Did I get a Pilkington windshield?

[raty4R]

I just had my windshield replaced by a reputable shop. I asked for Pilkington and my invoice says Pilkington but nothing on my windshield say Pilkington. Only logo on the windshield is 4 C's like CCCC but scrolled and it says laminated. Part cost was $141. It also seems like there is no tint across the top like my OEM one had. Part number on my invoice is FW02011BTNNCOM.
Thanks.

 

[T4R2014]

I would ask the shop. I've never seen a Pilkington windshield for these. Did you mean PPG?

 

[TheDurk]

I just had my windshield replaced by a reputable shop. I asked for Pilkington and my invoice says Pilkington but nothing on my windshield say Pilkington. Only logo on the windshield is 4 C's like CCCC but scrolled and it says laminated. Part cost was $141. It also seems like there is no tint across the top like my OEM one had. Part number on my invoice is FW02011BTNNCOM.
Thanks.

I always request Pilkington. They were major clients of mine when I was in Brazil and I even got to meet a real live Pilkington. Great people to do business with. The glass I have bought always says Pilkington, or a known subsidiary like Blindex in Brazil.

The three Cs shown above is a Chinese safety standard. Four Cs I don't know. The partnumber, minus the COM, is an OEM part number.

I don't know the answer, but I don't blame you for being skeptical.

 

[Yoter]

Here is a link with information on automotive glass markings:
Standards of automotive glass marking. Examples of American, European and Chinese marking.

I would be concerned and possibly try and get a refund if its not DOT approved glass

 

[jaypapa]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, and but mine says Pilkington on the lower passenger side corner. Mine was replaced in 2011, so maybe Pilkington changed where they label... trying to be positive. It's been great glass - still crystal clear and smooth sans one small rock chip.

 

[raty4R]

Thanks for all the replies and information. It was three Cs not 4 as I originally said. T4R2014 PPG is no more. That's what I had replaced, a Toyota PPG windshield. The shop told me today they would verify after i voiced my concerns. I sent them pictures and the girl said she would have the guy look at it. I also told them there wasn't a blue tint strip across the the top as I had requested. I'll update the results.
Thanks again.

 

[RussToy]

I have 2 rock chips in my original windshield and thinking about getting it replaced. Didn't really know there was different name brand glass?!? So is Pilkington suppose to be the best replacement glass? Where do you get it from...Toyota?

Thanks for all the enlightenment!! I would have just gone down to the glass shop and asked for a replacement.

Cheers...

 

[jaypapa]

I'm not sure if they are the best, but I have been pleased. A friend suggested them when I needed a new windscreen on the 4Runner. I called a few local shops and found one.

In all fairness, I'm comparing it to my car's windscreen, which is original and has seen nearly 250k. It is fairly pitted and scratched at this point, so my 4Runner's is high-definition by comparison.

 

[TheDurk]

I did some research:

The DOT numbers will give you the exact manufacturer and country of origin. Here are the codes:

DOT number search: DOT Number Database

Top brands are:

- my favorite, Pilkington, which invented float glass and bought top US maker Libby-Owens-Ford. They are OEM for BMW and many others

-SGS Saint-Gobain-Sekurit OEM for Mercedes and lots of Euro cars

-Carlite OEM for Ford

-AP Tech OEM for Honda and others

Brands to avoid are PGW, Safelite and XYG (really bad). Off brands will break more easily and frequently will have distortions or blemishes. There is a lot of cheapo no-name Mexican and Chinese glass out there, although not ALL Mexican glass is crappy; it depends on the manufacturer. I don't know of any Chinese with a good reputation.

PPG used to be good, but then the windshield biz, known as PGW (Pittsburgh Glass Works) got sold to LKQ Corp. in early 2016 and apparently quality went downhill.

 

[RussToy]

Wow...you guys really opened my eyes on this!! Thanks for all the great info and links. I'll bookmark this page...I'll probably wait until after the winter before I replace mine.

Cheers...

 

[TXLX1]

I have a PGW, installed by reputable guy. Seems fine.

 

[raty4R]

@thedirk thank you! according to your chart I have a genuine DOT563 SHENZHEN AUTOMOTIVE GLASS MANUFACTURING P.R.O.C., CHINA
The install shop will be getting a call from me.

 

[pattycakes77]

I got a PGW in my 4runner after I painted it 4 years ago, no problems here. Get an OEM molding though.

 

[RussToy]

@thedirk thank you! according to your chart I have a genuine DOT563 SHENZHEN AUTOMOTIVE GLASS MANUFACTURING P.R.O.C., CHINA
The install shop will be getting a call from me.

Oh damn...they tried to pull a fast one on you!! Please let us know the outcome. Wish you the best of luck!!

 

[GangsterOfLove]

The amount of info you can get on this board continues to amaze.

Thanks! :thumb:

 

[TheDurk]

I have a PGW, installed by reputable guy. Seems fine.

I got a PGW in my 4runner after I painted it 4 years ago, no problems here. Get an OEM molding though.

Just to clarify my PGW comment. PGW was the auto glass division of PPG Industries. [MENTION=95347]pattycakes77[/MENTION] 's 4-year old W/S is in the 'good' part of the 'used-to-be-good' category. I don't know about [MENTION=139216]TXLX1[/MENTION]'s. PPG sold PGW in the beginning of this year to LKQ Corp. who rose to prominence as a retailer of used and refurbished auto parts and was started in 1998. The quality declines people have noticed are said to have occurred THIS YEAR.

I have edited my earlier post to clarify that.

PPG Industries sells Pittsburgh Glass Works in $635M deal | TribLIVE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LKQ_Corporation

 

[TheDurk]

DOT Auto Glass Codes for Country and Manufacturer

I decided that the DOT code list was too valuable and too rare a piece of info to be vulnerable to a broken weblink. So I'm putting it on this site as a .pdf for greater permanence. I'm assuming this info is in the public domain, just hard to find. So there should be no copyright issues:

 

[TheDurk]

Also, here is another source that will allow you to search by Company name OR DOT number.

http://www.glassbytes.com/dot/

 

[kiana]

Also, here is another source that will allow you to search by Company name OR DOT number.

http://www.glassbytes.com/dot/

Kudos to you for finding and sharing this information & the PDF's. It'll come in handy for future people searching around! :clap2:

 

[pattycakes77]

I wanted to put OEM glass in but even with my discount was triple the price of the pgw glass. LKQ can be hit or miss, dealing with used, aftermarket, or even refurbished garbage parts is a nightmare. I've installed lots of glass and windshields, some good and some terrible so working at a shop that can return the trash for good is nice, something an individual most likely isn't able to do easily.
This is all good information to put out there before someone drops a lot of money on something that makes a big difference in driving enjoyment.

On a side note, OEM is not always good stuff either. I almost installed a windshield on an F150 when I noticed an ant sandwiched between the laminations right in the driver's immediate view. Always inspect the glass on a case by case basis, hit or miss.