Disaster - rear view mirror leaked!

[Jonnymaz]

Came to the car today and wondered what had blistered the paint on the console in the centre, turns out the heat had caused the dreaded rear view mirror leak :bigcry:

I have looked back over some threads and seems to be a common problem, what are the current options? Is it still either send to US for repair or get the swap from the original supplying company? What are people doing?

Also, what is best to sort the trim out, it's ruined!!! :banghead:

Can it be removed, rubbed down and resprayed? Seems to be only the paint that has been damaged. If so, anyone know where to get the interior grey paint?

Thanks for any tips.

[Nikey30]

Hi Jonny,

Sorry to hear about the issues, I cant comment on the fix for the mirror but wondered what grey interior trim you are referring too? Do you mean the grey plastic trim that runs across the dashboard?

If so then my advice would be to contact MarkCSL as he sells this trim in carbon to match the rest of the interior carbon trim, I have recently purchased and its a great mod.

Am sure someone will be along soon to advise on the mirror fix.

Cheers
Nick

[northernjim]

You have a couple of options

- you can send it away to america - do a search there are a few who have done this,

or try this - copied from elsewhere :)

The interior Mirror had leaked so rather than buying a brand-new one which cost around £300 I decided to replace the glass which I purchased on the M3 cutters website that cost £103 delivered. It involved soldering the new glass within the mirror casing, luckily Steve had a soldering iron so that was pretty simple to do.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/andrewturner/null_zps4087511b.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/andrewturner/null_zps9e548f2b.jpg

[northernjim]

http://www.cslregister.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9828&highlight=mirror&page=2

[Mark CSL]

If your Csl has warranty Bmw will replace th mirror and the damaged part

[Jonnymaz]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Unfortunately no warranty so have to sort it myself!

Hmm, not sure about the soldering a new mirror in, not really done a lot of soldering before!

In answer to the query about which trim, it is the grey painted plastic that surrounds the gear shift - small square that is round the circular bit for the gear shift, and the larger grey bit beneath that (with the window switches in).

I could get them professionally resprayed if I can remove them and know which paint to order?

[Nikey30]

Try here for instructions on removing the trim:

http://www.cslregister.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10694

Not sure on respraying them, am sure someone will be along to tell you if this is possible.

[Straightsix]

Can you put some photographs up of the damage ?

[rstoughy]

As above send the trims to Mark and have them coated with Carbon :smokin:

[Jonnymaz]

I've tried to attach pic, hope it works. As you can see it's both bits of plastic trim.

Mark, do you coat the existing pieces or replace them? How much would it be? Please can you pm if you can help?

Anyone know if they are sprayable and where to get the paint?

Re the mirror repair, surely something like this can be repaired in this country?? Went so difficult?

Thanks for the help guys.

[Mark CSL]

Not looking good

I can cover them in carbon if you want them
Done

[TimCSL]

Sorry to hijack the thread but I have experienced the very same just last week. Is anyone able to supply a part number for the trim piece that houses the window switches? I have searched but to no avail.

[Jonnymaz]

No problem, glad to pool resources!

What you doing about the mirror itself?

[Straightsix]

I would imagine the damaged trim and interior mirror should all be available from your BMW Dealer ?

[$w!ft]

what is it exactly that is leaking and causing damage to plastic?

[NZ_M3]

Sorry to hijack the thread but I have experienced the very same just last week. Is anyone able to supply a part number for the trim piece that houses the window switches? I have searched but to no avail.

Parts 9 and 10
51167904342
51167896462

http://realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/x/t/223.png



what is it exactly that is leaking and causing damage to plastic?

Mercury ... so highly toxic.

[Jonnymaz]

I saw reference to Mercury on a past thread, but is this right? I have not been able to verify it, and it would seem strange that mercury was being used in something just 10 years ago.

The only reference I have found is to "corrosive liquid" or "same liquid as an LCD".

Anyone know what it is for a fact?

Sorry to repeat info from further down the thread, but how can I get paint to match the trim? I am also looking to respray the internal door pulls, which appears to be the same colour.

[NZ_M3]

This is the best write up I've ever seen for this mirror: (history, explanation why it leaks, how to repair)

http://www.totalmcars.com/thread/2072/auto-dimming-mirrors-faults-fixes?page=1&scrollTo=32714

[mattCSLnut]

This is the best write up I've ever seen for this mirror: (history, explanation why it leaks, how to repair)

http://www.totalmcars.com/thread/2072/auto-dimming-mirrors-faults-fixes?page=1&scrollTo=32714
Good find Tom :thumbs: I'm grateful I caught mine when I did and send it off the Radar Mirror guy in the US, earlier on this year.

[jonv]

Mine has a bubble that has formed from the top down, about 20mm. I guess I know what the cause is, but how do I prevent the potential interior damage if it leaks?

[Schmeel]

Mine has a bubble that has formed from the top down, about 20mm. I guess I know what the cause is, but how do I prevent the potential interior damage if it leaks?

There is no prevention really. Your best option is to either buy a replacement mirror. Or Contact john and he can either replace the glass for you or send you the glass to repair yourself.

Best of luck mate.

[rstoughy]

Well just went out to the garage to check mine after reading this thread and after it was roasted over at the Nurburgring last week in the searing heat. Not really noticeable unless really looking for it but it looks to have a large different coloured patch over 70% of it. My guess is that its goosed although not leaking.

Bugger :(

[Mark CSL]

i got mine replaced under warranty paul :thumbs:
This is what mine looked like

[Rick H]

Excellant thread - and I'm going for prevention rather than cure by sending my mirror to the Radar chappy in the US before it spits out its contents. I also noticed that a concealed Valentine One display can possibly be stashed in the mirror casing whilst retaining auto-dim - thats the icing on the cake as after a just a few short weeks of CSL ownership, I realise that my V1 is an absolute must-have accessory :whistle:

Sorry to hear about the damage JM and thanks for highlighting it on CSLR. Are you going for Mark's carbon solution?

[rstoughy]

Hmm interesting Mark.
I shall call and enquire as I have a couple of small warranty jobs needing done anyway.

Cheers for that, I presumed as it was "trim" it wouldn't be covered but guess you don't ask you don't get :beer:

[Mark CSL]

It is trim but the dim dip is not working and it fails the test you will get a new one :whistle::-D:-D:-D

[Bounce]

Hmm interesting Mark.
I shall call and enquire as I have a couple of small warranty jobs needing done anyway.

Cheers for that, I presumed as it was "trim" it wouldn't be covered but guess you don't ask you don't get :beer:Put a towel or something over the centre consol Paul,just incase it starts to leak.;)

[Jonnymaz]

Glad the thread has been useful.

Still deciding what to do about the trim. The carbon replacement looks nice but a pricey addition, plus I'm trying to keep things original.

I would still like to try getting them resprayed as the interior door handles are the same paint and have a few scratches on them so I'd like to do them at the same time.

Could really do with a pointer as to how to get paint to match if anyone can help with that?

Thinking of replacing the glass myself on the mirror - looks pretty easy from the guide.

[Neil M]

[quote=Jonnymaz;151409]Could really do with a pointer as to how to get paint to match if anyone can help with that?

Isn't the trim the same colour as the steering wheel - Titanium Grey, shimmy recently had his steering wheel trims repainted, very pleased with the colour match and end result. Send him a PM and all will be revealed.:thumbs:

[digi]

get some dettol, immerse the part in it for say 30mins, get an old toothbrush and lightly scrub. All the paint will come off and you will have a white base. Just buy some spray paint from Halford's or somewhere. Remember to put a layer of lacquer otherwise it will wear off easily.

I done this with my steering wheel cover as well as my door handle. Not looked back since, albeit my steering wheel cover is slightly wearing on the side. :hahaha:

Had the dreaded rear view mirror thing also, got it replaced by send to the US. Had to pay postage and a handling fee. Was free before, but replacement is worth it. No problems at all for the last 4 years.