Passat Windshield Question?

[BKmetz]

I stopped by the glass shop to see if he had everything he needs to replace my windshield tomorrow. He has the glass but is still waiting for the seal. The tech says he'll have everything by tomorrow and we're still good to go.

As the tech already had the glass in his truck I couldn't get a photo of it. The glass does have a plastic ring/mirror mount glued to the ceramic paint (frit). We're using Pilkington/LOF (Libby Owens Ford) glass as it is both acoustic and UV blocking glass.

I'll try to get some photos of the glass tomorrow before it goes into the car.

 

[inthewoods]

Don't forget to keep an eye on the dash to windshield gap.

 

[BKmetz]

Stopped by the shop this morning and the glass tech was one busy guy. I did mention to the tech to leave that gap between the windshield and the dashboard.

This is how the Pilkington windshield came. The plastic mirror mount ring is glued to the ceramic paint (frit). Sorry about the blurry photo, I was in a hurry to get the photos and get out of the way.

The base of the windshield has this rubber strip on it. The rubber strip is made in Germany. The glass is made in the USA.

Here is the mirror harness hanging loose from the roof console.

VW/OEM glass

VW aftermarket glass

 

[Fixmy59bug]

I just checked ETKA, and there is only one part number for the 2012 - 2015 NMS Passat.

So regardless of what mirror you have, there is only one windshield.

 

[IXLR8]

I just checked ETKA, and there is only one part number for the 2012 - 2015 NMS Passat.

So regardless of what mirror you have, there is only one windshield.

Hmm, I am about to get my windshield changed on my Passat and the place I am going to has a listing of 4 different part numbers for the Passat. He did say there was a different number for with rain sensors and without, not sure what the other 2 numbers were about. I didn't check to see who his supplier was.

 

[IXLR8]

Stopped by the shop this morning and the glass tech was one busy guy.

Did he do anything to protect dash and defrost vents from getting anything on/in them?

 

[BKmetz]

Did he do anything to protect dash and defrost vents from getting anything on/in them?

I didn't stay to watch him. He was very professional.

 

[PaulB]

I don't know about soft glass; I hadn't noticed anything. However I took a big rock and needed my windshield replaced. After looking at the non-OEM replacement I was cussing because the glass did not fit the curve of the roofline as well as the OEM glass did. That is, some places the glass was too high, other places it was too low, right at the top edge of the windshield. Not extremely obvious but I could tell. Not much to do about it now.

 

[BKmetz]

What brand of glass did they use? It could also be a bad installation. The installer could have been careless with the removal of the old rubber seal and left a bit here and there, or a very uneven application of the urethane sealant. My installer used a large battery operated Milwaukee caulk gun to apply the urethane. My glass fits perfect.

The installer using a scraping tool to get all the old rubber seal and urethane sealant off the car.

The only way you can tell my car has a replacement installation is the few spots of urethane sealant that squished out slightly from under the glass. And it is very slight, you wouldn't notice it unless I pointed it out to you. The factory uses robots to install the windshields and sealant so the factory sealant application is perfect.

 

[VernK]

You're not meant to remove all of the old sealant, the fear being scratching the paint in the pinch weld and corrosion down the road. But you are meant to nearly remove it, and make sure it is the same level all the way around the pinch weld.

Yours
Vern

 

[pedroYUL]

Necro bump.

What is the part number of this windshield (2015) without rain sensing please?

Called a local installer which gave me a quote of $116 for whatever brand glass they could find (same 4 part# story yadda yadda), including PPG which I believe is what my old 2004 wagon had...anyway, sounded too good to be true, so when I called back to get the appointment they asked me for my VIN, then to call me back to say their four suppliers had no stock of the regular glass.

Glass with rain sensing (which again, I don't have) was around $400 out the door, and dealership provided glass was around $600. Which isn't crazy, but I would like to get back to close to the original number they quoted me on.

 

[Henrick]

All modern OEM glass chips/scratches/breaks very easily.
This is related to weight reduction policy to save some fuel; some materials such as Iron are reduced in glass compound making it soft.

If I were to replace the glass, I wouldn't choose St.Gobain-Sekurit or Guardian for sure.
Instead I'd choose Pilkington or chinese Fuyao. The latter one has got some positive reviews ars being inexpensive and durable. I didn't hear any reviews of optical defects on this glass either.

In either case, each windshield should be thoroughly inspected before installation for manufacturing defects or distortion.

People who live in hot climate areas might want to apply film on the glass, such as LLumar AIR 80 to reduce cabin heat and material fading

 

[oilhammer]

Henrick, the US DOT has different specs for windshield glass than you do there. Plus, the NMS (our NMS, anyway) was built here, for here.

The Tennessee built NMS uses a local glass supplier for windshields, Guardian, who supplies DOT-spec windshields and other glass for many cars manufactured in the USA and Canada.

 

[pedroYUL]

Alright, I guess BKmetz posted the part number FW3419, but does anybody has the VW part number?

I think I might be able to get the glass myself for much less than the local dealer, then pay for install.

 

[oilhammer]

Get it by VIN at your local dealer. Also, make sure you actually are sure someone will install someone else's glass. Many won't.

 

[pedroYUL]

My local dealer are a bunch of a-holes, parts department in particular. I might ask one of the fine vendors we have for assistance, as they should have ETKA access.

I did see this part number online but not sure if that's the right one 5C6845011BDNVB. Could have this glass shipped directly to the installers even, but of course I will talk to them and make sure they'll install a glass I bought direct.

 

[Henrick]

Henrick, the US DOT has different specs for windshield glass than you do there. Plus, the NMS (our NMS, anyway) was built here, for here.

The Tennessee built NMS uses a local glass supplier for windshields, Guardian, who supplies DOT-spec windshields and other glass for many cars manufactured in the USA and Canada.

I trully believe those cars for US market are built locally; however, it's a fact that VW gives their own requirements and standards for products being manufactured.
Based on what I've read in this thread US-spec cars are suffering the very same problems as they do on this side of the pond; in this particular case it's soft glass.

I personally faced this problem with my previous Mk5, same on Mk6. I've researched this subject of glass composition change.
I didn't own a Mk4 but I know for sure that Mk3 didn't have such soft glass issues

 

[oilhammer]

No, the local LAW dictates things like glass. Your bumpers are different, too.

Lighting, emissions regulations, passive/active restraints, crash protection, pedestrian protection, all kinds of things are different.

I've owned just about every version of A and B segment (and a couple C) FWD VAG cars over the years, as well as various Transporters of both rear and front engined, and I'm not sure I could pick any out that had better or worse glass than the others. Both my 2004 B5s have had cracks in the windshield almost since new. My '91 Jetta probably went through a half dozen windshields before I finally gave up. My '98 Jetta had a crack in its windshield by 50k miles.

 

[pedroYUL]

This is the correct part number: 561 845 011 F NVB