EJC

I noticed a couple of months ago that my Windshield was pitting at what appeared to be an unusually high rate.
These are not spots that need fill nor are they spider webbed.
The car is a '16 ES350 purchased in June '16 and has 18,600 miles on the odo.
The paint is virtually immaculate, with just 1 or 2 very small chips - the hood has not been sandblasted from following too close (which we don't do anyway)

Has anyone else encountered this?
The Lexus response so far is that it is not their problem.

Popgun

I noticed that "unusually high rate" on the 2010 I just traded. I had to replace the glass twice due to rock hits and both new ones pitted pretty quickly too. Lexus glass for both replacements.

tm14930

Hmm, my 4 month old '17 is already showing ever so shallow pitting on lower portion of windshield, and additionally appears to get fine scratches like the gas station squeegee is scratching it. I have 3 scratches all happening separately. I am going to be watching closely to see where they are coming from.
But really what is the speculative answer. Is the glass that soft, or is there a soft outer surface coating that allows this?

BradTank

Something is definitely up with newer Lexus glass, on another Lexus I own, in the first 5k miles I developed a MASSIVE crack that almost covers the windshield from just a tiny rock chip. You would think someone took a baseball bat to the window.
On 2 previous Lexus I had, the original glass was fine for like 10+ years.

Fortunately my insurance covers 100% of it with no deductible but I wouldn't go out of my way for factory glass as something seems to have changed.

I've actually had really good luck with Pilkington glass as a replacement. Its the OEM for certain models of Toyota so its not crappy Chinese off brand type replacements.

lesz

Windshields on Lexus vehicles are treated in some way that causes water to bead and run off of the windshield.

Lexus has been using that windshield (and front side window) treatment for quite a few years. My experience has been that, after a few years, the water doesn't bead in the same way that it did when the vehicle was new. So, I've assumed that, if a treatment was applied to the windshield, that it wears off over time. Thus, I'm wondering if the pitting that the OP is seeing could be in the whatever the treatment is.

Pilkington is one of the suppliers that Lexus also uses for its glass. The rear side windows on my 2017 ES have Pilkington glass.