with scratches? Since when is plastic harder than glass? Is GM putting some type of film on the glass these days? The scratches are not deep (running fingernail over feels nothing) but they are not scuffs either. I stopped by the local GMC dealer this AM and they said they could not do anything and they see a lot of it? This can’t be right..

I have some Eastwood glass polish back at the barn I will try once it warms up but this is very disappointing and concerning as it will ice up again and I can’t wait 30 minutes for defrost every morning?

Any suggestions on a scratch remover other than the Eastwood system? 5k miles and a nasty looking windshield I will have to look at for many years to come does not sit well…

 

[Arps]

Pics? There must be some sort of film or something over the glass.

 

[CNGsaves]

Chinese glass ??? Any formaldehyde off-gassing as well ??

 

[sselander]

That *****.
If the ice is really thick, I use some Prestone windshield de-icer that you spray on.
It helps a little bit.

 

[Punchwood]

Got glass coverage?

 

[lewis26]

Try claybarring the windshield.

 

[gungatim]

wow never heard of that, maybe there was dirt/dust in the ice that got on the scraper that scratched? I used to have a really nice brass tipped ice scraper that worked awesome and it never scratched...

 

[BeachBoy]

check this video:

 

[Zrexxer]

For some reason it seems that GM windshields have been really soft the last few years. I've noticed it with the last two Chevy trucks I've owned.

 

[yeldogt]

Some are soft .. I have had the problem with german glass using the incorrect wiper blades -- wipers are rubber. You may have has some fine grit on the glass/ scraper when you used it.

 

[deerehunter/operator]

We just had a $70,000 Camaro in our dealership with the same issue. I used a kit that consisted of a variable speed polisher and a compound commonly referred to as jeweler's rouge. It turned out pretty darn good. Some of the scratches you could catch your fingernail in. I believe the kit was purchased from our local auto value parts store.

 

[Greasemonkey0504]

Plastic contains resins that can damage glass if rubbed over it. However, more likely, is the grit and winter dirt on the windshield that is stuck, and now scraped against the glass with the plastic scraper.

Either way: I hate winter.

 

[wnstwolf]

Thansk guys. Deerhunter are you at a Chebbie dealership? did your palce cover the repair or was it a charge back? This was a pretty straightforward process that I would think happens a million times a year across the world. I went on the web and it seems more common that I thought. This is not good. Tried to get a pic but just get glare or a nice clean looking windshield ;-)

 

[larry_g]

If you ever tried to machine some plastics you would understand how abrasive they can be.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[deerehunter/operator]

Yes its a chevy dealer. No not a warranty repair. It was a car that we purchased through a program where it had some miles already on it. We just fixed it and put it in our showroom on display. I had probably about 30 minutes involved in fixing it so no big deal really.

 

[ford33]

I have a 1998 Chevy truck and the windshield had many fine scratches. I agree that the windshield is scratched easily. I learned that using wiper blades while there still is ice on the windshield also causes scratches. It is like dragging small rocks across the windshield.

Last week my windshield cracked from the A-pillar to the center. I do not know why that happened. I went online at my insurance company and found I have a $100 deductible on a new windshield. I made an appointment at Gerber glass near Chicago and had the windshield replaced two days later and within 90 minutes of arrival for $100 deductible. The difference between new and old windshield is amazing. I never realized just how scratched the windshield was until I had new glass. You need to be careful about what you drag across the windshield.

 

[4xdog]

Scraping a dirty windshield can cause scratches due to hard particles of road debris being dragged across the glass. I keep my windshields as clean as I can in winter.

Hard to believe unfilled plastic would scratch clean glass, but I'm always willing to learn sumthin' new. I guess if you're using a filled plastic, that could have different abrasivity due to the filler.

In my cars I have ice scrapers from Finland, a place where they know ice and snow. The ones I like best come in various styles, but have in common a brass blade. They work great and have never scratched glass.

Here's one:

http://murskax.fi/en/

 

[404]

I put an electric heater in the car, run a flat extension cord out at the top corner of the door away from the hinges. Plug in 15 min ahead of time works great.
Costs less than burning gas to de ice.

 

[jeff lary]

smack it with a small ball peen,.... call insurance, "a rock from a sand truck hit me right in the middle and kah-pow,..." Just a thought but that way at least you will have new again.

 

[1steve]

smack it with a small ball peen,.... call insurance, "a rock from a sand truck hit me right in the middle and kah-pow,..." Just a thought but that way at least you will have new again.

Bad advice

 

[wnstwolf]

I will try the glass polish kit first and be careful going forward. Just seems like this should not happen but live and earn. Thanks guys.

 

[toplessHO]

one of those chip repair guys might buff it for $50
to me its worth it because if you screw it up youll end up with more of a mess.
could also install an inline "tank" heater and turn on deice for a few before you leave.

 

[6768rogues]

Park indoors.

 

[coolrolla2tc]

I use a brass edged scrapper. I also use Superclean Accuvision spray on rain repellant and cleaner, water rolls of at highway speed an frost,ice and snow clean off with ease. I apply every couple months.

 

[CJM8515]

I had a scratch on the back window of my toyota truck, nothing I did would take it off it seemed. Then I got some polishing compound and bingo, no more scratch.

 

[Heavymetalmechanic]

I have run into that with cheap scrapers, it's worth the money for a good one, I can't for the life of me remember where I got mine.

I use the de-icer spray, but be careful it is super flammable.

My daily driver is a standard cab Serria, it warms up super fast and defrosts nicely but my 94 Yukon is a beast that never really warms up. I have a block heater, lower rad hose heater and oil pan heater all wired to one plug using 8-3 cable. It also has a lead from that junction box to a 110v outlet I wired in the cargo space that I have a 500w heater plugged into. I have it rigged to a timer that I can control from inside. I switch it all on 30-45 minutes before I go to start it. Draws about 2300w and only gets used when it's colder then -20C. It took a lot of work to get rigged up nice and I sometimes worry about the wall outlet I plug into but I have not had any problems yet, I only use a 10' 8-3 cord I made for it.

My dad puts a trouble light on the floor in the passenger side with the plug hanging out of the trunk. 40w bulb and a timer that comes on 3 hours before he leaves for work. Keeps it frost free except on the coldest nights, and even then it keeps the frost soft.

 

[dbabicky]

Mixture of 2/3 rubbing alchohol and 1/3 water in a spray bottle. (not warm water) spray on and watch the ice disappear.