Mercury leak in Gallardo | FerrariChat

Mercury leak in Gallardo

Discussion in 'LamborghiniChat.com' started by happyboy, Oct 17, 2009.

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  1. happyboy

    happyboy Rookie

    Apr 30, 2009
    35
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Full Name:
    FARHAN MIRZA
    I live in Southern CA and the temp of 100 plus degrees, did not go well with the 2004 Gallardo, rear view mirror yesterday. I had mercury leak from the mirror and fall on the climate control area, totally peeling off the rubber surface and the the plastic on the buttons now visible.

    Is this a common problem. Secondly does anyone know what the rear view mirror and the climate control front panel face plate would cost. I am thin king an arm and a leg
     
  2. zeeshan6

    zeeshan6 Formula Junior

    Oct 14, 2005
    341
    Orlando, FL
    Full Name:
    Zeeshan
    I DO NOT OWN A GALLARDO

    but....from what i've heard its not worth it to try and fix best thing to do is replacement. and do it ASAP. if the merc leaks onto the center console it will eat up anything it touches! It has happened to a few owners i know the mirror shouldn't cost more than $300 for the part. best of luck
     
  3. happyboy

    happyboy Rookie

    Apr 30, 2009
    35
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Full Name:
    FARHAN MIRZA
    its already eaten up the control buttons on the air temp controls so that has to be replaced too, have no idea how easy ro difficult that replacement would be. I do intend to have it repaired asap
     
  4. 2NA

    2NA F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 29, 2006
    18,221
    Twin Cities
    Full Name:
    Tim Keseluk
    ???

    If you actually had real mercury leak out inside your car you have a serious problem!

    Liquid mercury will vaporize in the car interior and the passengers will inhale it, this is EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS to your health.

    Cleaning it up thoroughly may be very difficult as it will be everywhere.
     
  5. lurker80

    lurker80 Karting

    Nov 29, 2006
    144
    just take it to several car washes, take your gas mask off before you turn over the keys so they dont suspect a thing 8)

    how much mercury came out?
     
  6. rimoore

    rimoore Formula 3

    Nov 18, 2004
    1,353
    Island in Maine
    Full Name:
    Richard Moore
    I wonder if Lambo is worried about this issue.
     
  7. 96cobrakid

    96cobrakid Formula Junior

    May 24, 2004
    802
    St. Louis, Mo
    Full Name:
    Chris
    Lick said Mercury
    Call Lawyer
    Buy Murci SV
    Enjoy





    lolololol
     
  8. BAKY

    BAKY Formula 3

    May 23, 2007
    1,296
    USA
    Full Name:
    Bobby
    Why is mercury leaking form the rear view anyway??
     
  9. 2NA

    2NA F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 29, 2006
    18,221
    Twin Cities
    Full Name:
    Tim Keseluk
    I did a Google search and discovered that a Michigan company, Magna-Donnelly, supplies these self darkening mirrors to a lot of companies (including Lamborghini and Ferrari). There have had some leaks and apparently the liquid that comes out is a proprietary mix of somewhat hazardous substances that includes liquid mercury.

    What were they thinking?

    How many other cases are out there (I saw some on other forums)?

    Will Magna do anything to help?

    Does Lamborghini repair this under warranty?

    Is there a lawyer that is already suing them?
     
  10. Teenferrarifan

    Teenferrarifan F1 Rookie

    Feb 21, 2003
    3,111
    Media, PA
    Full Name:
    Erik
    I have seen this happen before, I am not sure if it is the same company or material, but back in the early 90's cadillac's used day/night rearview mirrors and the mirrors would sometimes leak doing damage to EVERYTHING the "gunk" came into contact with....just my two cents
    Erik
     
  11. zeeshan6

    zeeshan6 Formula Junior

    Oct 14, 2005
    341
    Orlando, FL
    Full Name:
    Zeeshan
    taken from LP http://www.**********.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=43335&hl=

    REMOVAL
    "It's held on with a strong adhesive, need to get a thin wire between the glass and mount and start sawing along the surface of glass until the adhesive comes free (DO NOT PULL ON IT AWAY FROM GLASS) easy but requires elbow grease."


    PART
    "Part # 8L0857511 and it should be $168.45 from a dealer according to the Gallardo parts manual...."
     
  12. deon.smith

    deon.smith Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2009
    548
    Oklahoma
    #12 deon.smith, Oct 18, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2009
    Try part 8L0857511 from your dealer. Sb be arounf $170.00. I am sure it is an Audi part and you can try your local Audi dealer to match it. The following vehicles has this mirror I think.
    A4, A3 8P, Golf 3, Golf 4.
     
  13. TwinTurbo928

    TwinTurbo928 Rookie

    Feb 19, 2007
    10
    My guess would be the chemicals in the mirror are the ones identified in this patent of theirs:

    http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F6906842

    There appear to be a number of other reports of the mirrors leaking and/or exploding and the resulting chemicals burning various holes in the car.

    I can only imagine what happens if you are in a car accident, the mirror breaks and those chemicals go flying all over when people are inside the car. Or if it is a hot day and it explodes while people are in the car.

    After reading up on them, I agree: "what the hell were they thinking?"
     
  14. ken qv

    ken qv Formula 3

    Oct 25, 2006
    1,925
    Florida
    Full Name:
    Ken Roberson
    Don't replace it with the same toxic mirror that could leak again.
    Throw that pos out and get a look alike mirror. Have console/damaged pieces
    replaced quick. Saw one on ebay once that suffered this and it sold "CHEAP"
    because of it.
     
  15. mdoan300

    mdoan300 Karting

    Nov 14, 2003
    231
    North Texas
    Full Name:
    Michael
    #15 mdoan300, Oct 18, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2009
    Magna-Donnelly is one of the suppliers of auto-dimming mirrors for BMW and it was a fairly common problem w/ the E46 M3 and E39 M5 equipped w/ the M-oval mirror. When my M3 was out of warranty and it failed, I emailed Magna-Donnelly directly and they gave me a free replacement (I had to ship the old one back). However, I decided to install an auto-dimming square mirror w/ compass and Homelink that was optional on BMWs.

    Acura uses (or used) Magna-Donnelly mirrors and there was some sort of lawsuit from an Acura CL owner that got ill.

    AFAIK, MD is no longer replacing BMW M-oval mirrors directly and they recommend you use a 3rd party vendor and they charge you $75 for the swap. There's a long thread on m3forum.net about it. Hope this helps.

    ///Michael

    Gentex was another supplier of auto-dimming mirrors for BMW, but I believe their auto-dimming technology is different from Magna-Donnelly's.
     
  16. TheGasman

    TheGasman Karting

    Oct 16, 2007
    193
    Ventura, CA
    Full Name:
    Gasman

    Seriously, if there is a wreck and corrosive stuff like that gets in your eye, you're done for. I'm surprised there's no class action suit.
     
  17. 2NA

    2NA F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 29, 2006
    18,221
    Twin Cities
    Full Name:
    Tim Keseluk
    I'm not sure if I understand the gimmick. The old day/night mirror with a button or lever always worked fine for me.

    It's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
     
  18. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

  19. Shamile

    Shamile F1 Veteran

    Dec 31, 2002
    6,712
    Lakeland FL
    Full Name:
    Shamile
    #19 Shamile, Oct 18, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2009
    Dear Lamborghinisti,


    Yeah...I sure do like that old fashioned toggle switch, forward...dimmed....backward...daylight.

    Since I live in FL, I have tint on the VT Roadster and the Testarossa anyway. Headlight glare at night isn't a problem.

    I just love over complicated crap for the sake of...over complicated crap.



    Shamile

    Freeze...Miami Vice !
     
  20. pdisme

    pdisme Formula 3

    Oct 9, 2006
    1,036
    Tampa, Florida
    Full Name:
    Dave
    Like flip flops vs shoes. :)
     
  21. Shamile

    Shamile F1 Veteran

    Dec 31, 2002
    6,712
    Lakeland FL
    Full Name:
    Shamile
    :D
     
  22. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jan 26, 2005
    22,599
    Gates Mills, Ohio
    Full Name:
    Jon
    It does take a lot of effort to move that mirror, though. :rolleyes:

    Now I wonder if my Audi mirror is due to explode.
     
  23. deon.smith

    deon.smith Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2009
    548
    Oklahoma
    You might want to bid on this.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lamborghini-Gallardo-Climate-Control-Unit-Audi-No-Resrv_W0QQitemZ190345314369QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item2c51770041
     
  24. Flash G

    Flash G Three Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 24, 2006
    36,572
    Hollywood Hills
    Full Name:
    Christopher
    Same thing happened to my Range Rover mirror. Magna Donnelly replaced it free of charge.
     
  25. SFchallenge

    SFchallenge F1 World Champ

    Jun 28, 2004
    11,945
    Sgp, KL, HK & London
    Full Name:
    Jon Wijaya
    Oh damn. The same thing happened to my mirror too, I can see a liquid in the glass & I left it that way for many months now. Didn't know it's poisonous & I've just sent Magna an email about this.

    The previous owner of my E39M5 also replaced the rearview mirror twice because of this issue!
     

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