I've been having a serious issue with windscreen glare lately, and I'm hoping someone here might have some suggestions. My dashboard has become extremely shiny, and when the sun hits it and causes horrendous glare on the windscreen. This has made visibility quite poor at times, especially when combined with the fine heating elements from the electric heated windscreen, which only seem to make the glare more pronounced.

After researching, I realised I’d been using a cleaning product that was actually making the dashboard more reflective. I tried fixing it with "Armor All Car Dashboard Wipes – Matt Finish" from Halfords, but they haven’t helped much—glare is still a real issue, especially when the sun's out.

Has anyone else dealt with this kind of issue? Any recommendations or tips to reduce the reflective surface without damaging the materials? Ideally don't want to buy a dashboard mat which some results have recommended as I know that would get on my nerves quite quickly.

Appreciate any help!

12 minutes ago, HarrisonTR said:

Ideally don't want to buy a dashboard mat which some results have recommended as I know that would get on my nerves quite quickly.

These wipes should take the shine off the dashboard 😉

Get some polarised sun glasses 

Dash Mat worked for me on a Focus.

Meguiars and G-tech also do matt finish cleaners - might be worth a try. But the Mk 8 Fiesta is very bad for reflections, unfortunately.

On 6/21/2025 at 7:29 PM, CARRJ142 said:

Dash Mat worked for me on a Focus.

I purchased a dash mat from Ebay for my Fiesta because of that issue and that cured it.

https://ebay.us/m/6Keb2X

35 minutes ago, Treef said:

https://ebay.us/m/6Keb2X

Excellent suggestion. In the past, I've always just bought a roll of this stuff and cut it t fit, to have one pre-cut is a great solution...

It even comes with a free peculiar smell. 😁

who polishes their car trim except Indian and Pakistani taxi drivers?

 

damp sponge, that's it.

17 hours ago, weesam said:

who polishes their car trim

A certain type of used car dealer in my experience........

 

39 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

A certain type of used car dealer in my experience........

Her indoors insisted on it 🤣

I purchased yardage of black felt and cut it down to fit the top of the instrument panel. I then attached it with a combination of very sticky double sided tape and a few small dabs of black silicone caulk to hold it down. 
The outside mirrors were also a source of reflections that caused me problems when aiming my Fiesta through a slalom. So I painted the window facing side of the mirror flat black. It worked so well that I never bothered to remove it.

I have never noticed this with either my white or my grey Mk8 (but one of the Mercs was a right swine for it and the Xsara was even worse.) I am surprised that it is such a big issue and would suggest a change of car.