What is this? Some kind of sealant?

[mphowie]

I have a 2011 pathfinder and recently this appeared. We purchased the vehicle in mid-November and I did not notice it until about a week ago when I washed the truck at home. Before that I had it through the car wash once or twice. This stuff does come off but it's a little brittle. I don't think it's from the windshield washer fluid or something from the road because of where it is located on the windshield. It is along the top and top sides but does not extend all the way down the sides. On the bottom there is a cover between the wiper arm and the base of the windshield so I'm not able to check. I live just north of Philly and the weather has been a little crazy since we purchased the truck. Is this some kind of sealant or something I should be looking into? I have never had anything like this on any of my vehicles, including our other car that we drive just as much on mostly the same roads.

Can anyone help me with this?

[mphowie]

here are some other pictures that didn't load right.

http://postimg.org/image/6imqerz4t/bfeda8ce/
http://postimg.org/image/kxtlaup3f/1a0dcd41/
http://postimg.org/image/sw7drlitl/8598b5b6/

[screenman]

If that was over here I would say it look like road salt and a lot of it, does it dissolve with water?

[Glasseye]

Judging from your photographs and description I would say that it is a windshield sealant you can buy from hardware stores. The idea being that you bead it round the seal, then it sets and forms a water seal to stop leaking but as you can see it is not very effective. Using something like a ice scraper should remove it but they must have put it on there for a reason. If your windows are constantly steaming up or your foot carpets are wet there may be a water leak somewhere on the car.

[sunshine wr]

non encapsulated windshields have moldings that pinch onto the edge of the glass, inside the molding is a bead of ''dum-dum'' glue that stays sticky, it sometimes oozes out and then road debris and grime sticks to it .

[sunshine wr]

also looks like aftermarket molding , a lot of times ws techs will use a wider molding to hide scratches caused when cutting out the ws.

[mphowie]

Thanks so much for the replies so far. This is the kind of information I was looking for because I don't know much about this stuff.

[screenman]

If that is sealant oozing out then get the windshield refitted fast, your life or that of your passenger could depend on it.

[sunshine wr]

I don't think it's a ws sealant but, rather just the dum-dum that's used to help adhere the molding to the glass.

[sunshine wr]

also ws sealant won't ooze it's a urethane which cures to rubberized state and bonds ws to the (body) pinch weld.