call magna donnely- the dealer doesnt know about the internals
iirc the contents are listed somewhere in this thread--

but basically it is a hazmat type stuff to you for sure!!!
Dont touch- DONT INGEST-
use gloves when cleaning- there are cleaning suggestions in this thread as well

you have to be a member for a full day and a have a few post before the system will allow you to set up the PM system

 

those who have a dead mirror should get a new one from the dealer- pay for it - accept the fact that an 8 year old car needs parts sometimes- and the new mirrors are better.


Be glad its not an out of warranty transmission!
cost $100 or so- can negotitate with parts dept in some cases- getting half price goodwill- install is $35 at dealer, 20 at glass shop

 

is there any way to tell which mirrors are the newer design?

 

iirc the green dot for power on is on the other side- need to look at old pics of my car-see if I can tell from them

 

the new ones are made with different stuff inside too
not supposed to fail but in case----better technology less hazmat

 

Until reading this thread I realized the melting at the edge of the silver shifter plate, which I thought was smoking burn from the last idiot that owned the car, was in fact, that shit u all are talking about that came from the mirror. My mirror has a perfect oval tint that covers 1/3 of it. I thought it was normal. Thanks a lot guys!! now, I have yet another thing to worry about with this FORD wannabe ACURA. I'm sorry guys, but I love Honda/Acura as much as the best of you. But Owning this '01 CL embarrassing. Especially since I rant and rave so much about the perfect reliability of Honda/Acura.

 

If it makes you feel any better, the mirror was not made by Honda/Acura. It's a Magna Donnelly product.

 

Reliability and quality parts, this is what Honda stands by. This mirror is in there vehicle, it should have passed their quality control. I don't care who made the mirror, I care that it's in an ACURA!

 

how many years should something complex last anyway?

timing belts wear out- tensioner pullies- spark plugs
Its a 100 dollar part- deal with it

In the meantime: if yours has distortion bubble or bubbles on the edge, put a ziplok bag around it- zip closed as possible at top, tape extra bag material up, so its not hanging. drive using the outside mirrors- get a mirror at acura locally or order from an online acura dealer that supports azine

 

You seem to have missed the point. No one says it has to work forever. But one thing it should never do is leak ALIEN ACID all over the interior of your car. Could you imagine if at the end of your car battery's life it was common for it to just blow up. I don't think it would be accepted nor should your mirror exploding at the end of it's life. It's sorry engineering on the part of the manufacturer and ACURA should be liable for allowing such a device in their vehicles.

 

Yes, Acura did select the mirror. And I agree that exploding mirror is unacceptable.

For a while, Magna Donnelly was standing behind their product by sending out free replacements. But they stopped that about a year ago. At that time it seemed as if Acura was going to start replacing the mirrors for free but that never happened.

 

Im sure they worked fine in the few years testing and several years of use- then the material- maybe due to heat? can develope a problem.

Much like the trans- not all of them have the problem appear

Instead of bitching about what isnt- go to your dealer and ask for a 50% goodwill discount on a replacement mirror

Educate yourself by reading azine threads-
you may discover things like-- an 03 gets free timing belt on some vins`
OR THERE IS A MIRROR PROB

 

Well, we all need to vent occasionally. But I don't think a mirror that explodes nor drips an acidic material is acceptable either. Sure hope mine doesn't start. Does this start a countdown clock for mirror failure?

 

Cost me $192 installed from Acura, the mirror was broken but not leaking when I bought my car a year ago.

 

Just got back from the ACURA stealer. The mirror will cost $110 + 25 install. What I did find out was that the mirror use to cost $350. In fact the parts guy showed me the listing of the old price that was crossed out with a pen. The price drop may be Acura's way of making amines.

 

Maybe that was just a local dealer markup. I think these mirrors have been available for about $100 for at least a few years now. That was the price last year when I was looking to buy one. (Magna Donnelly ended up sending me a free replacement.)

 

ziners in recent months have found ~100 dealer price, and negotiated a goodwill of 50 dollars- and 35 to install
or have glass shop install for 20 bucks

If they are taking care of you on price- give them the install~ thats fair

DIY- risk a $350 cracked windshield

 

My TL also has the bubble in the mirror (1999) and I was able to mail order from a dealer for $75. What a pain, but at least it did not leak or explode. The local dealer wanted $118 plus an hour labor. It took maybe 15 minutes for me to do it in the driveway at home (the service manual explains with great detail).

 

Thank you for the great information on the monochromatic fluid leak in the rearview mirror, I purchaased a new mirror on ebay, not knowing is was a problem, but I don't know how to release the mirror off the windsheild, does anyone have a link to walk me through this process???

 

Could you run through the four screws that you mentioned and where to apply the pressure to get the leverage to release the cam without breaking the windsheild???

 

See the following "DIY" thread:

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-tl-1999-2003-98/replacing-tl-rear-view-mirror-619196/

(For future reference, this is also linked in the "Official 2nd Gen TL DIY Thread")

 

Make sure that the replacement mirror that you bought on eBay is the revised design that doesn't leak. A lot of the old leak-prone mirrors have shown up on eBay.

 

the power light is on the opposite side on the revised editions

 

I noticed on my rear view that about 25% of the mirror is clear glass on the top n the rest looks tinted i hope it doesnt mean mine is leakin or goin to explode.... but it stays like that it doesnt go up or down

 

whats it do with the power on- green light- and you shine a flashlight at the mirror

Not every one of them leak--its like the tranmission- luck of the draw
Might be temp related or who knows
BUT
you can use one of our sponsoring vendor dealers and get it for less, and support those who make azinre happen for us!
try tim@hondaacuraworld or see the complete list of approved vendors

 

This isn't just an Acura problem. My 97 Grand Prix has the exact same mirror and it went all "smoked" looking except one mirrored line in the middle. I can see where the black toxic stuff has leaked out the bottom of the mirror and has messed up the plastic on my shifter housing. I hadn't even noticed that it was the same mirror as my TL until now.

 

How can you tell if you have a new model mirror? Mine has the green LED on the right side. Other posts reference the new models have it on the "opposite or other" side. Which side is the other side?

There are deep scratches and roughened areas on the shifter plate and passenger side wood trim. I never thought that it could have been from a leaking mirror when the car was previously owned. So my mirror may have been replaced. Is the right side LED a new or old model mirror?

 

My mirror has liquid in it does anyone know where i could get another one

 

my 02 was leaking, then i shut it off. now i got a replacement from an 04 TL.

i got the old mirror for sale if anyone interested PM me =)

btw, it was leaking under the sun. HOT/HEAT

 

you get a new one thru acura parts dept- try one of the dealers on here for a discount

Shutting off/not using power to the mirror wont stop the leak- wrap any suspect mirror in a ziplock bag...looks funny but protects you and the car until its replaced

 

great instructions on page 8. Worked like a charm.

 

You are correct. Several of you do seemed to have missed the point. If these mirrors would've been [properly] tested in a climate-controlled environment (i.e., extreme heat, which is common in the Southern states), then this issue would've been discovered PRIOR to manufacturing and distribution of [literally] billions(?) of these mirrors to consumers.

Then, the more important questions are....
1) WHAT EXACTLY ARE THE TOXIC CHEMICALS LEAKING FROM THESE MIRRORS? (I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THEY ARE, IN FACT, TOXIC. I HAVE SIGNED A NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT WHICH INDICATES SUCH.)
2) HOW ARE THEY ADVERSELY AFFECTING MY (AND MY FAMILY'S) HEALTH?
3) WHY HASN'T MAGNA DONNELLY ISSUED A RECALL ON ALL MIRRORS MANUFACTURED WITH A LIQUID CORE?

With the exception of Magna Donnelly's President, Niall R. Lynam, these questions are rhetorical.

 

you signed a non disclosure then say here that its toxic? isnt that like a violation of the agreement?
Was money involved??

 

the important thing is to replace it if it goes bad- dealers are selling the new design at a reasonable price now
Not all fail or there would have been a recall

Address your concerns to the govt recall office- thats who mandates them on all types of items

 

Yikes .. My CL S rearview mirror has developed a "Halo" and distorts the rearview ... Thanks for the info I need to get that changed out ASAP!

 

check your dealer price and the sponsoring dealers on here

 

i never knew that was even possible

 

Hey guys sorry for bringing this back to life. I was just referred to this thread by another fellow Acura owner.

My rearview exploded too. I heard a hissing noise... like a pressurized can being opened, and instantly stopped outside my neighbors house and ran out of the car. I don't have any black liquid stains or anything, so i'm lucky I guess? After reading bits and pieces of this I will get my mirror replaced ASAP. Any advice on whether I should call the manufacturer directly, or my Acura dealer?

 

no news from the maker about it in a year-the freebies are gone
go thru one of our acura dealers that sponsor azine and give us discount or ask your parts dept at dealer what they can do
150 is full retail 75 is a good deal

wrap a ziplock bag around it for now-

 

Good advice.

I'd probably wrap it in in paper towels and a couple of ZipLoc bags since the fluid in the mirror has been reporterd to chew up plastic console parts. And you might want to put a towel over you console. Or, better yet, remove it all together.

And watch out if you try to buy a used mirror. Many of the old mirrors with the faulty design ended up in places like eBay.