Melting side rear view mirrors?

I have noticed this same melting effect on a small portion of the front grill on my mother's '07. The grill is made from the same black plastic material as the side view mirrors. Maybe ABS, I don't know...

It took me a while to figure it out but the only conclusion I could come to is that it is reflective glare off of the energy efficient windows at her house. Window technology nowadays is much more reflective to minimize the greenhouse effect within buildings. Under the right conditions on a hot summers day and at just the right angle the reflection off of these windows can superheat whatever it hits... The fact that the material is black probably doesn't help either as it absorbs even more heat.

 

I think Dr Evil is putting Lazer beems on Pigeons.

But to be serious. Have you taken apart the mirror? If it was reflected sun it would not be concentrated like that. It would be the whole cover.

If you look at the intensity of the burn it is concentrated on one location. So that means the heat source is concentrated. Like if someone held a magnifying glass or a torch in that middle spot. Or the motor/wiring is going bad in the mirror casing.

So with all that being said take it apart and i would just about guarantee the mirror motor is right at that center bubbled/burned spot.

And just remember there are a lot of bullshiiters on this site so just take them with a grain of salt and beat back with a big stick. And sometime BS threads are started just for fun. So you need thick skin around here.

And i see some people talking about windows? If its a flat window then it just reflects the same light that would be shining as if in direct sun light. If its a parabolic window pointed at your truck then you have a problem.

 

Kinda coming back a little rude. I'm out. Good luck with the mirrors.

 

well, with plastics, odds are in favor of OEM vs Aftermarket.

engineered resins are more expensive than ordinary resins

and there are 1000 molding outfits in China who would love to
make you a 10,000-50,000 part run for very low cost



forgot about the little mirror motors...they should blow a fuse
before they draw enough current to melt the housing...I mean
the housing is air gapped from the motor...would take a serious
motor problem (fuse blowing level) to melt that

 

Wow, how hot does it get there? That's insane, idk how it could do that unless heat is building up inside the mirror casing itself.

 

I am going to go with the story my son told me while he was at college, "Dad it must have been the library windows I go there everyday"......

 

more like

 

I didn't call anyone a name. ?? I only called BS on the fact that it is a mfg defect. I'm not sayiing that you don't have an issue with your mirror.

You do seem to be rather sensitive. ( Note: This is not a "putdown", just an observation. Sorry if it hurt your feelings. Seriously.

Toyota uses the same ABS Thermoplastic that all mfgs use. No one on this ( or any other forum) has a crystal ball to tell you what happened to your mirror housings. We do not have enough information.

What we do know is:
1. Your mirror housing(s) got burned. Seems concentrated in one area.
2. ABS Plastic reaches glass transition at 212 F.
3. The sun doesn't get this hot on its own ( unless through a magnifying glass etc...)
4. If this was a common phenomenon it would be all over this forum ( and all other Toyota forums) in spades.

 

Did you read the article?

That doesn't equal defective ABS Plastic. Sun + Mirror + Concentrated Energy = Oven.

 

After you posted (#13), do you realize that you have solved the mystery... given the fact that the woman's mirrors in the video appear to have the same damage yours has?

It would be illogical to assume Toyota uses a 'lesser grade' plastic for their exterior body parts if you search for the same problem on here.

When you park your truck, turn it around for a month...... until the sun will be at a different angle... then park as you wish later in the season.

 

I actually like the look of my melted superior grade plastic rear side view mirror that aliens came down and replaced the stock mirror with an after market one, torched it, poured acid on it and left me a note to park it at a different angle or they would start calling me names.

 

Looks like the perfect job for an infrared temperature gun to check the temps of the spots.

 

Seems like it would be a fire risk.

 

Time to resurrect this thread.

My Tacoma (2011) I've had for 4 months is starting to have this same issue. I'm in Vegas and it gets over 110 degree's, yet the past two years nothing has happened.

Since owning it myself, and parking next to my apartment with big window reflections, my grill and side mirror is starting to melt. I'll get pictures tomorrow, but it looks absolutely awful. I'm not sure what is causing this but I won't be parking by the windows any more. I'd hate to see what the 110 degree days with window glare does to the plastic. Maybe I should just as a test.

lol

 

Is this happening to members who only have black colored mirrors? Heated mirrors(Tacoma Limited)? Only people who live in really hot climates like Arizona?

 

Yeah these new reflective windows are also melting vinyl siding off adjacent houses. They need to be pulled from the market. Not safe at all.

http://blog.armchairbuilder.com/3799/melting-siding-from-window-reflections-fact-or-fiction/

 

Did you read previous helpful posts? It's caused by a crazed lunatic with a blowtorch and acid, not window reflections. It's YOUR fault for questioning the injection molded thermoplastic quality and parking in whatever orientation you have been. Whatever you are doing, stop.. if you back in your spot, stop it! if you pull straight in, you are a moron! lol