rear window tint bubbling due to rear defroster use?

Does anyone know if tint bubbling is still an issue on rear windows when using the rear window defroster? I live in Texas, so most likely I would only be using the rear window defroster a few times a year....maybe a little more if the window fogs up in the back. In the past, I have known friends that have had the built-in wired rear window defrosters...and it has made their tint discolor and bubble after only a few accidental uses....and they had premium tint. That was 5+ years ago though, and I didn't know if this is still an issue...or if the tint film & adhesives have been improved since then to prevent this. I really need to get my windows tinted on my LGT, and was curious about this issue. Any input is appreciated.

I had a friend that had a 99 eclipse that had tints and in NY we use our deforsters all the time in winter, and she told me that it was a dificult tint job o her car with the side windows and the pattern of the defroster and sh then told me that each part of the rear glass had to be cut to fit inside he defroster wires. i thought she was talking trash but with what your saying it make sence because she never had discolor or bubbling of her tint and we hung out through 2 of the worst winters for cold weather.

The person with the Eclipse was describing "no line" tinting, a process that's going away now because most tint now heat-shrinks to fir curved glass, making splicing a thing of the past. A defroster gets nowhere near as hot as the glass does on a regular summer day. You can bet that won't cause any issues with tint. Every car I've owned has had Llumar lifetime warranty tint (Titanium) and has never discolored or bubbled in any way.

Good point about the heat of the glass in the summer...especially here in Texas where we have some hot ones.

hey i was just telling what i was told

I noticed recently tiny bubbles on my rear window. I've had the car tinted for about a month now and I dont know if its from the recent defroster use or just myself overlooking the bubbles. I wouldn't think the defroster would be able to do this though. Once the shop applied the tint, they used a hair dryer on the opposite side of the windows to bake it on to the glass.

Nahh, don't worry about it. I had my car tinted awhile back and I used the defroster lots of time and it spent all its time outside under the searing summer sun and I didn't have a single problem. I think it all comes down to who does the job- you want to find out who does the best tints in your area and go with them.

Many times, the bubbles you see are actually dirt particles, causing the tint to keep from adhering. A good shop always cleans the windows, but static causes some particles to fly back on. Also, a good shop will re-tint the window if it is bad enough to cause worry......Llumar has a lifetime guarantee, so the quality of the install is key. The shops who sell it stand behind it......it it doesn't have to cost alot. I ran quotes that varied $150-280, depending on which film I used.

The defroster will not cause your tint to bubble at all. If anything it will speed the drying process. What you are seeing can be the result of debris left on the glass before applying the film...like patagonianwrx said. Also, if the tinter did not squeegie all of the water out there may be little pockets left behind. In most cases, as long as they're small enough, they will dry out evenly and the film will be pulled up against the glass in the process. If there's too much water left and you're in high temperatures with decent sun exposure the water will dry up quickly and leave an air pocket. This is probably what you are seeing. These air pockets usually show themselves after a few days to a week, again, depending on the climate. Any reputable shop will retint it for you. I know I would never have a questionable tint job rolling around with my name on it. Post pics if you can. -Lee Applied Film Technologies

Another possibility (although remote), is metal in the glass. If the car had bodywork done at some, sparks from grinding can become embedded in the glass. There is no way to fix this, except to replace the glass. I actually had this situation and the local tint shop was happy to re-tint the new glass, once I had the insurance company agree to replace it. Lee is absolutely right - the reputation of the shop and quality of the work sells more new jobs than sometimes even expensive advertising.

This is what your back glass should look like. I got around to tinting my car on saturday. It's Madico Charcool (non-metalized) in 35% all around. -Lee [img]https://home.comcast.net/~leeberbs/images/rear.jpg[/img]

Lee, the tint job looks great. If you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost you? I am also looking at Madico Charcool film, since a place close to my workplace uses the brand. Thanks.

I bet Lee gave himself a killer deal.... Craig

Thanks. My price on a legacy is $185...it only cost me a few dollars and 2 hours of my sunday afternoon.

Lee, I was quoted $199 by a local tint shop with the Madico Charcool, so that seems to be in-line with what you charge. Do you prefer the Madico Charcool film over others? And if so, for what reasons? Just curious. Thanks.

I use the Charcool line on cars that have the radio antenna integrated into the rear window...like many cars today. Even my 02 Legacy wagon has it in the side window of the cargo area. The film with the most heat reduction and longest life is always a metalized film (or ceramic but it costs double) but in our case it will ruin our radio reception (more AM than FM), it could play tricks on your radar, and quite possibly (although it's still debated) interfere with cell reception. There are two types of films that are non-metalized. Dyed and Pigmented. Dyed films start as a roll of clear film. This roll is then run through a series of baths to give it it's color and density. Although they look nice they don't last long and after only a few years you will notice some fading (purple'ish color), adhesive failure (small bubbles on back window) and maybe even loss of clarity. I don't use dyed films for these reasons. When you see a $99 tint job...you know it's dyed film and they're getting it cheap. Stay away from it. Pigmented film on the other hand is not dyed. The color is actually added to the film before it's cooled and spooled onto rolls. This method produces a much more durable tint that will withstand abuse from the sun. It may have specs that are a little less cooling as a metalized film but it holds up great and Madico still backs the Charcool with a lifetime warranty. Plus it won't give you any trouble with the radio and electronics in the car. I just happen to like Madico but there are plenty of other manufacturer's that make great film. Llumar, Johnson, 3M, etc. All safe bets. $199 is a fair price for our cars. As long as the rear is done in one piece and the door glass edges are tight. -Lee

They should come up all the way to the edge [url]http://www.legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2641[/url]

Excellent information, thank you. What do you mean by "as long as....the door glass edgest are tight"?

[quote name='leeberbs']They should come up all the way to the edge [url="http://www.legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2641"]http://www.legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2641[/url][/QUOTE] Ah, ok. Thanks.

My local shop, doing tint for 20+ years and always an amazing job, mentioned that on this car they would not cut out around the 3rd brake light. I don't see how the light will be bright enough at that point. On my Grand Marquis, tinted just one year ago, they cut around it and it looked fine.

[quote name='John M']My local shop, doing tint for 20+ years and always an amazing job, mentioned that on this car they would not cut out around the 3rd brake light. I don't see how the light will be bright enough at that point. On my Grand Marquis, tinted just one year ago, they cut around it and it looked fine.[/QUOTE] John, I guess I'd better pay attention to that. I actually want to make sure that they do tint over the third brake light since I have the spoiler....and I plan on popping the bulb out of the one on the back window...so I don't have 4 brake lights. It's kind of annoying at night, since it shines on my white spoiler and lights up my rear view mirror. I'm hoping with the tint over it, it'll be difficult to see the red plasic lens....otherwise I'll be using a little electrical tape like others have discussed in other threads.