A4 Scratches in Glass ?

**razordog** · 01-03-2009 02:55 PM

Well I purchased a 05 A4 USP and have been straightening out some issues with the car. One I ran across is the glass appears to be scratched on a couple of windows. Vertical scratches as noted in the pic. Scratches are on the outside. Had some scratch-x and tried that for the hell of it but not much difference. Is there any hope to save this w/o purchasing new glass? Its like there was sand in the window seal and the window was run up.

Now the second question, these windows appear to be lightly tinted. I spoke to one person and he told me Audi windows are lightly tinted from the factory, that true? I've looked at the windows and I can't find an edge if there tinted.

**Twista616** · 01-04-2009 12:56 PM

Sorry to say, but scratch x isnt going to do anything...its made for paint! You have two options...maybe three. 1. purchase a glass polish...Phil @ DetaileraDomain can help you there. Try that. 2. Live with it(not an option i recommend) 3. Replace the glass.

Scratches on the glass are a pain!! Is that a white USP? I want it!!

**razordog** · 01-04-2009 02:14 PM

I might try a company locally that advertises they can remove scratches from auto glass and let them take a look.

If there's a glass polish that really works I might check that out as well. I've had such bad luck with trying to find a water spot remover for glass I'm not real confident any hand application product can do the job I'm looking for. (Probably purchased 4 or 5 different water spot removal products and none of them can cut the etching from the windows on my new truck / and the friggin dealer won't replace the glass ! )

And the USP, well it's silver. Bought the car over a month ago and yet to drive it ! Re powder wheels, new tires on order, detail, tune-up and the latest project.... new TRE. someday !

**DetailDan** · 01-04-2009 09:05 PM

http://www.lakecountrymfg.com/spec_products_GPSPRO.html

**Twista616** · 01-05-2009 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by razordog

I might try a company locally that advertises they can remove scratches from auto glass and let them take a look.

If there's a glass polish that really works I might check that out as well. I've had such bad luck with trying to find a water spot remover for glass I'm not real confident any hand application product can do the job I'm looking for. (Probably purchased 4 or 5 different water spot removal products and none of them can cut the etching from the windows on my new truck / and the friggin dealer won't replace the glass ! )

And the USP, well it's silver. Bought the car over a month ago and yet to drive it ! Re powder wheels, new tires on order, detail, tune-up and the latest project.... new TRE. someday !

Yea, no glass polish will work by hand. A special polishing pad and rotary buffer will do the trick and thats probably what the guy will do if you take it to them!

Goodluck and keep us posted!

**Tugboatguy** · 01-05-2009 09:55 PM

quote:
Now the second question, these windows appear to be lightly tinted. I spoke to one person and he told me Audi windows are lightly tinted from the factory, that true? I've looked at the windows and I can't find an edge if there tinted.

Factory uses tinted glass not tinting film like aftermarket , so you wont find an edge

**razordog** · 01-05-2009 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by Tugboatguy

quote:
Now the second question, these windows appear to be lightly tinted. I spoke to one person and he told me Audi windows are lightly tinted from the factory, that true? I've looked at the windows and I can't find an edge if there tinted.

Factory uses tinted glass not tinting film like aftermarket , so you wont find an edge

Thanks for clarifying. Thats what I was trying to ask, if they use tinted glass.

**razordog** · 01-13-2009 07:21 AM

Well after thinking this thru and talking to several services I've decided to replace the glass. For the price of the glass seems to make more sense to just replace. I ordered thru genuinevwaudiparts.com so hopefully they'll be just like the oem glass (tint, quality of the plastic mounts, etc). Well see, the price of new glass was very reasonable in comparison to having someone try to polish out the scratches.

**Lugi20** · 01-13-2009 09:55 AM

I also think you should consider the source of those scratches as well. They are vertical, all the way across the glass. Looks like some grit or other abrasive foreign objects must be in the rubber stripping to be causing that. If you don't make sure to fix the cause of the problem, you'll just get it again when you put your new glass in.

My $.02

**razordog** · 01-13-2009 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Lugi20

I also think you should consider the source of those scratches as well. They are vertical, all the way across the glass. Looks like some grit or other abrasive foreign objects must be in the rubber stripping to be causing that. If you don't make sure to fix the cause of the problem, you'll just get it again when you put your new glass in.

My $.02

Defintely, I'll be looking very close at the seal. If I can't clean it and be confident it won't scratch my new glass I'll replace it.

**astrobill** · 02-10-2009 07:30 PM

All:

Exact same problem here...passenger side glass on my 2008 A4. I think it's the outside.

QUESTIONS:

1. Are most people getting the scratches on the OUTSIDE or on the INSIDE?

2. On which side(s) of the door glass does any mechanism touch the glass?

Here's why I ask:

I took my car in for this, and Audi of Rockville, MD claims there are no mechanical devices that touch the outside of the window that could cause scratches of any kind, reinforcing their "debris" theory. They said they "blew it out" and there's no debris in there now.

HBL Audi of Tysons told me this is "very rare"...is that true? Seems like a lot of people are finding this.

BP

**MB A4** · 02-11-2009 05:51 AM

I have the same issue, the tint guy said he never saw that before while tinting my windows. I have the same fear of replacing glass if the same issue comes up. Might just have to live with it.

**Tugboatguy** · 02-11-2009 10:57 AM

No problems with scratching yet , I've noticed the outer window seals on the doors pick up dirt that normal cleaning might miss. When I wash the car I take the hose and spray horizontally along the bottom of the window to get rid of the grit and Not drive it between the seal and the window. A couple of swipes with a toothbrush while washing will help too

**razordog** · 02-11-2009 10:09 PM

As I noted earlier I decided on replacing the glass. When I had the glass out I thoroughly washed the seal, blew it off good, rewashed it, brushed it, etc. It didn't look real dirty but when I blew it off while brushing you could see fine dirt/sand particles coming off.

Astrobill had asked about door mechanism toughing the glass. On my B6 the glass just travels in the rails and is positioned by two plastic pieces that are bonded to the glass on the bottom of the window.

I would recommend that if you ever get in some real dusty conditions, especially something like blowing sand, that you don't roll down the windows until you have an opportunity to clean the felt like window seals first.