Removing Window Tint

[theknight571]

Anyone removed window tint on their own? If so, how'd you do it?

I stopped by my cousin's house a couple of weekends ago for the first time since getting my new (to me) car, and was informed by her husband (a local cop) that my tint is illegal since the driver and passenger windows are tinted. I guess the back and back seat windows are ok.

Now the dealer didn't mention this when I purchased it, but they are not being helpful.

So, I can continue to drive it with the illegal tint (it does look good) or I can be a good boy and remove it before I'm paying a fine and and removing it.

I'm getting ready to exercise my Google skills, but I thought I'd ask here as well.

 

[franksta]

I've heard of a clothes steamer being used. Or ammonia based cleaner allowed to marinate to break up the glue. I've never done either but one of the windows on my truck has the film starting to peel up so I've started looking into it myself.

 

[deadken]

My tint had started to peel on two windows. I simply peeled it back and pulled it away from the glass. Yes, it split a bunch of times, but I'd just grab another little piece and pull again. When it was off, there was still a nasty film on the window (likely the adhesive). I cleaned that off with rubbing alcohol and a lot of elbow grease. Maybe a product like Goo Gone or something like a scrubber sponge would have made the work easier.

I'm think that you could probably start to peel back a section if you rolled down the window a bit, applied some rubbing alcohol to the edge (maybe soak a sponge in it) and then scraped it back with a single sided razor blade (like in a holder used to scrape off registration or inspection stickers).

Edit: If you have full glass coverage and aren't leery of insurance fraud, you could always take the car to the movies and then break both front windows. When you make the claim, be sure to mention that your GPS was stolen at the same time.

 

[CPricecrispi]

First, use a hair dryer to help warm the tint up till you can remove it in one piece. When it gets warm enough it will peel off in a single sheet. Windex warmed up in bucket or very warm water helps. Fabric steamer, Iron on steam mode, and simple heat gun work but everyone has a hairdryer

Things that help, straight razor and hard edge plastic

 

[tweakmonkey]

Garment/clothes steamer. I have a ~$40 steamer and used it to easily remove tint from my side windows. My friend recommended it after he used one on his and also had really good results.

It took maybe 5 minutes to remove the side tint and another 5 at most to clean up any remaining stuff. Super easy, clean and not toxic method. I haven't tried it on back windows w/ defrost etc.

 

[tweakmonkey]

Edit: If you have full glass coverage and aren't leery of insurance fraud, you could always take the car to the movies and then break both front windows. When you make the claim, be sure to mention that your GPS was stolen at the same time.

D: lol, who uses a GPS

 

[nerp]

Edit: If you have full glass coverage and aren't leery of insurance fraud, you could always take the car to the movies and then break both front windows. When you make the claim, be sure to mention that your GPS was stolen at the same time.

You serious? You realize how easy it would be for someone to cross reference your real name with the incident report (if you did this) and nab you for insurance fraud? Wouldn't be hard. Recommending illegal activity here isn't a good idea.

 

[deadken]

You serious? You realize how easy it would be for someone to cross reference your real name with the incident report (if you did this) and nab you for insurance fraud? Wouldn't be hard. Recommending illegal activity here isn't a good idea.

A) I wasn't really serious.
B) I'm not sure what you mean by cross referencing your real name with the insurance claim.
C) I never recommended ANY illegal activity.
D) This is the internet.... It is literally FILLED with bad ideas!

Frankly, the idea that someone broke two windows to break into a car would likely seem odd. Since you'd be the one making the claim to your insurance company, I don't know why your name wouldn't be the same on as on any incident report you filled out.

 

[nerp]

I meant if you have done this and then recommended it on a forum, someone could probably pull your police report and submit the forum post with evidence it's you committing fraud to the police. Sorry if I got all "step off, hoe" on you. The mods here have warned other people about promoting illegal activity, serious or not, though. But yeah, I guess I got a little Tipper Gore on you, sorry.

 

[nerp]

OP: aftermarket tint? Or did the car come new like this?

 

[deadken]

... The mods here have warned other people about promoting illegal activity, serious or not, though. But yeah, I guess I got a little Tipper Gore on you, sorry.

Ohh, I hadn't realized that. Thanks for the heads up.

No problem. Honestly, the OP mentioned that his cousins husband was a cop and told him that the tint was illegal. If he was so concerned that he made a post to learn how to get rid of it, I doubted he was the type to commit insurance fraud. Perhaps I should have just said: If all else fails, you could always use a brick from the outside of the window rather than a razor blade from the inside...

 

[nerp]

Haha, yes, that would have been another way to say it. And that's the power of language. There's always a way to skirt around barriers.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Have the place installing the new tint remove it for you. Its a few extra dollars. Definitely not worth the hassle of doing it yourself.

 

[sgrinavi]

Leave it on, if you get pulled over just roll down all your windows so the officer can see in the car. If they question you on it just tell them you bought the car like that and they will probably give you a warning or an inspection ticket.

 

[Vic Vega]

...

 

[JCH13]

On front windows I've just used a razor blade to scrape the tint off, and carb cleaner with scotch brite to take the glue off. Don't do it inside though, and be careful with the carb cleaner.

 

[Black2na]

allright youtube is your friend!

http://youtu.be/vmR8LlGkGJQ (i like these guys they are entertaining)

 

[theknight571]

Thanks for the replies... it looks simple enough.

Part of me (the angel on the shoulder) wants to remove it because it's illegal. The other part (the devil on the other shoulder) says screw "the man" and leave it because it looks cool.

OP: aftermarket tint? Or did the car come new like this?

It's a 2008 model and I've only owned it for 4 months, so I don't really know. I did find a sticker from the film's maker: FormulaOne If I were to guess... it's aftermarket.

Have the place installing the new tint remove it for you. Its a few extra dollars. Definitely not worth the hassle of doing it yourself.

I'm not having new tint applied. Apparently any tint on the front, driver's side and passenger side windows is illegal here. (MI)

allright youtube is your friend!

http://youtu.be/vmR8LlGkGJQ (i like these guys they are entertaining)

I found a lot of videos last night but not that one... They are much more entertaining than the other videos I watched.

It doesn't look too bad. I'll track down a heat gun or steamer and give it a shot. I'm just not sure I'll like the look of just having the back windows and rear windshield tinted, so I might end up removing it all.

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[96Firebird]

Depends on your state laws, but you may just be issued a "fix-it ticket" for the tint. Meaning if you take the tint off within 30 days or whatever, they will dismiss the ticket. Probably depends on the officer as well.

Any tint on the front windows is illegal here in NY too, and I've never had an officer pull me over for it. Hell, I've never gotten pulled over and I have dark tint and no front plate (knock on wood). Plus, I figure if they pull me over for something like speeding, they can "reduce" my ticket to something like a tint or no front plate on the spot, which doesn't carry points and doesn't increase my insurance. May be wishful thinking on my part, but it could work...

I say leave the tint.

 

[deadken]

FWIW: They make a 'ceramic' film which is almost clear, but knocks down the Infra Red light. IOW: It's pretty clear to the eye, but the interior doesn't get very hot or fade much. I found out about the ceramic film when researching tints for my 1972 car. I don't like the idea of a 'tint' on that car, but wanted to help keep it cooler in the Summer (extend the driving season on a car with no A/C) and help protect the expensive interior work that was done.

 

[olds]

Before I removed it, I'd make sure it was illegal.

 

[hanoverphist]

Frankly, the idea that someone broke two windows to break into a car would likely seem odd.

back in the early 90s there was a roving band of delinquents that were busting windows out of cars and grabbing quick stuff out of them. they would get on both sides and pop the windows so they didnt have to get all the way into a vehicle and reach. nailed my 79 chevy truck, the windows were more expensive than the set of custom 6X9 enclosures with speakers they stole. they did the same to every car/ truck in the parking lot that was tinted, since the tinted windows dont make as much noise.

as for the OP, get a spray bottle with a bit of dish soap in it, spray it down good and pt a trash bag over it. let it sit for a while in the sun and use some razor blades to peel it off. hopefully the film is not damaged enough with time and sun and it will come off in chunks. otherwise, the only real way to remove it is with the spray bottle and razor blades. my friend owns a custom shop that does tint, ive helped remove it many times. no fun, just time consuming.

on a different note, it usually isnt too expensive to get a shop to remove it for you. he removes all the tint off a 4 door car for 80 bucks. takes about 4-5 hours to do it right and get it cleaned up..

 

[theknight571]

Before I removed it, I'd make sure it was illegal.

I'm fairly certain it is.

1. My cousin's husband has no reason to lie to me.

2. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(yh...e=getobject&objectname=mcl-257-709&highlight=

I'm not so concerned about me (40 years old... Drives like grandpa most of the time) being pulled over with it, I'll be more concerned when (if) I turn the car over to my son (16 years old drives like he's 16...lol).

 

[olds]

I'm fairly certain it is.

1. My cousin's husband has no reason to lie to me.

2. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(yh...e=getobject&objectname=mcl-257-709&highlight=

I'm not so concerned about me (40 years old... Drives like grandpa most of the time) being pulled over with it, I'll be more concerned when (if) I turn the car over to my son (16 years old drives like he's 16...lol).

I wouldn't suspect him of lying. Just possible to be misinformed. People say it's illegal to tint the driver and passenger side windows in CA but that isn't true.

 

[Jimzz]

http://www.tintlaws.com/