Removing Those Little Black Dots from the Windshield !

[steve2777]

I have a 4 camera DVD system in my 2018 Siesta 24ST (MB Sprinter), and want to mount the front facing camera centered above, and facing out through the windshield, because dashboard mounting interferes with other stuff on the dash. My problem is, at that position on the windshield there's a matrix of little pinhead sized black dots that apparently are designed to reduce sunlight intensity.

I only need about a square inch of clear space for the camera's view, so, no problem, I got out my razor knife to scrape off some of the dots. No luck: even a hardened steel edge made no progress on the dots. I think they're made of kryptonite !

Note: this is not the original factory factory windshield, which was replaced by Safelite after a stone cracked it (although it might be a factory replacement; I just don't remember whether the original had these dots.)

Has anyone had occasion to successfully remove any of these dots? Thanks.

[HarryS]

Those dots are called the 'frit', and it's a ceramic coating that is baked onto the windshield. So, no, you can't remove it without damaging the windshield.

[steve2777]

Oh well, I'll have to change plans. Thanks HarryS !

[Seabee]

Actually, those little dots continue to fall off on their own- VERY annoying on top of the dash. I tried scraping the rest off and was successful clearing a 3 x 5
square to mount a Sunpass at the top. I also succeeded in removing a lot more along the bottom edge. What I accomplished there was to make a very uneven bottom edge that to me is unsightly both from the inside and outside. A lot of work and a lot of single edge razor blades- I should have allowed them self destruct on their own.

[jbwilli1]

If your camera uses infrared for night vision, the glass reflects it back into the camera, wiping out your picture.