How to Check the Production Date of Car Glass?
2 Answers
To check the production date of car glass, look for the trademark in the corner of the glass, which consists of several dots and a number. The number represents the production year of the glass. If the dots are on the left, it indicates the first half of the year, while dots on the right indicate the second half. Car glass is manufactured by heating the glass to near its softening temperature in a furnace, then quickly transferring it to air grids with different cooling intensities for uneven cooling. This process creates varying stress levels between the main viewing area and the peripheral areas of the glass. Typically, glass produced using this technology is zone-tempered glass.
I learned that checking the production date of car glass is actually quite simple. The first step is to look for a string of code in the corner of the window or windshield, usually printed on the edge, which appears as a combination of numbers and small dots or letters. The format for most brands is: the numbers represent the last two digits of the year, for example, '23' means 2023; the dots represent the week of production, for example, one dot means the first week, two dots mean the second week, but sometimes the position of the dots (before or after the numbers) can indicate different meanings, so be careful not to misinterpret. I remember when I bought my car, I specifically checked this because knowing the glass production date can help determine if the glass has been replaced or if it's an original part, which is particularly useful in used car transactions. I recommend using a phone flashlight to inspect it carefully, as it's easy to overlook in poor lighting. Additionally, different car models may have slight variations, such as some Japanese cars using letter abbreviations for months, like 'A' for January, 'B' for February, while European cars mostly use the dot-week system. Once you're familiar with it, it only takes a few seconds to figure out, and this can also help with maintenance and diagnosing glass issues like cracking risks, as older glass is more prone to damage. Regularly checking the condition of the glass is also a small trick for safe driving.
