Fix glare on digital IC?

[michail71]

How about trying a antiglare screen protector and putting it on the window and reinstalling? I don't think I'd get used to it looking incomplete like that.

Screen protector for a laptop would work, just cut it down to size.

I have thought about that. I just haven't had much luck with them in the past. Also, level of distortion this window introduces is rather significant. You can see the difference with it off.

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[michail71]

Not sure if too many care about this but I decided to go with just window removal for now. That and I tried a bake off method for the lens piece and well, that went horribly wrong.

But after not using the cover lens for a few days there way no way I could go back to having it on. That thing is just terrible. Clarity is better and glare is eliminated.

I have a little gap for now. I put some felt tape on the edges of the screen and that eliminated what I could see of the LCD panel edges.

 

[michail71]

Here is a before and after. I tried to crop about the same. I actually see less glare than the photo shows. I think the camera is over exposing because of all the black.

This is with the plastic window removed and a rubber coating on the trim.

 

[michail71]

I think this has been my most favorite mod ever!!!!!!! LOL. There is no way I'd go back to having that clear plastic window back on the cluster.

Ford seems to have taken an LCD panel designed to not have glare/reflection issues and slapped on a plastic window over it that catches everything from every which direction.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is the same LCD panel Audi, Mercedes and BMW have been using. These things usually come from LG in Korea. I don't recall them having reflective windows over these panels.

If anyone wants to experiment you can easily remove the plastic window with the IC fully removed from the car. Adding some kind of black tape to the silver bezel helps hide those bits.

Now the only reflection I get is the very faint reflection from the steering column trim. You can see it faintly in the second image. That could be reduced a bit more as well if I treated those surfaces. I held a felt pad on there and it did eliminate that reflection.

 

[Brian_S550]

I don’t doubt that the clear lens was included there by Ford mostly to give an extra layer of protection for the LCD display itself. The glare issue is a secondary concern for the designers vs. having the $1000+ cluster getting damaged accidentally ... or by sheer stupidity.

 

[Kevin08]

Tinted windows helped considerably with the glare. IMO the plastic screen for the front of the cluster is pretty necessary for protection. That sad, a matte vinyl wrap laser-cut to fit the entire inside plane of the bezel would probably be a seller.

 

[michail71]

Tinted windows helped considerably with the glare. IMO the plastic screen for the front of the cluster is pretty necessary for protection. That sad, a matte vinyl wrap laser-cut to fit the entire inside plane of the bezel would probably be a seller.

Something for the top of the steering wheel too. That causes a bit of reflection.

I didn't want to do tinted windows this time around but I figured it would help.

The only protection I could see the panel needing might be from chemical cleaners, rain, etc. But I don't let anyone else do my interior detailing for such reasons. And if it is there for protection it isn't exactly a part that can be replaced anyway.

Otherwise that LCD panel is just like any other laptop, TV or info system screen without a digitizer. The cluster panel just looks like a wider version of the Sync's panel when they are both out.

 

[michail71]

The part is actually called a mask. You can order them for $18.

I tried a few experiments on my old one to get the window off but it seems like the bond is the strongest part of the whole assembly.

I'm going to trace the out the opening and Dremel out the window.

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