Why does window tint turn purple?
Because the dye fails. Low-grade dyed film gets its colour from dyes that UV breaks down over time, and as they fade, the original charcoal drifts to purple and the film stops doing its job against heat.
Not every dyed film behaves the same way. On its ATC product page, LLumar says other brands “have dye applied only to the surface, making them likely to crack and peel,” while ATC’s “true charcoal hue is integrated for optimal durability and color stability.”
Purple film is old film, and it can carry other faults at the same time: lifting edges, or bubbles where the adhesive has given up. When that is the main problem, bubbling tint removal covers what the failed glue changes about the job.
Can purple tint be fixed, or does it have to come off?
It has to come off. Once the dye has broken down there is nothing to bring back, and no cleaner, polish or coating restores colour that UV has bleached out of the film.
What can be saved is everything underneath:
- The glass, cleaned back to how it left the factory.
- The defroster grid on the back glass, which survives steam removal.
- Printed antenna lines, where the back glass carries them.
If only one window has faded, you can have just that one done. New film next to faded panes will look different, though, so it usually makes sense to redo every window seen together, such as both rear doors and the back glass.
How we remove purple film from each window
Steam on every pane, no blades on the rear glass, and the adhesive dissolved rather than scraped. The order of work changes a little by window.
Side windows
The door cards and seats are covered first, since steam removal is wet. Steam softens the old glue, and the film peels away in sheets.
Back glass with a defroster grid
This is the window people worry about, and rightly: a razor blade drawn across the grid cuts the heating lines. We use steam only, and the grid and any glass-mounted antenna are tested before and after.
The adhesive left on the glass
The glue under purple film is usually as old as the film. It is dissolved completely, because leftover adhesive is what makes new tint look cloudy.
A last look at the glass
With the film off, any chip or scratch it was hiding becomes visible. You see it before any new film goes on.
How long purple tint removal takes and what it costs
Most purple-tint removals take 1 to 3 hours; a full car of decade-old film sits at the long end. Each window is priced separately, and the removal costs less when we re-tint at the same visit, which on most cars happens the same day.
There is no fixed removal price, because the number of windows and the state of the film change the job. List the panes that have gone purple on the quote request for tint removal and we’ll price them; 604 534 6433 takes calls and texts.
How ceramic films differ from the dyed film that went purple
The shop sells LLumar IRX and AIR as ceramic, not dyed, film, and LLumar says both use nano-ceramic technology, which is where their heat rejection comes from. ATC is dyed, but LLumar builds the dye into the film for colour stability instead of coating the surface.
Between them, the bigger difference is heat. From LLumar’s performance data sheet, measured on 6 mm clear glass (real cars vary with their glass):
| Film | Film type | TSER (total solar energy rejected) | IRER (IR energy rejection) | UV blocked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LLumar ATC | Colour-stable dyed | 28–44% | 22% | >99% |
| LLumar IRX | Nano-ceramic | 50–62% | 59–61% | >99% |
| LLumar AIR 80 | Clear nano-ceramic | 43% | 60% | >99% |
The full side-by-side is in ceramic vs dyed window tint, and the IRX shade range is on the LLumar IRX film page.
What to put on after the purple film is gone
LLumar film, warranted for life on both film and workmanship, in the shade you choose this time. Starting prices are for ATC; IRX and AIR cost more and are quoted per package.
| Package (LLumar ATC) | Windows | From |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan or pickup, rear glass | 5 | $240 |
| Sports coupe, rear glass | 3 | $220 |
| Full-size SUV or wagon, rear glass | 7 | $260 |
On colour change, LLumar’s tint FAQ is careful: “you may be protected by a lifetime limited warranty,” with restrictions. If the purple film was on the front doors, think twice before replacing it there: front side window film of any shade is not road-legal in BC and can draw a $109 ticket or a Box 2 order. We explain that risk before anyone decides. The rest of the price list is on window tint pricing.
