Safelite Recalls Glass Manufactured by Hangzhou

Safelite Auto Glass/Belron US has issued a recall on "certain curved tempered replacement glass manufactured by Hangzhou Safety Glass Ltd. and supplied to Safelite by Auto Temp Inc., identified as DOT-430." The glass, which has been sold for use on certain domestic and foreign vehicles, may not break into small pieces as expected of tempered glass and fails to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205, according to information from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA also notes that in the event of a vehicle crash, the occupants of a vehicle utilizing this glass may be seriously injured by shattered glass. Potentially, 1,657 vehicles may be affected.

Safelite is in the process of notifying its retail customers and will replace the glass free of charge. It also is notifying its wholesale customers and will reimburse for current inventory and will replace already-installed glass "at a specified rate," according to NHTSA. A press release from the company notes that shops will be reimbursed for any glass they must replace due to the recall.

The problem with the glass was discovered when a Safelite technician noted that the rear window of a Dodge Ram pickup on which he was working shattered during the installation process, and, rather than breaking into small pieces, as would be expected, broke into larger pieces.

CLICK HERE for more information and for a full list of vehicles that could be affected by the recall.

CLICK HERE for the full text of the press release from Safelite.

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