NHTSA Complaint #10068268 — 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA

I BOUGHT A CHEVY IMPALA IN THE FALL OF 2000 . ONE OF THE SPECIAL FEATURES I HAD WAS THE AUTO DIMMER IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR . IN DEC. OF 2003 I NOTICED A 1/2 INCH HOLE APPEARING ON THE MIRROR WHICH WAS CLEAR . I GUESS A YELLOW REFLECTIVE COATING IS PUT ON THE MIRROR TO HELP THE DIMMING . I SPOKE WITH A DEALERSHIP ADVISOR FROM THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT THE CAR AND DIDN'T SEEM CONCERNED AND SAID IF I WANTED A NEW MIRROR OF THIS TYPE IT WOULD COST BETWEEN $200AND $300 . I SAID NO AT THAT TIME . LAST WEEK FRIDAY APRIL 30 , 2004 WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR AFTER WORK I FOUND THE YELLOW REFLECTIVE COATING HAD JUST ABOUT MELTED AWAY LEAVING ONLY A SMALL COATING AT THE BOTTOM AND WHAT APPEARED WATER DROPLETS ON THE MIRROR ITSELF . I WENT TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS INCIDENT WITNESSED AND RECORDED IN MY CAR FILE . TWO SERVICE MANAGERS SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE . THE FOLLOWING MONDAY I WENT TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR TO INQUIRE ABOUT MY OPTIONS AND TO HAVE THEM ACTUALLY SEE THE PROBLEM . ON THE WAY OVER I TOUCHED THE BOTTOM OF THE MIRROR AND FOUND A GOOEY BLACK SUBSTANCE ON MY FINGERS . APPARENTLY THE BOTTOM HAD MELTED . THE SERVICE PEOPLE SAID THERE MUST HAVE BEEN AN ELECTRICAL SHORT THAT OCCURED . BUT COULDN'T EXPLAIN ANYTHING ELSE . THE WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT SO THEY SUGGESTED I CALL CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR HELP . THEY SET UP A FILE FOR MY COMPLAINT BUT FOUND NO ONE ELSE HAD REPORTED SUCH A PROBLEM . THEY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO VERIFY MY STORY AND AGREED EVERYTHING I SAID WAS TRUE . BUT WOULD NOT REPLACE THE MIRROR BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT AND BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE . ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP THE MILEAGE WOULD MAKE NO DIFFERENCE . THE CHEVY REP DID SAY THAT FOR CUSTOMER LOYALTY THEY WOULD GIVE ME A $500 CERTIFICATE IF I WANTED TO BUY A NEW CAR . $200-$300 IS STILL ALOT OF MONEY FOR ME TO INVEST . I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WILL DO BECAUSE I DO WORRY BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP ADVISOR DID SAY SOMETHING ELS COULD HAPPEN . *AK