There was a posting here long ago I remember reading from “Lexus lady” that the oem glass was 80% rejective of UV and Infrared rays plus is “acoustic” glass.

my thoughts are the interior parts and the air conditioning system were designed for the oem glasses heat and ray transfer.

i went to the dealer nearby and looked at their used similar model ls460’s and the oem windshield matched the slightly gold tint like the side windows.

my aftermarket windshield is not the same color and heat transference. Dash board gets noticeably hot driving into the sun.

my wife kicks up the ac manually at that point. The idea that Lexus designed the car to need manual ac adjustment seemed strange which is why I started researching this issue.

 

When my 2013 needed a new windshield due to a rock-induced crack, I took it straight to the dealer and had them contact my insurance company. $100 deductible and it was done with OEM glass. I didn't have any issues at all. The glass and labor were just under $1300.

 

My 2015 has a replacement windshield. It was done at my local Lexus dealer before I bought the car. It shows up on the service history. Im actually surprised they had a cheap windshield installed. Some company I never heard of before. Kind of shocking considering this car is a CPO.

 

Most bodyshops have a glass installer come and put the glass in. This is kind of specialty work.
(My family has been in the auto body repair business for 65 years)

 

Thanks again to everyone who commented on my post, there was some really good info that I definitely used. In the end, after several discussions with the glass installer (recommended by my dealer), I went with the Pilkington (non-Lexus mark). The installer assured me they ordered the correct windshield according to my car's VIN features (namely rain sensor, heated wipers, and solar controlled). Took about a week to get the windshield, and the installer came out today. He explained the process (majority of his time would be cleaning up the old seal) and told me he had done hundreds of LS windshields in his 15 years...so I was pleased they didn't send some new kid! Took about an hour, and the results look like new...granted I have not taken it for a test ride yet.

Here's the interesting part: the replacement windshield had a small white color paint stripe with the Pilkington logo (no name) where the Lexus logo would be on the glass bug. This little stripe really stood out and I wasn't happy with the look. The installer told me that Pilkington uses acid wash to etch off the Lexus logo for the windshields they sell themselves and then paint the stripe and logo. After some discussion, he agreed to use a razorblade and liquid cleaner to scrape off the paint strip. The result was a small area of "cloudy" glass, and you can see it did have a Lexus logo at one time. I think a bit of glass polish might blend most of it in...not sure I will attempt as my city decal will hide it from view, at least from the inside. The 2 pics I attached show the original windshield bug and also the replacement.

 

I don't think that's acoustic glass.

 

How can I find out Chris? I may be wrong but from reading other model posts here on CL I was under the impression that acoustic glass was for the door windows only,.,

 

The markings on the original and replacement windshield are exactly the same which would seem to indicate that they are identical OEM windshields. Maybe OEM LS460 windshields don't have an indicator for acoustic if they all are. Or maybe the acoustic indicator is somewhere else on the windshield. I would be surprised if the LS460 didn't come with a standard acoustic windshield since a number of less expensive TMC vehicles come with acoustic windshields and front side glass.

If the replacement was an actual Pilkington brand windshield instead of a re-labeled OEM "Nippon Sheet Glass Company" windshield, it might have markings that are typical of a heated, acoustic Pilkington brand windshield per the attached image. It took me a while to realize that the little ear-on-windshield symbol meant "acoustic".

Here is a website that has information on how to interpret windshield markings: http://www.carwindshields.info/windshieldmarkings

 

No, they were added later in the model years. For example, my 08 only had the acoustic FRONT windshield (all LS's had this). Then in 2009, and due to customer complaints about wind noise, they added the acoustic SIDE windows. Then, customers could (if they complained hard enough), get the sides done via a campaign on the 07 and 08 MY's.

I'm trying to remember what the Lexus name is for the acoustic glass. As I stated earlier, the first time I had my windshield done, it was a Genuine Lexus screen. Then the second time, it was replaced with a Chinese manufactured glass and that's when I noticed a considerable increase in noise inside the cabin. When I checked with the glass installer, they said that my car didn't come with acoustic glass. I then printed off a Lexus pamphlet and showed where the glass was acoustic, and the stamp on the glass indicating it. That's where I'm having trouble remembering what it's called. Something like, "Acoustiglass" or something like that. My SHO windshield is stamped "Soundshield".

But they do. It was discussed at length a couple years back in another thread.

I just checked my wife's CT200H and it says "Acoustic" on the stamp, but it's an aftermarket.

 

Lamisafe is what's on mine.

 

Lamisafe just means it's laminated. All modern windshields are laminated. That doesn't make it acoustic. Lamisafe and lamipane are the same. Nippon Safety calls it "Lamipane" and Asahi (AGC) calls it "Lamisafe", neither of which make it acoustic. Other glass manufacturers call it other things like "optilam" (Pilkington), etc.

 

ALL LS460s have acoustic windshields, but they are unmarked as acoustic from the factory.

 

Do you know when this started? I can't imagine that Pilkington builds two versions, one acoustic and one non-acoustic for the relatively few LS's produced each year. Apart from the "removed" Lexus logo the replacement windshield bug looks almost exactly like the original new car bug except for the dots around the words "Nippon Safety" are in a different pattern. Still trying to fond out what the dots mean....

 

Agree, but want to add: Years ago when buying windows for a house, the installer told me that glass panels designed to reduce noise usually have different thicknesses of glass on the various panes; so while it's probably 90% the plastic layer, the two outer glass layers probably contribute as well.

 

Pilkington does not make the windshields for the LS, and the windshield they gave you is not Pilkington. "Nippon" is the brand of the glass. Every OEM LS460 windshield I've ever seen is Nippon Safety, including the ones on the two LS460s I've had.

Pilkington only makes OEM glass for US/Canadian made Lexus and Toyota vehicles. Japan made Lexus/Toyota vehicles use Aashi or Nippon Safety glass depending on the model and the application (most of the glass in the LS460 is Aashi, windshield is Nippon and I believe the rear opera widows are Nippon too.

Now, Nippon Sheet Glass owns Pilkington...so if anything I would say you got a better quality replacement than the Pilkington glass you were promised.

As for the dots, who knows...that could signify whether or not its acoustic. Does it seem louder when you're driving? If not I wouldn't worry about it. Your new one has more dots. So, you got bonus dots LOL

This is the label on a Pilkington replacement for an LS430: