[Old Greaser]

Whilst cleaning my new(6 weeks old) Yeti Adventure I noticed a scratch on the outside of the nearside rear passenger window. Is the window tint a film on the outside of the window or is the tint in the glass? Can the scratch be polished out?

 

[Llanigraham]

Glass is coloured.
Possibly.

 

[kenob]

I had a scratch on a slight tinted windscreen polished out a few years ago.You may need to do some ringing around as most firms will want to replace the screen.
The newer the vehicle the easier it is to polish out as the glass hardens with age.

Ken

 

[Tim Jeal]

The glass is definitely 'tinted', to use the correct technical term. It is also toughened, so as long as the scratch does not penetrate the outer 'tough' skin, it can probably be polished out. If it was deep enough to penetrate the skin layer, then failure would occur, in the same manner that the old toughened (pre-laminated) screens did.
I used to work for Pilkingtons, the glass manufacturers in St Helens, so I know something about the problems that can beset toughened safety glass.
Good luck with the polishing!


Edited by: Tim Jeal

 

[The Hood]

If the scratch is polished out the screen will have a slightly thinner patch with less tinting. I wonder if it will create a light spot

 

[Tim Jeal]

It has the potential to, but would be less obvious from outside. It might show more viewed from inside the vehicle, as things like this always look worse when viewed from dark to light. Seen from the outside the interior is darker, and therefore any thinning and consequent reduction in tint will be less discernable.
It might be possible to make a case for replacement, using this as an argument. Worth a try, anyway.Edited by: Tim Jeal

 

[Old Greaser]

Hi, thanks for the suggestions, particularly Tim Jeal.The scratch was diagnosed as metal deposition from my watch strap caused while cleaning the car!!!!May be useful for anyone else who experiences the same problem, I used TurtleWax Colour Magic Plus+ (Black) and lots of elbow grease. After 20 minutes of rubbing the scratch has disappeared but my fingers are permanently stained black (should have worn non permeable gloves).
It has not caused thinning of the tint or light bleed through.

 

[SnowGood]

After 20 minutes of rubbing the scratch has disappeared but my fingers are permanently stained black (should have worn non permeable gloves).It has not caused thinning of the tint or light bleed through.

Hope that's the glass you're talking about and not your fingers.