milky spots on inside of mirrorglass with Xenons

[mhoutman]

I have a 2003 MCS and noticed some milky spots/stain on the inside of both mirrorglasses. With lights out they are hardy visible but when the xenons are on they are visible.

Anybody else experiencing this.

BTW. In the past I owned a Audi TT and some people with this car also suffered this phenomenem. Hence it had to do with condensation (drying up).

TIA

[waynef]

Quote: Originally Posted by Max

Michiel hi

Shortly after I collected my car new (Nov 02) and after some heavy weather I noticed a very thin film of condensation on the inner side of the plastic cover one of my Xenons. (not the mirror glass)

So I thought **** I must get this sorted etc.

Parked overnight in pouring rain and the next day the misting had gone and has never returned.

I have never heard of this problem before, so if it persists worth going back to the dealer to get replacements?

regards

Do these photos ring any bells Max.

I am browned off with my new replacement car already.
1). The bleeding Xenon washers don't work (by any pattern) and the dealer can't fix 'em!!!
2). They tell me that I can't have my wiper programmed to step-down when coming to a halt,
3). There's a hole in the Passenger seat leather and the dealers replacement cover was found to be faulty too when they took it out of the pack when my car was there
4). The CD players skips like crazy but they say that it doesn't.
5). NOW THIS!!!

[NEMINI]

the Xenons are not sealed so condensation does come and go.

[waynef]

Quote: Originally Posted by GMINI03

the Xenons are not sealed so condensation does come and go.

This never happening to my first MCS (it's about the only thing that didn't )

It looks a real mess, not to mention damaging to the lamps, electrics and reflector bowls.

Oh. I am livid. Can you tell?

[NEMINI]

happened to mine a few times, always went away, never a problem dunno how you can expect to keep moisture out of an unsealed system

[waynef]

Quote: Originally Posted by GMINI03

dunno how you can expect to keep moisture out of an unsealed system

Me neither.

[NEMINI]

Xenons produce too much heat to seal the system ... I'm still unsure of what you are upset about and I profess not to understand how it is damaging to the lamps bowl or reflectors.

[waynef]

Quote: Originally Posted by GMINI03

Xenons produce too much heat to seal the system ... I'm still unsure of what you are upset about and I profess not to understand how it is damaging to the lamps bowl or reflectors.

1). It definately didn't happen on my last MCS.
2). I am upset that it happens on my new MCS because it looks awful, not to mention cheap.
3). Constant build-up of condensation causes a build-up of mildew deposits to form. These in turn dim the reflective power of the headlamps causing them to look still more shabby, making them resemble a frosted mirror more than a mirror finish.

I've had this happen to many cars before, with a lot smaller and cheaper headlamp assemblies than that of the MINI. Oh well, for the next 3 years, it's not me that has to pay for the replacements. Just the dealer.

I had hoped that my new car would be an improvement. So far it's been in once already for stuff, but nothing was sorted. Now it seems that the dealer has introduced a new problem that they'll need to sort. I might as well drive around in one of their courtesy cars and pay for that instead, because that's what I am used to driving these days.

Thanks for the help though. Much appreciated . I'll see what the dealer thinks about this new 'problem'.

[Sharkey]

waynef: man, you really need to chill out. I've read the posts describing the bad experience with your previous MCS, and can understand how that past experience could easily color your perceptions with the new car. But you have to realize that with a sufficiently negative attitude any car can quickly start to seem a nightmare. Give some serious thought to working on your objectivity, otherwise you're just setting yourself up for self-induced frustration --> hypertension --> premature death. You chose to accept a replacement car that MINI was good enough to provide: you owe it to yourself and MINI to give them another chance.

[waynef]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sharkey

waynef: man, you really need to chill out. I've read the posts describing the bad experience with your previous MCS, and can understand how that past experience could easily color your perceptions with the new car. But you have to realize that with a sufficiently negative attitude any car can quickly start to seem a nightmare. Give some serious thought to working on your objectivity, otherwise you're just setting yourself up for self-induced frustration --> hypertension --> premature death. You chose to accept a replacement car that MINI was good enough to provide: you owe it to yourself and MINI to give them another chance.

I totally agree with you on one hand, but the ineptitude of the dealership and their lack of product knowledge is woeful.

For instance, the car went back yesterday for the warning triangle clips to be fit on the underside of the parcel-shelf, as agreed when I picked it up. It had been booked in for over a week to have this done. When I later went to pick it up, they said "...we haven't got the clips to do this for you. We'll order them in". Next on the list was the passenger seat leather has a fault in the tanning/hide. They'd seen it on delivery, and again it'd been booked in for over a week. When I went to pick it up, the dealer told me "...the replacement that we'd been sent was just as bad, so decided not to fit it. We'll have to do it next week". Again, why the hell didn't they look at this BEFORE I attended instead of spreading my car visits over multiples of visits. Woefully inadequate I think you'll agree.

And all this after the way that they handled the first cars problems was dire. Truely dire.

...and there is still water running down inside my headlamp over 18 hours later after they looked at it.

Need I say anymore?

At the earliest chance I get, I am going to Godfrey Hall BMW in Coventry or Benham BMW in Wolverhampton, and NOT Rydale Central. They are wasting my time.

[Sharkey]

Yeah, trying another dealer might be a good idea. Could be that folks at Rydale Central are genuinely sub-par, or it could be that your history with them is making things worse now (you understandable have a high baseline of frustration with them, so small fubs are magnified out of proportion, and maybe they have judged you to be someone who will never be happy no matter what they do, and so have stopped trying as hard to please you as they would another customer). Just would like to see you have fun with your MINI again: the vehicle you drive is your choice, after all.

As a sign of good faith that you've moved on from past troubles, you might consider modifyiing your signature (just a suggestion) Cheers.

[waynef]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sharkey

As a sign of good faith that you've moved on from past troubles, you might consider modifyiing your signature (just a suggestion) Cheers.

Hmm...

The simple reason why I want to keep my signature is that the old knackered BK52MXM is going to be sold by the dealer as a second-hand car. I wanted to try and make any prospective new owner of the car realise what they were letting themselves in for.

Anyway, enough of my old car woes on this thread, we are hi-jacking it.

Rydale Central are going to look at the lights tonight, with a view to changing/fixing them a week from now.

Thanks,

[golf strom]

Remember that the headlamp units are NOT completely sealed, in fact there are vent holes in all mini headlamp units to allow heat as well as moisture to evaporate and escape. A little bit of condensation should not be cause for alarm. However a stream of water entering the HL unit means a defect is present. Also it is possible that the vent tubes are clogged with debris, check to see if this is the case.

[waynef]

Quote: Originally Posted by golf strom

Remember that the headlamp units are NOT completely sealed, in fact there are vent holes in all mini headlamp units to allow heat as well as moisture to evaporate and escape. A little bit of condensation should not be cause for alarm. However a stream of water entering the HL unit means a defect is present. Also it is possible that the vent tubes are clogged with debris, check to see if this is the case.

Hi,

Took my car in last night, the first thing that I was told was "That's not right, that's broken".
The water is infact pooling at the bottom and is permanent now.

They thought that it was a mistake by Service when they were testing the washers, it blasted water into the headlamp unit, causing the headlamp unit to have been ruined.

Oh well, I get them to replace it soon anyway.

Thanks

[waynef]

I've found the blighter that's causing my OSF headlamp to fill with water from new.

It's silvered reflector bowl is cracked!