Melting Mirrors

[TomC]

I own a ‘08 Silverado that has the black plastic outside mirrors. Last year both mirrors melted and were replaced by my dealer. He (service manager) seemed to think that the mirrors were vandalized even though there was no apparent method used to burn/melt them. Well it has happened again. The passenger side mirror is melted along the top edge. I remembered seeing a recent segment on the evening news about a Vegas hotel's low e windows causing plastic cups to melt and setting some people's hair on fire due to reflections from the windows. I got to thinking about it and have since concluded that my second floor windows which are above the garage and parking area have the low e glass and, at certain times of the day and year, are reflecting on the mirrors causing them to melt. I keep two other vehicles and a boat in the same area and haven't noticed any problems with them. I'm thinking the mirrors in this truck are being made with inferior plastic. They shouldn't melt from reflected sunlight...should they? Anybody else out there had this problem? Solutions? TIA.

[Stevens03]

Nope.. You'd be the first I've read about.

[Hoe-n-it]

I saw a segment on TV a little while back where the Low E windows were reflecting light and melting vinyl siding on neighbors houses where the houses were relatively close together. Maybe you can do some research and see if any of those tinted solar films that are applied to your window glass will help reduce the reflections.

[AzDragonLord]

I envision a mythbuster-type test soon!

[TomC]

I've thought about a window film. Don't know if it will stay on the outside or if it can be put inside and abate the problem. Can't believe nobody else has had a problem like this or something similar....other plastic trim melting or being deformed from reflected sunlight.

[txab]

Pictures?

[TomC]

Pictures?

Tomorrow, pending on the weather :-)

[TomC]

As luck would have it, I found some pictures of the passenger side from the first time it happened.

[fraiolib]

do u have kids?

[TomC]

do u have kids?

Uh, yes 4 but the youngest is 28 so I don't think that's an issue. Took pictures of the new mirror and the damage is almost identical to the first. I'm fairly convinced it's due to solar reflection from the low e windows.

[BadStickMan]

I would be parking somewhere else then.

[tanked_darren]

I would not warrenty those mirrors if I was a GM dealer.

[Prokopchuk_9]

that sucks dude...i have never heard or seen that before...weird

[jdubub]

that is very strange, but is possible with those mirrors. Looks from the pics that it is just the mirror cap, i wiould just order new caps, hell you can get color matched caps for $60 then i would park somewhere else. but yea, im sorry that kind of crap just sucks

[Wires]

I've never felt that much heat from any window reflection. It's not like it's a parolbolic focused beam or anything. And low-e windows aren't mirrored or anything.....

 

That looks like someone took a propane torch to them (or heatgun). Does it looked burnt or just melted?