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?

 

Hi TomC,

Welcome to the Chevy Forums.

This is just an opinion, but that does not look like vandalism to me...

 

I install low e windows. After installing them on sunny days, I can believe it, though only up close. They can get real hot as close as 3-4 ft. but not from that far a distance. I wouldn't doubt that perhaps your garage door windows(assuming you have windows in your garage door) would also be low e as well.

 

park in a different spot or pull in rather then back in for a period of time....

 

I normally back in and then tried pulling straight in. That's when the driver's side mirror got fried I did some research and contacted the National Association of Home Builders and this was their reply:

Dear Mr. ------,<O</O
Reflected sunlight from low-e windows can, if certain atmospheric conditions are present, potentially generate sufficient heat to thermally distort vinyl siding and plastic products, such as your truck mirrors.

To avoid repeat damage, and assuming that you do not wish to replace your windows, you could park your truck in another location, place covers over your mirrors when parked, or install screens or awnings on the windows to diffuse or block the reflected sunlight.

Best regards,
<O</O
DAVID N. CRUMP, JR. ESQ.<O</O
Director of Legal Research<O</O
Legal Affairs<O</O
<O</O
National Association of Home Builders<O</O
1201 15th Street, NW<O</O
Washington, DC 20005

So, the bottom line is; be careful where you park. A case of high tech windows meeting low cost plastic.

 

Wooowwwww.

 

Yanno, I would think this would pose a serious safety risk to infants and elders.

How about when those "High-tech" windows meet a careless or unaware child?

What if your two year toddler decided to take a nap in your driveway or the front seat of your truck near those windows?

 

well i have a 2011 and mine just did the same thing yours did it looks to be melted just like yours there are no windows near mine parked in front of the garage though it does get hot here in north carolina my guess its the heated mirrors doing it i will be bringing it back to dealer ! only 2,095 miles on it but love the truck beyond that maybe i should place some covers on it!

 

Welcome to the forum...
how strange, can you post some pics of the mirrors...

 

Not trying to resurrect an old thread but thought I should post a few pictures due to several inquiries about this problem on another forum. As you can see, the damage occurrs only under certain conditions, e.g.; the sun is in the right position, the sky is clear, and the truck is parked in the right (wrong) spot. Keeping screens on the windows seems to diffuse the effects of the sun.