Jaguar dealer was in no way interested in removing, had to many broken windshields. Referred me to their "expert" installer. He came several weeks ago a was unable to remove. Returned a second time with same results. He was to make a insert to solve problem, haven't heard in a month. Jaguar US contacted dealer who indicated they would remove with warning they could break windshield. Stopped entire program and will work with mirror "as is". If anyone has another idea,I' sure like to hear of it.

 

Mish Mish, what did you use to split the casing? Any specific point on the casing you started at? Thanks.

 

Hi,

does anyone knows about an alternative for european market, or should I ship my mirror overseas for repair? I have the autoheadlight type with no rain sensor on a XJ8 super v8, 1998.

 

Just went to the car for lunch break and the mirror popped out in a minute. Thanks a lot for the great explainations. As said, pull down and forward, parallel to the windshield.






by the way, I need to change my signature, I am not searching anymore

 

Have 2000 XJ8. 6-2007 my mirror developed problems & after reading about the issue. Contacted Magna Donnelly, sent in photos & received free replacement.

Yesterday, that replacement mirror developed the large, oval issue. Images are distorted in & around that large, oval, lighter area. I assume this one has the gel rather than the liquid so no chance of leaking & damaging the car’s interior. But, I had thought the manufacturing defects had been corrected & I would never have the mirror problem again. Is this such a poor design that mirrors only last 5-7 years? I think I’d rather have the manual type where you push a tab that tilts the mirror for night glare reduction. I do have both the auto on headlights & the rain sensor so, I will need to contact Sybesma’s Electronics to arrange a $95+ remanufacture. I hate to send my old mirror in b4 receiving the replacement.

 

I bet Magna sent you new old stock... the same mirror as originally installed. They were the liquid filled. AFAIK Sybesma’s Electronics are all gel filled.

 

Thanks GordoCatCar!

I hadn’t thought of that possibility. So, you think that the proper replacement mirror with gel will never have this ‘oval’ discoloration/distortion issue, even w/o leaking.

Based on your comment, I put a plastic bag around the mirror with a runner band & a towel below it. I’ll drive w/o the plastic bag but leave the towel just in case. I’ll email Sybesma’s Electronics this weekend.

I'm thinking of buying this, as a temporary RVM, if they require me to 1st send in mine:
K Source 3" Round Rear Seat Monitor Mirror | Product Details | Pep Boys

 

3” will be too small for a RVM. Need a larger temp mirror that I can affix to windshield with a suction cup for a few days.

 

AFAIK all replacement mirrors are gel filled, and none have failed to date.

It could be that NOS (new old stock) mirrors, filled with liquid, fail due to age, not use. So the one they sent you was wearing out while sitting on the shelf; and already nearing its limited lifespan when it was installed in your car.

 

Can’t get a reply from Magna Donnelly via online email or phone (various people’s voice mail, not sure who to contact for past mirror issues.) So, I went ahead & contacted Stacy orders@sybesmas.com & have sent in my defective mirror to have it repaired for $95.00. I did call Jaguar parts & new ones for my 2000 XJ8 are $495.20!

I still want to speak with Magna Donnelly to hear their explanation as to how the REPLACEMENT they sent me in 2007 could now fail in the same way. I wonder if they will say that even the new gel type will fail but it will not leak or if they’ll say it must have been replaced with another liquid model. I don’t understand how any reputable company could deliberately do that when the entire reason for the recall was, in fact, the liquid model to begin with.

Since it has not been mentioned I will copy the disclaimers from Sybesma’s.

“...we must open the plastics in your mirror. In the rare instance your plastics break beyond repair, Sybesma's will make every effort to find a comparable replacement but no guarantees are made.

Also, be advised that we are unable to test the operations in the home link feature, auto head lamps and rain sensor, so your mirror may or may not have this as an operable function upon completion of the repair. If unit does break, $15 will be retained as a bench fee and the remaining refunded. (If you would like your mirror shipped back, an additional shipping/handling for charges will apply)”

 

I added the above disclaimer from Sybesma to the original post.

 

Thanks so much for this thread! I bought my Jagger used last week and it arrived with the funky mirror. It helps to now know WHY it is funky... and how I can get it dealt with. =)

 

Did you find a european alternative? I have automatic headlights and rain sensor on mine...

 

Hi jko,

No, i did not find any alternative around here (but i did not spend too much time searching). It seems the mirror were designed by a US company and this activity has been acquired by Sysbemas, or a similar story. So it might be useless finding a replacement glass somewhere here.

Anyway, I just sent mine for repair to Sybesmas for $175 (XJ8, autoheadlights, no rain sensor), including international Fedex shipping back to France. Cheapest new replacement I found in the UK was 198Lbs + tax + shipping which would have put it way over $300.

Note that I have to add 20 euros for shipping my broken mirror to the US + possibly some custom charges to the $175 SysBemas will charge me.

 

Hi,

I received a Fedex with my mirror from Sybesma's today .

I mounted it in the car in a couple of minutes (opposite movement: slide up and backward, always // to the windshield). I tested the dimming function by covering the sensor on the back of the mirror. It is working just fine as well as the autolights and it is dimming my side mirrors as well, at least the left one because the right one is a cheap non-dimming replacement and the dimming cable is laying in the bottom of the right mirror casing (another ~€150 spending in project to fit the original electrochromatic glass in the right side mirror as well).

Worthwhile mentioning: I have not got to pay any custom fee to get my parcel from fedex. Strange, I always had to pay custom fee for any new part imported from US with Fedex, not always with USPS though (got a C4 Corvette).

So total spending for this story was about €20 for shipping to US + a little more than 130€ for Sybesma's invoice.

Cheers,

Bruno

 

What's with the rain sensing mirror? I have a 2001 XK8 convert and never knew about the rain sensing mirror. Was it an option, or standard?

 

My repaired mirror received & seems just fine! Oval area of lighter color & distortions are gone! Auto Headlights function properly so they didn’t screw up the wiring. On/off switch at bottom of mirror lights up the green LED. I really have never been able to tell b4 or now if the electrochromatic function is working or not. Didn’t test my rain sensing wipers but, they never worked right & even had sensor/wiring replaced 2X during 1st 4 years of Jag warranty & Jag service writer advised to NOT use that function! (When set to auto, the wipers would go on if I hit a small bump.)

I sent the mirror to Sybesma’s Monday, 4-30-2012. I mailed USPS Priority Mail $9.45, 1#, 6.4Oz. Del conf & $495 insurance. T= $17.25.

They received it Wed AM, 5-2-2012. They shipped it back to me Friday PM 5-4-12 & I received it Fed Ex Ground Wed 5-9-2012. So, I was w/o it for 1 &1/2 weeks. I used clear packing tape & string to rig an old clip on style visor vanity mirror to the top of my windshield which looked like SH*T but actually worked OK. I had called them after they had my mirror & the tech verified it DID have liquid inside so, apparently when Magna Donnelly replaced my 2000 OEM mirror in 2007 they just gave me another, defective one which was a time bomb waiting to go off. Strange that they accepted the responsibility of the defective mirrors by doing a free replacement & then gave out more defective mirrors from their old stock. Perhaps they hoped by the time of failure, the car would have been sold & the new owner would be clueless?

I s/b good now. However, I am not sure I have pushed the mirror up as far as it should go to fully seat in the bracket that is attached to the windshield. Danger of cracking windshield if I push up to hard. If comes loose I may try to grease the bracket. Black or white grease. But, if I grease it, may be much too loose & not hold at all. I can see silver colored bracket peeking out at the top at the windshield after I push mirror up into place & I don’t recall seeing that b4.

 

I've owned my car for 10 yrs and never looked on the wiper stalk for the "auto" position. I assume that is the rain sensing feature. Duh!

 

Hi Iconoclast,

"I really have never been able to tell b4 or now if the electrochromatic function is working or not."

On my mirror, I have an aperture on the back of the mirror casing (facing forward the road through the windshield). If I switch on the headlight manually and put my hand in front of this aperture, with the mirror green LED turned on, then the mirror immediately becomes much darker.

I have another aperture at the base of the mirror facing backward, I tried to direct a torch beam toward this aperture to simulate a following car head beams but that did not had any effect. Maybe because I am not able to simulate at the same time night conditions and rear beam. Anyway, the first test above I am pretty sure is telling me the electrochromatic function is working (waiting my next first night test drive).

 

Hi bballarin,
LOL

I tried the flashlight trick Wed night! Didn’t see any difference.

With my car parked I turned the key to on so engine not running but lights on & mirror green LED on. I then held a bright flashlight behind me pointed at my mirror to see if it dimmed the light, couldn’t tell. However, last nigh ( TH) I did notice driving at night that the headlights in my rear view mirror & the cars & buildings were MUCH darker than the same things viewed through either of my side mirrors. So, I’m sure it IS working. I just don’t note any gradual darkening brighter headlights behind me. Perhaps it is designed to not change abruptly? If I had a friend park a few car lengths behind me with normal headlights on & then switch on his high beams would I see the mirror darken more & then if he switched back to low beams would it lighten once again? I have no plans to do any such test. <GRIN>