Phantom Lettering on Windshield?

bighouse · 10-01-2009, 08:48 AM

When I wash my windshield with Invisible Glass I can see some hand-written letters on the drivers side in the upper and lower corners of the glass. It has a "halo" of fog around it when wet, but when dry it goes away. I'm thinking it's some kind of residual reaction to whatever was used to initially write those letters during production of the glass or the car. I'd like to get rid of it, but am concerned as I've heard the windshields on the Gen III have some kind of water resistance coating? Can I polish the glass and not damage that? If so, what product do I use?

FWIW, the 2" high letters in the upper corner read:
O
EM

and in the lower corner are, I think:
3515

scottwyden · 10-01-2009, 08:57 AM

I see that too when I wash the car or when it rains and my wiper gets all the way to the left

tumbleweed · 10-01-2009, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bighouse

When I wash my windshield with Invisible Glass I can see some hand-written letters on the drivers side in the upper and lower corners of the glass. It has a "halo" of fog around it when wet, but when dry it goes away. I'm thinking it's some kind of residual reaction to whatever was used to initially write those letters during production of the glass or the car. I'd like to get rid of it, but am concerned as I've heard the windshields on the Gen III have some kind of water resistance coating? Can I polish the glass and not damage that? If so, what product do I use?

FWIW, the 2" high letters in the upper corner read:
O
EM

and in the lower corner are, I think:
3515

I was wondering if someone else would see those. I have different numbers than you, can't remember 27xx don't remember the last two digits. Hadn't noticed the letters yet I'll look next time I wash the car. Gen3 versions IV and V have some kind of rain-repellent front side windows but I hadn't heard anything about the windshield. Since the letters and numbers only show up when wet I guess I'll just leave them there.

PriusLewis · 10-01-2009, 11:15 AM

That's probably something written at the factory that is cleaned off before delivery. In the "old" days of more manual assembly (as opposed to the more automated factories of today) various departments and QA used to write all over things. Restorers today go crazy trying to perfectly reproduce this stuff (even using vintage markers that were used by the factory). Think of these as "physical cookies" - artifacts of the build process. I think they're cool and interesting!

LRKingII · 10-01-2009, 01:02 PM

Dianne from Manhatten Beach Toyota said what it was in another thread. It's from grease pens the tells certain info from the port. Ammonia (sp) window cleaner will take it off

tumbleweed · 10-01-2009, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LRKingII

Dianne from Manhatten Beach Toyota said what it was in another thread. It's from grease pens the tells certain info from the port. Ammonia (sp) window cleaner will take it off

I think what we are seeing may be different from what Dianne was talking about. This is not something some one wrote on with a grease pen, what I see is printed by machine or stamped on, not hand lettered.

KK6PD · 10-01-2009, 01:43 PM

All I ever see is "SUBMIT, OBEY, and IT HAS TO GET BETTER"......

I just wait for the window to dry!

stream · 10-01-2009, 01:45 PM

I've got that as well, and neither Windex nor Sprayway glass cleaner removed it.

qbee42 · 10-01-2009, 02:52 PM

Redrum.

Tom

spiderman · 10-01-2009, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KK6PD

All I ever see is "SUBMIT, OBEY, and I HAS TO GET BETTER"......

Sweet... words to live by.

10-01-2009, 08:48 AM	#1
bighouse Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Guerneville, CA Posts: 225 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 3 Thanked 22 Times in 17 Posts Friends: 2	Phantom Lettering on Windshield? When I wash my windshield with Invisible Glass I can see some hand-written letters on the drivers side in the upper and lower corners of the glass. It has a "halo" of fog around it when wet, but when dry it goes away. I'm thinking it's some kind of residual reaction to whatever was used to initially write those letters during production of the glass or the car. I'd like to get rid of it, but am concerned as I've heard the windshields on the Gen III have some kind of water resistance coating? Can I polish the glass and not damage that? If so, what product do I use? FWIW, the 2" high letters in the upper corner read: O EM and in the lower corner are, I think: 3515

10-01-2009, 08:57 AM	#2
scottwyden new jersey photographer Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Jersey Posts: 270 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Navigation Thanks: 145 Thanked 15 Times in 10 Posts Friends: 6	Re: Phantom Lettering on Windshield? I see that too when I wash the car or when it rains and my wiper gets all the way to the left

10-01-2009, 11:15 AM	#4
PriusLewis Management Scientist Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Denver Metro Posts: 655 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: N/A Package: #2 Thanks: 88 Thanked 43 Times in 36 Posts Friends: 5	Re: Phantom Lettering on Windshield? That's probably something written at the factory that is cleaned off before delivery. In the "old" days of more manual assembly (as opposed to the more automated factories of today) various departments and QA used to write all over things. Restorers today go crazy trying to perfectly reproduce this stuff (even using vintage markers that were used by the factory). Think of these as "physical cookies" - artifacts of the build process. I think they're cool and interesting!

10-01-2009, 01:02 PM	#5
LRKingII Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Idaho Posts: 499 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: III Package: Navigation Thanks: 13 Thanked 59 Times in 50 Posts Friends: 1	Re: Phantom Lettering on Windshield? Dianne from Manhatten Beach Toyota said what it was in another thread. It's from grease pens the tells certain info from the port. Ammonia (sp) window cleaner will take it off

10-01-2009, 01:43 PM	#7
KK6PD _ . _ . / _ _ . _ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,157 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #5 Thanks: 88 Thanked 35 Times in 32 Posts Friends: 11	Re: Phantom Lettering on Windshield? All I ever see is "SUBMIT, OBEY, and IT HAS TO GET BETTER"...... I just wait for the window to dry! Last edited by KK6PD; 10-01-2009 at 11:52 PM.

10-01-2009, 01:45 PM	#8
stream Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 918 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: V Package: Navigation Thanks: 58 Thanked 188 Times in 114 Posts Friends: 2	Re: Phantom Lettering on Windshield? I've got that as well, and neither Windex nor Sprayway glass cleaner removed it.

10-01-2009, 02:52 PM	#9
qbee42 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 10,477 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #7 Thanks: 95 Thanked 389 Times in 290 Posts Friends: 10	Re: Phantom Lettering on Windshield? Redrum. Tom

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