"spots" in the glass of our Jetta windshield

Our new (last week) 2012 Jetta has something on, or more likely in, the windshield glass that will throw hundreds of pinpoint reflections into the front seat occupants’ eyes when the sun hits the glass at just the right angle. It’s somewhat blinding to the person driving. The dealer buffed the windows, but it made no difference. It looks like fine pitting on the glass (except the glass is smooth to the touch), or like tiny air bubbles or transparent particles trapped inside the glass. The glass looks clear except when the sun catches it right, so it was a few days before we noticed the problem. I now can see the same thing on at least the driver’s side window. Is this “normal?” Our 2007 Subaru doesn’t have this, nor did the 1997 Subaru that we traded in, so I’m thinking maybe it’s not “normal.” And if it’s not, any suggestions as to what the cause of the pinpoint reflections is?

The glass on cars is multilayer, one sheet in between to prevent shattering, as far as I know. In your case seems like the manufacturing process was not perfect and you have air bubbles in there. Just go back to the dealership, reproduce the problem and ask them to fix it. They would probably end up changing the defective windshield(s).

Aargh, I was ALMOST hoping this was normal. Seeing it on the side window made me think it was just the way it was, like it or not. OK, off to the dealer.

The pits (if that is what they are) can be so fine that you can’t feel them. One option is to get a magnifier with a light and see if you can see them better at, say, 10x magnification. The best bet is to keep after the dealer. You need records of each visit. If they can’t fix this flaw within a few visits in the first year or two of ownership, you can return the car as a lemon. I didn’t use exact figures because it depends on your state. Even though the problem is likely to be solved soon, you need to get a receipt for each attempt the dealer makes to fix it so that you can prove it is a lemon if it comes to that. Having the lemon law hanging over them also means you might get a new windshield quickly, and that is the real purpose of the lemon law. Here’s a web site to check your state’s laws:

http://www.lemonlawamerica.com/

Galant hit it pretty much spot on (no pun intended). If it is also on the side glass that glass is different than the windshield, the side glass is tempered glass and one layer. It is either a defect or something had gotten on the windows while it was in transit to the dealer. Where I live we get a lot of sand damage to windows but it is pitted when that happens. A trip to the dealer is in order for sure. Best of luck.