I just picked up my beautiful A4 this morning. Right away I noticed that in certain of the windshield images appeared wavey. Has anyone else had this problem? Is the windshield flawed or maybe has a coating on it because it's new. I hate to think of a replacement windshield on my new car already.

 

It's a manufacturing defect, have the dealer replace it. While you're at it, see if they can put in PPG glass instead of Audi OE glass because Audi glass in general suck - they are more susceptible to pitting and scratches with age.<p><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/larryescortsig.jpg">

 

....more discussiong can be found be searching in the archives. Try searching on <b>windshield</b> or <b>windshield distortion</b>

Hate to break it to you, but a replacement is probably the only way to fix it. But be warned that folks have had the same distortion issue with new replacement windshields also.<p><a href="mailto:andy_hedin@hotmail.com"><img SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/A_Hedin_Sig.jpg" BORDER=0></a>

 

...what a photo-finish! )<p><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/larryescortsig.jpg">

 

<p><a href="mailto:andy_hedin@hotmail.com"><img SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/A_Hedin_Sig.jpg" BORDER=0></a>

 

...that the distortion is caused by the tears of joy from getting your A4.

I know I had a set of moist peepers when I got mine.

 

...a bunch of us with '00s commented on this a few weeks ago in the forums...mine is not too bad, so I'm going to talk to my dealer about it, but replacing a rear windshield sounds to me like major surgery on my new baby, and I'm thinking I'd rather just live with it than risk the dealer getting it "not quite as good as the factory did"...<p>'00 1.8TQS Tip, no chip (yet...)

 

You are sure to pick up pits and rock stars over that time, and you will end up with a fresh new windshield just as your warranty expires. If you have it replaced right away, in three years it will be tired and you will have to buy another out of your own pocket.

My new A4 has a wavey rear winshield. I am going to ignore it. The front one is fine.

 

The windshields seem to have vertical lines of distortion about 6-8" apart.

My first windshield had one major line in the center of the passenger side - being a perfectionist with a warranty, I had Audi replace it.

- I get the car back and the new one is TERRIBLE - it has like 6 of these vertical lines across the whole passenger side - I chewed them out (in my head anyway) for giving me one that was worse than my original. They tell me that they just ship the glass to the install place in it's packaging and never see it until it comes back on the car.

- A week later I get my third windshield - it looks good - but after a few days of driving I see the trouble spots. One long distortion line goes 3/4 of the way up the window right in the middle of the passenger plus four or five stubby lines that only go a fifth of the way up. I only really notice these defects when I'm turning right on a slight rise.

I finally gave up when somewhere along the way my steering wheel leather got nicked. I didn't raise this issue - just trimmed it and went on with life.

My morals for this story:

All the glass Audi provides is defective - but to varying degrees. Decide if this is actually a problem for you or just an irritant because you know it exists :-) It might help to look at some other cars to see what kinds of distortions are available (look through the windshield at a distant point and wave your head from side-to-side, etc.)

If you decide to ask for a replacement windshield, demand that you examine the new glass before it is installed - no point going through that abuse for nothing - too many chances for car damage from careless mechanics.

Gordon Martin
98.5 2.8QMS (Santorin Blue)

P.S. - Audi has a TSB on this which consists of a questionaire for the dealer on which they have to sketch the distortion that exists in your glass.

P.P.S - I am told that although they are distorted they are one of the lightest windshields on the market - I would rather have distortion if it is going to save 20+ pounds in my car (of course I guess I could just remove my golf clubs a little more often :-)