Different Production Dates for New Car Glass?
3 Answers
As long as the production date of the glass is earlier than the vehicle's manufacturing date, there is no issue. The glass is uniformly procured by the manufacturer from suppliers. It must be purchased in advance and then used for vehicle assembly, hence the varying production dates. Since the glass is purchased in different batches, the dates will naturally differ. Unused glass from the same batch must be installed in the next vehicle. Car glass is externally sourced and assembled. During installation, it is randomly fitted based on the production batch, so differing dates are normal. Therefore, if the glass production date is later than the vehicle's manufacturing date or on the same day, it would indicate a problem. Additionally, the vehicle's production date refers to the date it enters the assembly line, which certainly won't be the same as the glass production date. The most common method for expressing glass production dates in the market currently is a combination of numbers and dots. The number represents the year, and the dots represent the month. The dots can appear before or after the number. Dots before the number indicate the first half of the year, with the number of dots multiplied by 7 representing the month. Dots after the number indicate the second half of the year, with the month calculated by subtracting the number of dots from 13.
I noticed that the production dates of the window glasses were not entirely the same when I picked up the car, and later learned that this is normal. When automakers procure parts, the delivery times and batches from different suppliers vary. Moreover, the production process requirements for a front windshield and a small rear window are completely different, and glass manufacturers need time to switch production lines. Last time I went to the 4S store and saw new cars being fitted with glass, the workers simply matched the sizes to the positions without checking the dates. Just focus on three things: a difference of up to three months between the front and rear glass dates is acceptable, and a six-month variance for side windows is normal. As long as all dates are before the car's manufacturing date and no accident-replaced glass is installed, it's fine.
Batch variations in glass are quite common. I've studied the production processes at automotive plants, where their glass warehouses stock batches from different periods. For example, June shipments just arrived at the factory, April-produced side window glass hasn't been fully used up yet, and July sunroof glass is already being delivered. Assembly line workers simply install the most recently available stock—as long as the stored glass remains within its warranty period, it's usable. Pay special attention to the date code combinations in the lower right corner of windshields and the triangular areas of side windows: the number indicates the year, while dots represent quarters (e.g., '4..' means Q3 2024). As long as all dates precede the vehicle's manufacturing date on the nameplate, differences within six months fall within reasonable limits.
