badnf0

Hello everyone. Searched for this topic but couldn't find any answers...

My mom just picked up a CPO 06 LS 430 and had the windows tinted by the dealership. The tint is lifted across each of the heater elements in the back window so that at night headlights bounce off of the tint at each element and create a grid pattern. I have never seen this before.

We took the car back to the dealership and they said that the problem was due to "unusually thick" heater elements on the LS430. To be honest, I don't believe the service rep but I wanted to confirm things before I call him a liar.

Has anyone else had a similar problem with tinting the rear window on their LS430? Thanks!

airtime

When you wrote the tint is "lifted" what does that mean? The tint should be one piece across the whole back, not cut individually to fit between the defroster line.

CG lover

a bad job by the dealer,, have tint on my 05 and there are no air pockets anywhere on any of the windows,, heater strips or not,,

would request it be re-done,,

Derry

bonafyd

iTrader: (6)

X2

SH212

well put x3

badnf0

Excellent, thanks! To clarify, when I say "lifted" I mean there is a long bubble over each heater element that runs the entire width of the glass.

This looked like a bad install to me, but I wanted to get some backup before I pressed the issue. Thanks again!

SH212

WHAT!! demand it get redone there shouldnt be any bubbles at all, i was worried at first but my tinter said i had nothing to worry that its fine to put the tint over it and nothing would happen and he promised that if something were to happend he would pay to fix it

Tee

The only problem is you risk loosing your re-defroster when they scrape the old tint off. If this happens then the dealer should have it repalced free of charge.

Kansas

It often takes up to a week or two for all the liquid used to apply the tint to dry out. Be patient and give the tint a chance to dry. Normally a tint shop provides an instruction sheet that explains the drying proocess and how the tint must be cleaned -- you sure can't use Windex on tint if you want it to last very long; I use special tint cleaner recommended by a tint shop. It is also important to leave the side windows rolled up until the tint dries out. I usually wait at least one week before I roll down the windows.

All our cars are Toyota/Lexus products and all get the same light "bounce" on the imprinted rear window defroster grid. It's a "feature." We have had our Toyota and Lexus cars tinted by more than one tint shop and we always get a similar light bounce on the rear window defroster grid. It bothered me at first but I quickly got used to it and the light scatter lessens substantially after the tint dries out.

Tint can be easily steamed off by a pro so don't worry. No scapping is necessary and your defroster grid should be OK if the tint really does have to be redone. If you dealer didn't explain all this you might want to contact a tint shop. Most car dealers subcontract out tint work. If so, you might want to contact the subcontractor if the dealer will tell you who it is.

LSorBS

Did your dealer tint OVER the defroster lines in the rear? my guys removed the tint from this area, simply but it off in tiny strips.

badnf0

The dealer's tint guy tinted over the defrost strips.

Kansas it has been several weeks since the tint was done. We took the car in about 2 weeks ago to have them address the light refraction issue, and after a week they returned the vehicle after having the tint guy "do some work". The bubbles were slightly smaller but still distractingly noticeable. Are you saying that this is a known issue with Toyota vehicles? My family has had several vehicles tinted over the years and we have never encountered such an issue and you are the first person I have come across to acknowledge also having this problem!

Kansas

There should be absolutely no bubbles after the tint has fully dried.

Yes, I am saying the the light scatter issue on the defroster grid from the headlights of following cars is a known issue.

I didn't tint the back window of the first LS I purchased in 1990 -- the only LS400 I have ever seen that had the official manual rear window retractable shade from Lexus. I was so pissed when I bought my 00 LS400 and found that the rear window shade option had been dropped many years prior.

Personally, I would not tint the rear window of an 06 LS430 since it has a standard power rear window retractable shade. Some people on this forum might think it would look odd not having tint on the rear window but I got only positive comments during the 13 1/2 years of driving my 90 LS without rear window tint and with the retractable rear window shade. I had the rear window shade up most of the time anyway and not having the rear window tint sure made backing up easier at night.

Consider having the rear window tint steamed off and try relying on the retractable shade.

I'll attach a photo of my 90 LS with the retractable shade and with 35% tint only on the side windows to give you an idea of how it might look.

Kansas

The attached rear shot of my old 90 LS might give you a better idea of how it is not all that obvious that only the side windows are tinted when the rear shade is up.

What I'm suggesting is not all that unusual. I've noticed a number of BMW 7-series cars with retractable rear window shades that have only their side windows tinted. Maybe the BMW dealer is doing it this way.

One more thing -- leaving off the rear window tint completely removes potential radio reception issues. Your 06 LS like our current Toyota/Lexus cars has it's radio antenna imprinted on the rear window. Using metalicized tint can affect radio reception which is why the shops that have tinted our cars have recommended and used non-metalicized tint on the rear window.

badnf0

Kansas
Yea metalized tint is not an option on our LS, since not only does it have an integrated windshield radio antenna, but the GPS receiver is also mounted on the rear parcel shelf under the glass. For this reason we went with the more expensive ceramic tint. I can understand that the tint may deform over the defroster elements leading to some distortion, but I feel that our current situation, where there is an easily noticeable bubble in the tint, is not acceptable.

I will be giving the dealership a call tomorrow to see what they will do. So far our experience has been less than satisfactory, but hopefully that will change. Thanks again for everyone's help!

salsaboi

Why not tint the glass from the outside rather than the inside? My opinion .. because its a PITA removing the tint without damaging the defroster .. I took a blade and cut sections off the glass and then used lacquer to clean up the remaining tint that was on the defroster lines. Tried it once and it was all good.