Hi. I have a baby due in a few weeks and went to get my windows tinted recently, only to discover they couldn’t do the rear window as the electronic shade wouldn’t budge! I went to my dealer who quoted me (gulp!) $1,700 to “replace the shade.” All I want is to get it down or off so that the tinting can be completed on the car before my baby’s arrival (it’s hot out here!)I thought this might be a $50 fix at most, and all research on the internet shows tricky ways of undoing the mechanical device which I cannot undertake. Does this mean I have to have a half-finished car forever?! (All 4 windows are done.) I purchased the vehicle used 3 years ago “as is” with no warranty.
There are a dozen people who will tell you it can’t be done. I propose using a near-transparent black spray paint on the OUTSIDE of the rear window. Careful preparation and application, are the keys to a satisfactory job.
Another possibility is to apply the tint film to the OUTSIDE of the window.
With either method, the coating, or film, would need care to prevent being damaged by ice scrapers, wash brushes, harsh cleaners (such as Windex), or scrubbers of various types.
Of course, “common sense” says not to do either one of these.