NHTSA Complaint #10144364 — 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

WE NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR OF MY WIFE'S 2001 TAHOE APPEARED TO HAVE A MELTED PLACE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PLASTIC HOUSING. THERE WAS A GREEN/YELLOW CIRCLE IN THE CENTER OF THE MIRROR WHERE IT APPEARED TO HAVE GOTTEN TO HOT. I REMOVED THE MIRROR WHICH WAS CONNECTED BY FOUR WIRES. TWO WIRES WENT TO THE HEATING ELEMENT AND THE OTHER TWO CONTROLLED THE AUTOMATIC DIMMING FEATURE. ON THE INSIDE OF THE DIMMING FEATURE WIRES THERE APPEARED TO BE BLACK RESIDUE. YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE THAT THE MOLDED PLASTIC ON THE BACK OF THE MIRROR HAD MELTED ALONG THE OUTSIDE EDGE (DIGITAL PICTURES AVAILABLE IF NEEDED). I CALLED THE DEALER AND ORDERED A MIRROR THAT ONLY HAD THE HEATED FEATURE WITHOUT THE DIMMING EFFECT. I INSTALLED THIS ON THE LOGIC THAT I COULD LEAVE THE DEFECTIVE WIRES DISABLED. SO FAR EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE WORKING JUST FINE. THE PRICE OF THE REPLACEMENT WAS $35.00 (HEATER ONLY) AND IF I HAD ORDERED THE DIMMING FEATURE WITH IT ($267.00) "WHICH I THINK IS RIDICULOUS". EVEN THOUGH I WAS OUT THE EXPENSE AND TIME SPENT FIXING THE MIRROR MY HOPE IS THAT YOU CAN RESEARCH THIS AND POSSIBLY KEEP SOMEONE ELSE'S VEHICLE FROM THE POTENTIAL OF BURNING UP OR WORSE YET BURNING UP IN THERE GARAGE AND CATCHING THERE HOUSE ON FIRE. *JB