Removing Sun Film from windshield with defogger.

JayD · 3rd June 2009, 12:41

My car has rear defogger, and i've had tints installed on it around 7 years back. Now I want to remove it and install another one, but am worried that,pulling off the tints may damage the defogger

What is the way to remove the tint from the window without affecting the defogger in any way?

splitsecond · 3rd June 2009, 13:05

its not possible to remove tints without damaging the defogger,i am also looking for a solution.

gowda79 · 3rd June 2009, 13:21

JayD, if i am not wrong for the rear glass tints will be done from outside and by removing it that won't affect the defogger.

You can remove the tints and change it.

invincible7 · 3rd June 2009, 13:34

gowda.. the tints are done from inside, never from the outside for any glass in the car.

It would be intersting to know how this can be done as i have the same dilema as to how can one remove the tints if one wants to from the defogger equipped glass.

muralisk · 3rd June 2009, 13:38

I did get the tints on my Matiz replaced after having them for over 6 years including the rear windshield. I don't see any issues with my rear windshield defogger. It works really fine.

HappyWheels · 3rd June 2009, 13:39

@JayD,

Is the tint applied inside or outside? If inside, expect it to be damaged!

@invisible,
For cars with defoggers, the best practice (and the one I have seen) is to apply the tint on the exterior!

This is done to ensure that the defogger lining does not get damaged or the tint get damaged when defogger is used.

I am not sure how people who end up putting the tint on the inside (ie on top of the defogger lining) use the defoggers?

jraj · 3rd June 2009, 13:42

JayD,
Its not worth the struggle.
I lost my Petra's rear defogger in the very same process and I still loathe taking the decision to change tints on the rear.

gowda79 · 3rd June 2009, 13:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by invincible7

gowda.. the tints are done from inside, never from the outside for any glass in the car.

It would be intersting to know how this can be done as i have the same dilema as to how can one remove the tints if one wants to from the defogger equipped glass.

Invincible, tints are done from outside for rear due to the defoggers and only for the side glasses they do it from interiors.

If it is done from the interior then pay for the new defogger there is no other way.

muralisk · 3rd June 2009, 13:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

@JayD,

Is the tint applied inside or outside? If inside, expect it to be damaged!

@invisible,
For cars with defoggers, the best practice (and the one I have seen) is to apply the tint on the exterior!

This is done to ensure that the defogger lining does not get damaged or the tint get damaged when defogger is used.

I am not sure how people who end up putting the tint on the inside (ie on top of the defogger lining) use the defoggers?

As I said, I had the tints applied inside on both my cars (Matiz and NHC) which have defoggers. I did replace the tint in my Matiz and and on both these cars, the defogger works great. I have absolutely no issues.

As far as I know, I have not see any where the tints being applied on the outside as the film would get scratched while cleaning it everyday (especially in India with so much of dust and imagine what it would like when you drive through rains) and makes it difficult view from the central rear view mirror.

HappyWheels · 3rd June 2009, 14:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by muralisk

...As far as I know, I have not see any where the tints being applied on the outside as the film would get scratched while cleaning it everyday (especially in India with so much of dust and imagine what it would like when you drive through rains) and makes it difficult view from the central rear view mirror.

That is because of the number of cars with vs without defoggers that we have in India. Hence you will find all the tint'ers tint'ing on the inside and those people care a foot about your defoggers.

And good to know that your defoggers are working great.

For my understanding - can you tell me if the defoggers are switched on, wont the film also get heated and thereby destroy it? Or is the film strong enough to handle that heat?

EDIT: And another strange thing I notice here: for sticking the tint on the rear glass, they actually remove the glass from the boot! There goes your OEM beading setting and all! <head bang>

greenhorn · 3rd June 2009, 14:40

the installer who put the tints on my car damaged the defogger WHILE installing it ( the idiot scraped it with a blade! - was confident nothing would happen to the defogger).

well, at least now I dont have to worry about damaging it while removing it

dadu · 3rd June 2009, 14:42

Its for the same reason I dont have tints of the rear glass. But anyways the heat is of very low intensity to cause any damage to the tints.

So now if we can come back on how to remove from the current FAQ on defogger and tints

I can think of only 2 ways:

- On a very hot day, park you car in the sun with windows closed for 2-3 hrs and then get it removed at the peak of the sun. Ofcourse the risk remains.

- Carefully cut along the lines of the heater alloy leaving some gap.

genesis · 3rd June 2009, 14:44

A good installer can apparently do a 'heat treatment' to warm up the film before removing it. Involves using a heater as well as some black cover they put on the glass for some time before they remove it.
I have heard of this but not done it myself

invincible7 · 3rd June 2009, 15:16

I was not aware that films can be installed from outside aswell.

Mine was done frm the inside, i am using 3M RE series.

As far as the burning of the film is concerned due to defogger, i dont think the glass heats up to that level wherein the heat would catch fire to the film.

Ok..worst case scenerio..what is the cost of the defogger if it gets damaged. I mean an appx cost.

hellstar · 3rd June 2009, 15:18

I have seen this been done at Tint Mart Bangalore, and i have seen them doe this successfully on atleast two cars one was older than 5 years and sadly the rear tint as it came off left some colourful discoloration on the rear glass( this they said was from the low quality gareware tints). But the new tints which were very dark shades hid those pretty well.

yes the procedure involves a heat gun and what looked like some extra sheets of tint material.

3rd June 2009, 12:41	#1
JayD Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cochin! At last Posts: 3,235 Thanked: 2,615 Times View My Garage	Removing Sun Film from windshield with defogger. My car has rear defogger, and i've had tints installed on it around 7 years back. Now I want to remove it and install another one, but am worried that,pulling off the tints may damage the defogger What is the way to remove the tint from the window without affecting the defogger in any way?
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 13:05	#2
splitsecond BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kerala Posts: 135 Thanked: 105 Times View My Garage	its not possible to remove tints without damaging the defogger,i am also looking for a solution.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 13:21	#3
gowda79 Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 1,475 Thanked: 195 Times View My Garage	JayD, if i am not wrong for the rear glass tints will be done from outside and by removing it that won't affect the defogger. You can remove the tints and change it.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 13:34	#4
invincible7 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Delhi NCR Posts: 665 Thanked: 173 Times	gowda.. the tints are done from inside, never from the outside for any glass in the car. It would be intersting to know how this can be done as i have the same dilema as to how can one remove the tints if one wants to from the defogger equipped glass.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 13:38	#5
muralisk BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hyderabad, Bangalore Posts: 711 Thanked: 13 Times View My Garage	I did get the tints on my Matiz replaced after having them for over 6 years including the rear windshield. I don't see any issues with my rear windshield defogger. It works really fine.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 13:39	#6
HappyWheels Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,145 Thanked: 571 Times	@JayD, Is the tint applied inside or outside? If inside, expect it to be damaged! @invisible, For cars with defoggers, the best practice (and the one I have seen) is to apply the tint on the exterior! This is done to ensure that the defogger lining does not get damaged or the tint get damaged when defogger is used. I am not sure how people who end up putting the tint on the inside (ie on top of the defogger lining) use the defoggers?
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 13:42	#7
jraj BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Michigan,USA Posts: 490 Thanked: 212 Times View My Garage	JayD, Its not worth the struggle. I lost my Petra's rear defogger in the very same process and I still loathe taking the decision to change tints on the rear.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 14:40	#11
greenhorn BANNED Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KL-01 Posts: 7,878 Thanked: 4,910 Times View My Garage	the installer who put the tints on my car damaged the defogger WHILE installing it ( the idiot scraped it with a blade! - was confident nothing would happen to the defogger). well, at least now I dont have to worry about damaging it while removing it
	(1) Thanks

3rd June 2009, 14:42	#12
dadu Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3,803 Thanked: 463 Times View My Garage	Its for the same reason I dont have tints of the rear glass. But anyways the heat is of very low intensity to cause any damage to the tints. So now if we can come back on how to remove from the current FAQ on defogger and tints I can think of only 2 ways: - On a very hot day, park you car in the sun with windows closed for 2-3 hrs and then get it removed at the peak of the sun. Ofcourse the risk remains. - Carefully cut along the lines of the heater alloy leaving some gap.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 14:44	#13
genesis BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 774 Thanked: 661 Times	A good installer can apparently do a 'heat treatment' to warm up the film before removing it. Involves using a heater as well as some black cover they put on the glass for some time before they remove it. I have heard of this but not done it myself
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 15:16	#14
invincible7 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Delhi NCR Posts: 665 Thanked: 173 Times	I was not aware that films can be installed from outside aswell. Mine was done frm the inside, i am using 3M RE series. As far as the burning of the film is concerned due to defogger, i dont think the glass heats up to that level wherein the heat would catch fire to the film. Ok..worst case scenerio..what is the cost of the defogger if it gets damaged. I mean an appx cost.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 15:18	#15
hellstar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,073 Thanked: 44 Times	I have seen this been done at Tint Mart Bangalore, and i have seen them doe this successfully on atleast two cars one was older than 5 years and sadly the rear tint as it came off left some colourful discoloration on the rear glass( this they said was from the low quality gareware tints). But the new tints which were very dark shades hid those pretty well. yes the procedure involves a heat gun and what looked like some extra sheets of tint material.
	() Thanks