How to Check the Vehicle Production Date from the Car Glass?
2 Answers
To check the vehicle production date from the car glass, look for numbers with black dots on the glass, which indicate the month and year of production—the numbers represent the year. Car glass is manufactured by heating the glass in a furnace to near its softening temperature, then rapidly transferring it to cooling zones with varying intensities to create uneven cooling, resulting in different stress levels between the main viewing area and the surrounding zones. The production date serves several purposes: 1. It is used for depreciation valuation when purchasing auto insurance; 2. It helps determine if a new car is from old stock; 3. It identifies vehicles affected by safety recalls; 4. It determines the model year, which affects configurations and part numbers.
Finding the production date on car glass is actually quite simple, and I often check this when buying used cars. Usually, there's a small marking in the lower corner of each windshield or side window glass, containing a code made up of numbers and dots. The most common format uses dots to represent the month and numbers to represent the year. For example, a marking like '20..' might represent 2020, with the dots indicating months 1 through 12. However, when the dots are on the left side of the decimal point, it represents the first half of the year, and on the right side, the second half. For instance, two dots might indicate April. Last time I helped a friend inspect a car, I found that the glass date was later than the car's production date, indicating the glass had been replaced, possibly due to an accident. Remember, different brands have different formats—Japanese cars often use letters plus numbers, while European cars directly show the year and month. When checking, get close to the glass and look carefully; using a magnifying glass is even better. This not only helps determine if the car's condition is original but also saves you money by avoiding problematic vehicles. It's advisable not to check just one piece of glass; inspect both the front and rear for accuracy.
