How to Check the Age of Car Glass?
3 Answers
To check the age of car glass, follow these steps: Carefully examine the logo on the windshield (usually located in the bottom left or right corner). There will be a string of characters, for example, '...13' indicates April 2013. Here, '13' represents the year 2013. The number of dots before the year is subtracted from 7 (7-3=4), giving the month. If the format is '13...', it represents October 2013. The number of dots after the year is subtracted from 13 (13-3=10), giving the month. There are four places where you can check the production date of the car: 1. Check the nameplate in the engine compartment; 2. Look for the small nameplate around the door seam; 3. Check the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) below the windshield; 4. Refer to the car's manual.
I often talk with friends about how to check the age of car glass when helping them with car repairs. The manufacturing date code is usually found at the edge of the car glass, most commonly in the lower right or left corner of the windshield. The code is in a format of numbers and dots, such as ‘3..’, which indicates February 2013—the numbers represent the last two digits of the year, and the dots in front indicate the month minus one. Why check this? When buying a used car, if the glass year differs significantly from the car’s age, it might have been replaced due to an accident, affecting safety and value. I recommend parking on a sunny day, turning off the engine, and using a flashlight or phone light to illuminate the corner—wipe off any dust if needed. Never check while driving; safety comes first. From another perspective, different brands may have slight variations in the code location, but the basic system is the same. Checking periodically can prevent aging and cracking issues, as glass loses strength over time, especially in accidents.
Last time I bought a car, I was curious about how to check the manufacturing year of the glass, so I looked it up online. Simply put, look for a small marking on the edge of the glass, usually at the bottom of the windshield. It's a dot or a combination of numbers. If the number is 15 with a dot after it like '15.', it means January 2015; if the dot is before the number, it indicates the month. The first time I tried this in my own car, I found '6..' in the corner of the windshield, which means it was manufactured in February 2016. It's quite convenient—just spend two minutes looking for it when parked. Don't forget to use a magnifying glass or zoom in with your phone camera, as sunlight can make it blurry. Knowing the year has many benefits. If the glass on a used car doesn't match in age, it might have been in an accident and repaired, helping you avoid potential issues. Checking it during routine maintenance can save you a lot of hassle.
