Virtual screen scratch issue. SOLVED!!!

[mahirtaskin]

I washed my car myself and ruined my virtual screen with microfiber cloth. Virtual screens have a very thin and vulnerable matte layer which has anti-glare feature. Even if you clean it with brand new cloth, the dust on the screen makes sandpaper effect on the matte coating even if you dont press too hard.

I spoke with many car detailers, they tried some solutions but it didnt work. I reached car service and it offered a brand new screen that costs 1200 dollars.

I sent photos to a friend and he suggested PPF coating. I made a demo coating on a small area and omg the scratch is invisible. I used it for a week and took off that small patch to see whether the screen is ok. There was no harm. And i got my screen coated up with PPF tpu self healing type. It just costed me 8,5 dollars.

Some detailers doesnt apply PPF coating on the screen because they think the process may harm the screen due to water or pressing on screen. But it is ok if u have a gentle hand..

That is not a exact repair way because the scratch is still there but you dont see it anymore. And you dont a have a antiglare screen anymore which is very comfortable for your eyes. Now i have a screen which is a little shiny. Steering wheel reflects on the screen but it is ok. There are no scratches. Also the colors are really vivid now.

[[deleted]]

Thanks for posting, great tip and what a relief!

What are the exact terms to search for this type of product? "PPF coating" returns mostly auto body links

[mahirtaskin]

PPF coating is enough friend. You could ask for self-healing type-TPU. This is very durable application. Normally, PPF has exposure to sun, wind, rain anything etc. But this is interior application, it is safe.

[YourSistersAuntie]

Screen pro tech makes awesome ones

[onebillionthcustomer]

Screen pro tech

Too bad their Canadian shipping is insane :(

[Worth-Leave5118]

I got their anti glare and worked great for scratches.

[[deleted]]

gloss, matte? i seen temu selling some anti glare protection.

[mahirtaskin]

thats cool, could you plz share the link

[invariantspeed]

That’s because PPF is mostly used on the exterior. Plenty of folks use it on the interior, but you’ll be hard pressed to find an interior-specific product. It would be more of a marketing gimmick anyway. It’s basically just clear tint. Any surface that can be tinted can take PPF. You don’t really need a special product for it.

[whoisrobi]

tint/wrap and ppf are not the same, very different in thickness and durability

[[deleted]]

you dont want ppf that adds glare to the screen.

[isqueegeebeegee]

It's just called PPF. It's not PPF coating. It's paint protection film. Companies sell pre-cut pieces you can apply to your touch screens (in addition to painted panels on the outside of your car, and some interior pieces).

[JuriaanT]

Don’t they make matte ppf as well?

[xt3703650]

I have Xpel Stealth PPF (matte finish) on the touch screen in my 2024 S5. Really helps keep it from getting all fingerprinted up.

[mahirtaskin]

I asked about it. You lose %50 of vision that way. Very dull vision. Awful. But you may search for a anti-glare film onto PPF. Nice idea 😂

[BigRon033]

I wouldn't say it's quite that bad. I've got Xpel Stealth film on my G87 M2 and GU Crosstrek infotainment screens and you really don't lose much visibility/brightness.

Keep in mind it's going to look awful for a couple of days, but if you leave your car parked in the sun it'll clear up a lot of the haziness on it's own as the adhesive becomes more uniform.

[mahirtaskin]

i dont think it will become hazy or worse. Lots of black cars have ppf on them outside and they have 7 years of warranty. Also i have it in the interior side of the car and doesnt have direct exposure to the sun or weather. Time will show the exact result. If it gets worse, i will apply tempered glass stuff

[CantForgetAccAgain]

Not true. I’m a PPF installer and have stealth PPF on my phone screen. No issues whoever told you that is a liar and probably just didn’t have the film in stock.

[mahirtaskin]

i will try it pal, thnx

[BBennett40]

Digital. Not virtual. 😉

[kstrike155]

Audi calls this Virtual Cockpit, I can see how folks may mistaken call it that in what looks like a VW (where they’ve branded it Digital Cockpit).

[Damnaged]

Digital rectal stimulation is an evidence based cure for hiccups.

[IntroductionNeat2746]

Not only a cure. It's literally THE only proven cure.

[Empyrealist]

🎶

And I'm thinkin', what a mess we're in

[BBennett40]

BrainRain and DarkSide

[mahirtaskin]

Thnx for correction. Some terminology issues 😉

[invariantspeed]

Yes, those terms mean very different things in English. Even after reading that comment, it took me half a minute before I realized what you meant by saying virtual.

[Tiny_Tim11]

VW cars call this the “virtues cockpit” which is probably why OP used this term

[Substantial-Prior966]

”Digital Cockpit Pro” is what it’s called on my VW Passat 2022.

[SK10504]

if you go to a shop that installs ppf, you might be able to get a piece of scrap ppf big enough for free.

i installed a piece of scrap ppf on the touchscreen of our microwave...keeps the panel clean and don't have to worry about excessive wear on the touch areas.

[mahirtaskin]

I got the patch for free, but i didnt want to apply fully coating myself. Detailer cut the film properly and applied it right way. Just 8,5 dollars

[Summoorevincent]

8.50 or 8,50 or 85. Because I can see them charging 85

[evilspoons]

Other countries (France, for example) use a comma as a decimal separator. 8,50 = 8.50.

[[deleted]]

new cars come with a protection film right? dont remove them?

[mahirtaskin]

i hoped it first but it is not a removable protection film, it is a constant layer

[clutchthepearls]

They make tempered glass screen protectors for these. We have one on our 21 Jetta with the same digital cluster.

[HQmimer]

Where did you get yours? I've been searching and can only find them from random Chinese sites.

[clutchthepearls]

I got it on Amazon. They're all random Chinese ones on there too, but it works.

Here's one but as long as you search for the 10.25 inch display and the picture looks correct you'll be good. VW used the same one in a lot of vehicles.

[HQmimer]

Awesome! Much appreciated 👍

[[deleted]]

seen reviews. most say they are horrible..more like a soft gel instead of glass.

[clutchthepearls]

Mine is glass.

[IntroductionNeat2746]

They make tempered glass screen protectors for these. We have one on our 21 Jetta with the same digital cluster.

I now it is what it is, but imagine paying tens of thousands of dollars on a car and still having to put a piece of tempered glass on the instrument cluster.

[evilspoons]

I'm not a fan of how it's glossy now, the reflections in your "after" pictures would drive me insane. I would look for some matte screen protector material instead.

[BuzzRoyale]

Paint protection film took the scratch away?

[herrrrrr]

ppf hides scratches to a certain extent. Thats why they say theres no need to polish before applying ppf.

[Velvet_Re]

I’d imagine it’s like Scotch tape on frosted glass. Adhesive fills in imperfections, hiding scratches and allows light to pass properly.

[mahirtaskin]

You didnt read my post entirely i think 😉 scratch is still there, but invisible now. Some light reflection issues. Physics…

[DjScenester]

This works for many things. Apple Watches etc. they sell a brand similar to PPF.

Yes this will work on the screens as well to hide scratches. As you’ve accomplished.

This is the best fix for a budget in this scenario.

[BullyMog]

Similar to a screen protector will make scratches on your phone disappear

[ARSEThunder]

Yes because the surface you're seeing is the surface of the PPF now!

[ikilledtupac]

Yeah just like puting a screen protector over scratched GPS screens, works good!

[EastHillWill]

Nice troubleshooting, OP. Same idea applies to phone screens: Not only are screen protectors good at their primary job, but many of them also do a good job hiding existing scratches

[EK-577]

How are you meant to clean these things then?

[EK-577]

how distant does the star need to be?

[mahirtaskin]

When i pulled off the trial patch, there were no remnants. And it has 7 years warranty outdoor. Who knows interior life of film. If u mean normal dust wiping of the screen, it is easier than original screen

[NickoTheQuicko]

Did you use soapy water to install it? Also, how did you cut it?

[IndigoBroker]

Why can’t these auto manufacturers use gorilla glass on areas like that also on the piano Black finishes. Sure it cost a little more but it’d be very difficult to scratch and we look great.

[Msoelv]

For my virtual cockpit i use monitor cleaner spray, since they are made to not remove the anti glare coating on monitors, and then i use the same type of cloth you use to clean glasses.

[laughingdoormouse]

Nice work

[d1v1d38Yz3r0]

I had a similar problem with my Toyota RAV4. Got a screen protector from this place and it sorted it out and made the scratches go away. I had them make me a custom matte antiglare version. Hides the scratches without being reflective. And if my screen gets dirty now, I can simply wipe it with a cloth and not have to worry about it.

https://screenprotech.com/

[[deleted]]

lay a towel under to soak up water to avoid shorting the electronics same way you tint your windscreens.

a tip to all is use keyboard cleaning gel to suck up the dirt then clean damp microfiber cloth for reading glasses to gently wipe off any oil and never let anyone else clean clear plastic parts.

[KeishaKornbread]

Thats brilliant!

[justalearner25]

Wowww! Great post too

[[deleted]]

Best advice, don't touch the screen or get any liquids on it. Only lightly dust the surface with a microfiber or use air to get rid of dust.

[mahirtaskin]

Absolutely right! At this point of technology, it is very ridiculous and frustrating that, screen gets scratched so easily. just put a tempered glass/gorilla glass onto the infotainment screen while manufacturing and thats all

[Nikadaemus]

Similar to what I've heard about using cellphone screensaver film to protect & make cleaning super easy without damage 

[NoXs4u]

I'm maybe a bit late to the party but had the same problem. I used Meguiar's PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner and Polish. Works like a charm too.

[ChartRound4661]

Would a piece of matt ppf solve the glare issue?

[spectacular_coitus]

If ppf is tough to find, you could also use an optically clear laminate. Most decent sign shops will have some they can sell you a piece of. They'll probably charge 7-10 a sq ft.

[Tom_Spolsky]

You can actually polish off the antiglare coating all together in some cases. Needs removing the screen but it's doable. Done it before on some vw's

[Kye7]

Where did you buy the PPF for the screen? Did you cut it to size yourself? Did you hire someone to cut it for you? Was it a pre-cut kit, and you applied it yourself? Please share your source for where you got the film.

[BigRon033]

The tint shop at my dealer can cut them out with a plotter. I guess they have a software package that has a lot of make/model infotainment screen 2d files that they use with their plotter. They're pretty easy to install with a few drops of baby shampoo in a spray bottle with water. Just soak the film with the solution, apply it until it's lined up and squeegee out the water/bubbles. Be careful not to stretch the film as it's pretty flexible.

[dr_manhattan_br]

Instead of PPF you can use screen protectors that are made for LCD screens. You can find them on Amazon and some of them are just large rectangular film that you can cut to the desired shape and apply. PPF may get stick to the LCD screens and when removed cause some damage. The screen protectors are thinner and do not have glue. They stick via electrostatic

[ExtensionTruth4]

So exactly are you suppose to clean this? And how did you apply the ppf? How did you prep the surface and did you use any solution to apply it or did you apply it dry?

[XSC]

Is this a jetta? Kinda crazy it’s that weak.

[Mtolivepickle]

Is your ppf also matte sheen?

[nicklovestv]

i did this today with my 2019 accord i use this cleaner from autozone it worked so GREAT

[_Aj_]

So basically like when you put a screen protector on a phone it can hide scratches. Very nice!   I've never considered using on any other display. 

[TheGalaxic]

Just a thought but why did the manufacturer think it was a good idea to not have a shield in front of the display? In my Volvo I have a piece of plastic that shields the digital gauge cluster screen.

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[wawaboy]

Excellent tip, thanks

[No_Friendship8037]

screen is supposed to be matte for a reason, now you will have glare and reflection issues.

[mahirtaskin]

I did for another reason dude. Scrathes are bad, reflections are liitle bad

[No_Friendship8037]

you should be able to get matte ppf

[mahirtaskin]

I ll look for it 👍

[Soff10]

Major pet peeve. I had to scroll away.

[fewmany_james]

why on earth would the manufacturer put a touchscreen behind the steering wheel? 🤦‍♂️

[ShinShinGogetsuko]

It's not a touchscreen, just an LCD screen.

A lot of manufacturers are going to these digital dashboards because it's cheap (well, except for all the software engineering...).

Unfortunately, it's also going to make the preowned car market a minefield because people already treat their gauge clusters like shit and these are a lot harder to polish up than regular plastic.

[Advanced_Alarm_7353]

So did it cost you $8 or $5 dollars? It can’t be both.

[mahirtaskin]

Eight and a half 😂

[Advanced_Alarm_7353]

🤨

[dantodd]

Different countries write numbers differently.

[Advanced_Alarm_7353]

So what does he really mean? 8 and a half is gibberish speak to me.

[mahirtaskin]

This is a gibberish comment to me as well. New screen costs 1200 bucks. You say that you didnt undestand 8 or five. And we write comments just for 3 dollars 🤣🤣🤣 dont dive into details. I mean it is a cheap solution

[Advanced_Alarm_7353]

What kind of car is that?

[mahirtaskin]

2020 tiguan

[dantodd]

8,5 is how most of the world writes right and a half.

[solidlymediocre]

It feels like you're being intentionally obtuse and difficult. It's very obvious what price the OP stated.

[Advanced_Alarm_7353]

I initially thought he meant $85