This just happened to me last week!!! Unfortunately, I didn't know about the rear view mirror until I came to this site to see if this happened to anyone else.

Mind started with the bubble on the top of the rear view and then the next day while driving home from work. The black liquid came dripping out from it. I didn't notice it til I got home when I parked the car. I tried wiping it off with a damp towel thinking I spilled soda on it. WTF was my re-action, after seeing that it ate the plastic around the center console area.

After feeling sick for about a week, I am scheduled to get checked out by my Doctor... I hope it's nothing serious after reading some of the stuff here.

Also, I called the dealership and the service advisor said he doesn't know of anything toxin from the rear view mirror, if so Acura would put out a re-call or some type of disclaimer, blah, blah... I am waiting for a call back from the Service Manager.

 

See this thread discussing possible health risks associated with the mystery fluid in the mirror:

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143190

Remove the mirror if you haven't done so yet.

 

[QUOTE=jonny5]This just happened to me last week!!! Unfortunately, I didn't know about the rear view mirror until I came to this site to see if this happened to anyone else.
QUOTE]

[QUOTE]
fiona.f.blackmon-bur@dot.gov writes:
Dear Acura Owners,

Here at ODI (Office of Defects Investigations) at the US DOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) we have received your complaint on your Acura vehicles regarding the leaking review mirror. We would like to gather more information on your issue. Do you have any photos?? Photos of the damage caused to the interior of your car would be optimal. Do you have any service records from the dealership?

Thank you very much for your time and effort.

Fiona Blackmon-Burns

Engineering Assistant
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Office of Defects Investigation
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE
W48-229, NVS-211
Washington, DC 20590
(202)366-5224
[QUOTE]

For goodness sakes, POST SOME PICTURES of the mirror and the console damage!!!

 

Maybe someone who has been more active with this thread can tell you if pictures have been posted yet. I'm not sure. Seems like someone would have done it by now.

I luckily got the mirror out before it was able to leak. I can take pictures of the "bubble" though. You interested in that?

 

When my dad got me my car, the rear view mirror was fucked up so when I tried to adjust it, the whole mirror would fall off and dangle from wires. My dad tried jamming the thing back on, and crack the whole windshield lol. it was a total like 400$ for the new windshield and rear view mirror, but I don't think the mirror was replaced under a warranty or anything :/ can't really do much now since that was 2 years ago :P

luckily i didnt see any liquid leak from the mirror but there were some glass/plastic? pieces around my shiftgate and center console.

 

Yeah, pictures of the bubble will be good so we know what to look for...

If anyone has pictures of damage to the console from the fluid leak, post those as well!

THANKS and POST THOSE PIXS!

 

Well--they should never be rude, because it guarantees you won't return as a customer. But that's what a warranty is all about. If your engine blew after 9 years, you'd be SOL.

 

go the the start of the thread and there are pics- you get small light brown bubbles/spots- like size of writing pen tip, around the edges,, on mine-- and the mirror auto dim feature may stop working- the green light comes on but does not respond at all.

Ones you buy at the dealer now are the new design and are safe.
Maybe ask for a big discount- like what another shop would pay them for the part, since there is no agreement on warranty at this age of product.
They may do it for 70 bucks instead of 140, and a glass shop will safely install it for 20 dollars. Its a 20 minute DIY if you are agile and have a few small tools.
I went to the glass shop, and saved the trip to the chiro for a bigger job~

 

Imagine what would happen if you sprayed liquid tar on the interior
Thats pretty much the result

 

Oh, don't worry. You'll see it.

 

so dani is trying to act brand new now and refer people to the dealership?

that sucks, i missed out on a free replacement. time to go yell at someone at the dealership.

 

So far, I haven't seen a dam picture from anyone...though I know of one personally (my sister's car 2002 TL - she got a free one from Donnelly, though it cost her $20 to have it installed).

Post 'em if you got them so I can be a believer!

 

believer of what- the failure and posible mess or the replacement unit installed?

Dani was gone from the company- if she came back is news~
Acura was supposedly working out who should pay
Some dealers have warrantied on the spot- probably extended mile/parts warranty coverage cars, while others say no way!
Its a car, parts wear out- trick technology even more so. New cars are even worse.
At least they are ~$140, could be much worse, maybe you can get the dealer to give its lowest price for you- never hurts to ask.
They know about the problem - but what are they supposed to do??

 

I think the right thing to do would be to replace all of the leak-prone designs with the improved and hopefully leakproof design.

It would not be a big deal if it was just a matter of the mirror failing to function. Hey, parts wear out.

But it's more serious when the failed mirror can drip a corrosive fluid and cause hundreds of dollars of interior damage. And, who knows, maybe the fumes from this stuff aren't healthy to inhale.

It seems like Magna Donnelly should be replacing these since it was their design. And that's exactly what they were doing up until late 2007. ( I received a free replacement myself.)

 

Where are the ambulance chasing attorneys when you need one?

Post your pictures!

 

There have been many photos of damaged interiors posted in this thread but, unfortunately, many of the links have expired over time.

But there are still some photos on page 5 of this thread.

 

Is the one in my 1999 TL also subject to this phenomena?

 

Yes

 

Wonderful.

Guess I'll be calling Acura and/or Magna Donnelly on Monday.

 

Not all of them fail- just a small percentage of all the units installed, or there would have been a RECALL about this long ago, making all of them replaced for safety.
A new design- different internal whatevers, is what the dealer gets now, and MD was giving out before. Who knows if they are even the maker now!

Its always worth a talk with the dealer- if the service writer blows you off,
(some have the authority to help you and do - others can only read from a book of NO answers, and try to get you to pay- that is their job after all- to make sales$$$$$)

ask to speak with the Service Manager- who can take you to the PARTS manager- since his department will be the one not showing 100% profit on a retail sales item-- at the monthly company reviews of each dept income----
they can decide if they will give you a: cost plus 10% special deal-like another shop would get buying from them to resell to their customer---
Are you a known good customer? or just some pain off the street who demands a new mirror- same kind of person wants a new trans at 108k miles, even though its working perfect- Give me a new one before the warranty expires!!!!

You guys and your legal bandwagon- parts fail- technology changes- shiiite happens~
Go buy a new mirror IF yours gets brown spots on it or the auto dimmer quits.

If a tire or brakes or window mechanism wears out or breaks and needs replacement- do you take care of it?, or complain and wait for a possible failure?
If your mirror dimmer works fine, its probablty a good unit and will never have a problem. Just like some transmissions go forever,,,, and others go out once a year....

 

I'll try my dealer. They didn't mind taking $900 from me for the t-belt/water pump
or $400 for the brakes or $500 for the fluid changes....but I am a realist.

My car has 189k on the od and it is the original trans. All I can say is I change the
trans fluid every 30k. with genuine Acura fluid.

My interior is like new, so damage from a mirror is low on my list of wants.
If the mirror stopped working, then I'd buy a new one but leaking a fluid that
causes collateral damage....no, thats an Acura problem and I don't agree that the
consumer should pay anything.

 

But its not an Acura problem!!- its not a part made by Honda, like much of their stuff is.

Look around at other car makes- 4-5 years and no more warranty at all- dont bother asking,,, its not going to happen on anything.
And many of those are cars have our transmissions, that fail at 55k, sorry no warranty!!!

NOT ALL OF THEM LEAK- get over it people!!!,
the maker or importer of the mirrors was offering "PRO BONO"
replacements for a few years.
I am guessing- since they used a very `Legal Term` to describe the exchange for me,-- they have been thru the legal process of it all- and were NOT obligated to do a recall or warranty- everything they did was ~Goodwill gesture~

the specific warranty length and details is probably buried in the paperwork with the car about whats covered for how long- accessory parts-2 years- 4 years, something like that,,,
but for a 7 year old car-----
they were definetly not `warranty,` anymore!!

Retail is about $140 and DIY install of 20 minutes, or $20 bucks at the glass shop to do it safely and not break the $350+ window.
There are a few acura dealers that advertise on here and have good prices, but I say ask your local acura shop about a deal for $70

Call Acura IF you have the little edge spots or the auto dim has quit. 1-800-382-2238 x5
By logging a claim they will investigate- and may offer a mirror at half price
At least you log another incident for them to know about- if it was an overwhelming number of cars- they would order a RECALL- but that has not happened,,, and never a whisper about it beyond those who demand it online-- but do nothing to follow their desire.

 

I had on replaced BUT if they did not replace it for free I would have just purchased one and put it in. I know a list was posted about how bad the chemicals are in these things but truthfully most of the warnings are on the chemicals we use everyday. If brief contact was so bad for you what happens in an accident, the responding team is made sick by a leaky mirror. It is pretty simple if you see a bubble in your mirror take it out and get a new one.

 

Well it was my turn for my mirror to crap out today. I guess this means I need to expedite my next mod for the rear view mirror. Digital Compass here we come!!! Just have to dig it out from the closet.

 

Actually most of their "stuff" is made by vendors, just like this mirror. Aside from the power train and other major components/assemblies Honda/Acura, or any other car manufacturer for that matter, doesn't really manufacture much. They just assemble most of it. Most car companies don't even assemble the entire car anymore. Many buy complete sub-assemblies, like dashboards with everything installed and seats with all the components installed (i.e. electric motors, latches, handles and electric heaters) and then implement that at the assembly line. Some of the bigger vendors have set up factories on the same site or very near to the assembly plant and deliver full sub-assemblies in a JIT (Just In Time) environment. Regardless of who makes the part Honda/Acura specifies and approves the vendors parts, therefore taking responsibility for the part. If it is faulty it is Acrua's job to take that up with their vendor, not the consumer's. The consumer purchased the vehicle, mirror included, from Acura, not Magna Donelly, the vendor for these mirrors. The proper course of action for anyone with a defective mirror is contact Acura directly.

I recently had my 8 year old mirror replaced for free. I just called Acura and politely asked. They took about three days to give me an answer, but they came through and replaced the mirror for free. I even got a free car wash from the Acura dealer. I gave up on Magna-Donnelly last year. They have no interest in preserving brand name with consumers b/c we don't buy from them; they are a B2B entity and unless there is a recall they're not going to keep giving out mirrors for free.

I was contacted by the US DOT after filing a complaint about this issue, so if you are truly unhappy about this problem and want the US Govt to step in to pressure Honda about a possible recall then contact the DOT and file a complaint.

FB

 

Man , one time i was coming from School to go home. I got the 2 kickers l7s and too much frequency , and lol i push the volume so hard. The back view mirror starting to vibrate like crazy and guess what,, it felt off lol.

I was like wtf lol. I had to stop, emergency on and hang it back up lol. But i couldnt, because the al the screws were so lose and stuff. So i gotta do this, one hand driving, the other hand holding the mirror.

Lol if u see me at that time, man ya gonna laugh real hard lol.

So i came back home SAFETY , and super glue that bitch up lol.

No more high frequency for me lol.

It was scary but lil bit halarious lol

 

Well, after sending a complain (ref. post #567 from amargols) to recall.gov, they just replied to my Email last few days, here is what their reply:
Dear Acura owners,
Here at ODI (Office of Defects Investigations) at the US DOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) we have received your complaint on your Acura vehicles for rearview mirror leaking. We would like to gather some more information from you. Can you please send any service records that you might have on this vehicle to the fax number below? Can you please send any pictures you may have of the leaking rearview mirrors as well? Thank you very much for your time and effort.
Ajit Alkondon
Safety Defects Engineer
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Office of Defects Investigation
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE
W48-224, NVS-211
Washington, DC 20590
Tel: 202-366-3565
Fax: 202-366-3171

 

I got the same email with his assistant, Fiona, cc'ed on it. Now she is following up with me. I think the NHTSA would like to help, but I don't have any photos nor any damage b/c I removed the mirror before it actually dripped on the interior. Hopefully someone will be able to supply some images of the exploded mirrors and the damage caused from the leaking. I suspect if the NHTSA sees the problems, they'll pressure Honda/Acura to recall the mirrors. They can work it out with Magna Donnelly.

FB

 

About 1 month ago, the bubble appeared on the top of the mirror on my wife's 01 CL-Type S. She currently has 43,000 miles on the car which we bought new in 2000.

Before I knew anything about the problem, I looked online for replacement instructions and found all the threads about the leaking and exploding. I put a towel over the console in case it started to leak and then I called Acura.

As expected, they said there was no knowledge of a problem. The next day I called again, and told the rep with the amount of posts about this problem, there is no way I would believe Acura doesn't know about this. The rep was non-committal about the problem, but said the first step was to bring it to the dealer.

I stopped in at the dealer where I bought my car, where the service rep again gave me the "we don't know anything about a mirror problem". When I told her about all the info on the internet, she said "You can't believe what you read on the internet". I said why would people make up something like this. I should have told her that I read on the internet that her Acura dealership was good and I wouldn't believe this either, but I didn't think of it until later.

She said she would call Acura and see what they have to say. She came back and said Acura would not pay for the repair because the car was 8 1/2 years old and it would be $100 for the mirror, $35 for labor, a total of $155 including tax.

I told her I would call Acura to follow up on them not wanting to pay for the repair. She then asked if the mirror was leaking yet, an interesting response to something she just said was not a problem and they didn't know anything about it.

I followed up with Acura and they opened a complaint. The advisor asked what I would expect Acura to do. I replied, I'd like them to pay for the repair, but I would think Acura paying for the mirror and me paying the $35 labor would be fair. Expecially since the mirror doesn't cost Acura anywhere near $100.

Acura came back with a 50/50 split of the repair at Acura's cost, which turned out to be $55 dollars.

In the end I am OK with the final cost, but very disappointed with Acura's "we know nothing" attitude. If anyone is going thru with a class action sit, let me know.

 

So mike, they replaced it for 55 with just the bubble, no leak? I've had the bubble for months but was too lazy to go to the dealer. If they gave me a deal I would replace it cuz I do not want that leaky fluid crap

 

Yes, the mirror wasn't leaking, just the bubble at the top of the mirror. You will have to push them to get anything out of them. As you can see from the post above, they did everything they could to deny there was a known problem initially.


Good luck

 

Service writers do not know all the little probs each model has
and are trained to deny any car has a ~problem~
The 800 number people are not techs- they simply answer phones and look in a book of answers- all of which begin with NO!!
You have to ask for a manager to call you back.
There are plenty of pics and info in this thread- print some out!

If you have a bubble or bubbles- a towel is worthless- the explosion/leak is akin to throwing a bucket of hot tar all over you and the interior of the car

Put a large ziplock bag around the mirror, close zipper as able, secure bag with tape.
Replace asap!!

 

I'd go ahead and replace it even if you can't get a deal on it.

The fluid in the mirror can cause hundreds of dollars of damage to your interior. And some forum members feel that there are potential health risks associated with exposure to the fluid.

 

damn I guess I gotta do this soon then.. how much is the mirror/install?

 

I think the mirror can be found for about $100 online. Be sure to buy from a trustworthy source as there may still be some old stock of the original defect-prone mirrors floating around.

For the same reason, don't buy a used mirror since you might get the old design. I think that used mirrors may have flooded the market when Magna Donnelly was sending out free replacements for a couple of years.

I don't know how to identify the redesigned mirror but perhaps someone else does. Or you can email Magna Donnelly and ask if they can provide details on that. Perhaps there's a new part number.

On the cost for installation, you might want to check with a local auto glass installer.

You can install these yourself but you do need to be careful. If you apply too much force in the wrong direction, you can crack your windshield.

FWIW, I replaced my mirror and I found it pretty easy with the instructions and photos posted in this thread.

 

on line mirrors are most likely used ones
You were supposed to send it back to the maker- but many people sold them instead.
I believe the new ones have the On indicator on the other side, will see if I can find old pics of my mirror to compare

 

My wife went out to use our 2002 Acura TL today after it sitting for a few days. The car is parked under a carport either at our home or office. She discovered that there was some kind of unremovable hardened liquid leakage around the shift lever that had ate away at the plastic parts around the shift lever and caused spotting on the leather. The rear view mirror didn't seem to have anything dripping at the time I looked but I could see there was an oval in the center of the mirror that when you pressed it, you could see there was liquid inside.

I found this website searching for "Acura rear view mirror leaking" and now see this is a somewhat common problem. I also notice that apparently:
1. the mirror manufacturer will replace the mirror without charge but not including the labor
2. Acura seems to want to avoid any responsibility for this which I feel is wrong!
3. The damage to the car is permanent unless the plastic pieces are replaced and the leather is either cleaned or replaced. The plastic seems to be eaten away like the liquid was a solvent. The spots on the leather are not cleanable (I haven't tried myself yet) according to what I've read here.
4. The liquid that leaked is obviously not good for your health and as one person noted, got sick and confirmed the hazardous chemicals in the liquid.

I think this forum is a good place to make Acura consider this a recall, repair and replace at their expense. I can't imagine a major car manufacturer not owning up to this acknowledged problem that is damaging to the interior of the car and worse, can be hazardous to one's health

I will contact the Acura dealer tomorrow and report back here what they say. Any suggestions are welcome.

 

I got mine from Acura of Lynwood on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=320283770352

They are the newer updated ones that are supposed to fix the problem.

 

Unfortunately, the following is no longer true:

1. the mirror manufacturer will replace the mirror without charge but not including the labor

The manufacturer, Magna Donnelly, stopped sending out free replacement mirrors about a year ago. Some TL owners have been able to get Acura to cover the cost of a replacement but that seems to be the exception instead of the rule.

Best of luck with your dealer.

 

Anyone have any updates on this situation? I have a 1999 Acura TL with about 50000 miles on it. Pristine condition...

Noticed mirror was dark 5 mornings ago. Next day there was a "bubble", thought it was just condensation/moisture and ignored it. It exploded yesterday while I was at work, came out to black spatter on seats, console, sunglasses, etc. I stupidly tried to get it off my sunglasses with a paper towel that I licked (I thought it was coffee on the sunglasses - didn't notice it everywhere else until I started driving and realized the mirror was fairly clear...blurry...but not dark anymore). Icky taste in mouth whole drive home, which then became numb on tongue and lips. Immediately realized something was wrong and started researching this online. Stomach pain all night - called poison control. Can't find any real information online about what the heck is in the mirror, but based on the illness symptoms reported from inhaling the chemicals - so I have to guess licking it is not good.

Spatter won't come off seats, console, etc. Clearly not too worried about car right now. Really - just want to make sure I'm not poisoned. This forum won't let me contact the original poster (the one who actually got the msds from magna donnelly).

Any information would be appreciated. Calling Acura today...but I'm honestly scared to even be IN the car right now.

Thanks