Deformed/rippled Front Windows?

[Gozzy]

Hi all,

This is my very first post, so I apologise in advance for any forum etiquette fails!

I've owned an IS200 Sport for the past 6 years with no issues. The car was used and sourced from a main dealer. In addition to the standard rear privacy glass, the front side windows had also been tinted.

I've recently noticed that both windows now look rippled in the bottom corners (especially the passenger side), which gives a slightly distorted view. This feels solid to the touch, as though the glass itself has deformed. Any idea what would have caused this? It cant be excessive heat (as this is England after all!). Does anyone have any suggestions for getting it fixed, or is it a case of replacing the glass?

Many thanks

[matt-c]

Glass doesn't distort through heat - well it does, but not through ambient temperatures in even the hottest countries. Tempered glass (which is what your door glass, rear windscreen and sunroof is made from) has to be heated to about 800 deg c (as high as 1500 deg f) to shape it, and you aren't gonna get ambient temps that high.

So, either the glass has a manufacturing defect (which isn't uncommon; I fit probably over a thousand bits of glass every year, and I've seen many that are distorted or rippled - some so bad they look like the fun-fair "crazy" mirrors), or it's an illusion to do with the tint applied. If you can actually feel "waves" in the glass (on the non tinted side, i.e. the outside) then the glass is physically distorted, and will be a manufacturing defect.

Only option for that is to change it. But unless it's restricting your view (ie, you can't see clearly out of it) then I really wouldn't bother.

[Gozzy]

Thanks for the info Matt.

It feels smooth on the outside, so must be something to do with the tint. I've no idea why it suddenly appears distorted after so long. I can live with it, but I guess I'll just wait and see what happens at the next MOT...

I don't suppose you'd happen to know how much a side window replacement would be off the top of your head?? Just in case.

[mikey's IS]

I would bet on the tint had a defect if its the original glass.

i would lean towards getting it re-tinted you can take the tint off but its the glue thats hard to get off.

[matt-c]

Been a long time since I did a door glass on an IS, but from memory it's a simple straightforward job - the only problem I can remember arising is the autoclose on the drivers side; when the window is broken, it often goes into whats called "safe mode", which is where the mech doesn't know where to stop, and because of the anti-jam, it isn't sure that when the window reaches the top of the frame, it's at the top of the frame, so to be safe, it jumps back down again (the anti-jam kicks in, just to be on the safe side incase it's a set of fingers it's hitting, not the door frame). The remedy for this is to remove the entire mech from the door, fully extend, fully contract, and repeat, then refit (I can't remember if that's the exact proceedure, but it's thereabouts, since it's been such a long time since I fitted one - probably 4 or 5 years).

However, none of that should come into play at all if you were simply removing the glass and replacing it with new glass. From memory, to remove the glass, the door card comes off (I think it's three, maybe four screws - door catch handle, door pull handle, maybe one behind the light, and possibly one somewhere else), and the glass is mounted on the mech bar using two 10mm bolts, which can access with the mech most of the way down. Then simply lift, tilt and take the door glass out. Refitting is reversal of removal. All in all, shouldn't take more than 10-15mins per door, but if you've never done it, bank on the first one taking a little longer, just as you 1) find the screws etc to remove and 2) get used to the feel of pulling a door card off - those poppers can be very deceiving, making you think something is going to break!

[Gozzy]

Thanks for the info guys. Rather than attempt to remove 10 year old glue... I'll live with the defective tint for now (unless they deem it an MOT fail in January).

Thanks again!