rearview mirror almost caught on fire!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,454
Likes: 1
From: Port Charlotte FL
rearview mirror almost caught on fire!
I was cleaning the windshiled on my car, and when I went to move the rear view mirror i noticed it starting smoking really bad! I ran for my tool kit to get a screwdriver, and pop off the lense for the bulb and pulled it out. At this time it was probably seconds away from going up into flames as the car was filled with smoke. Come to find out,over time the thin wiring had cracks in it and shorted out on each other! Wow everyone better double check their c5 wiring as my 97' is starting to age a bit. My question how do I get the little clip off the back the mirror to unplug it for now? 
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,454
Likes: 1
From: Port Charlotte FL
If i was in traffic driving, i would have been screwed. I can't believe how fast it starting smoking, and it was thick smoke. I could barely see what I was doing, and burned myself on the hot bulb on top of it! Anyone know how to disconnect the connector?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,987
Likes: 26
From: Kerrville, Texas USA Hook 'em Horns!
CentralTX Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,033
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati Ohio
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 491
Likes: 5
From: Tampa Bay Area, U.S.A. (Zombie Nation)
If you're wanting to get the plug out of the back of the mirror there should be a tab you squeeze while pulling on it but due to the fact it's difficult to see what you're doing back there it is usually not too easy until you remove it a time or two and get the hang of it.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I too noticed that that particular bulb seems to get unusually hot when it's on for very long. 
I have a sneaking suspicion it's actually the thermal heat from the bulb causing melting of the housing and/or wire insulation and just hadn't got to the point of an actual short circuit yet. A true short circuit would have blown the fuse in a matter of milliseconds, but high heat from a bulb (or poor connection causing a high resistance) can easily start melting things and/or cause smoking.
I wish I could find an LED bulb with a color temp I liked to replace those two incandescent bulbs. LEDS don't generate heat like that. It seems this is a design flaw by GM from a bulb generating too much heat for the small sized (plastic) cavity it's mounted in
Glad you got it stopped quickly.
I have a sneaking suspicion it's actually the thermal heat from the bulb causing melting of the housing and/or wire insulation and just hadn't got to the point of an actual short circuit yet. A true short circuit would have blown the fuse in a matter of milliseconds, but high heat from a bulb (or poor connection causing a high resistance) can easily start melting things and/or cause smoking.
I wish I could find an LED bulb with a color temp I liked to replace those two incandescent bulbs. LEDS don't generate heat like that. It seems this is a design flaw by GM from a bulb generating too much heat for the small sized (plastic) cavity it's mounted in
Glad you got it stopped quickly.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,454
Likes: 1
From: Port Charlotte FL
I too noticed that that particular bulb seems to get unusually hot when it's on for very long.
I have a sneaking suspicion it's actually the thermal heat from the bulb causing melting of the housing and/or wire insulation and just hadn't got to the point of an actual short circuit yet. A true short circuit would have blown the fuse in a matter of milliseconds, but high heat from a bulb (or poor connection causing a high resistance) can easily start melting things and/or cause smoking.
I wish I could find an LED bulb with a color temp I liked to replace those two incandescent bulbs. LEDS don't generate heat like that. It seems this is a design flaw by GM from a bulb generating too much heat for the small sized (plastic) cavity it's mounted in
Glad you got it stopped quickly.
I have a sneaking suspicion it's actually the thermal heat from the bulb causing melting of the housing and/or wire insulation and just hadn't got to the point of an actual short circuit yet. A true short circuit would have blown the fuse in a matter of milliseconds, but high heat from a bulb (or poor connection causing a high resistance) can easily start melting things and/or cause smoking.
I wish I could find an LED bulb with a color temp I liked to replace those two incandescent bulbs. LEDS don't generate heat like that. It seems this is a design flaw by GM from a bulb generating too much heat for the small sized (plastic) cavity it's mounted in
Glad you got it stopped quickly.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I totally agree, even the plastic lens gets too hott for touch. I'm thinking the wire touched the bulbs and melted, then somehow ended up arcing. The two wires actually almost fused togather, and im shocked the fuse did not blow! If my car seriously caught on fire due to a poor design GM would be at fault, but with it being a 97' I doubt you could take any action against them...
I'm a big fan of LEDS, partly because they do NOT get hot like incandescents. Plus, they use significantly less power too. The only "down" side (for me at least) is that when dealing with the color "white", they all seem to have far too much blue in their color. This is OK I guess in some applications or for some people, but I just don't care for the icy-cold, blue-white color for interior lighting.
Maybe there is some way to go inside the light housing and put some sort of heat insulation material around or inside the bulb cavity. Maybe a piece of thick aluminum foil or something. Not sure. I haven't explored that yet.
If you need some leads on a replacement mirror assembly. PM me and I'll share some info I have.
Robert
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,890
Likes: 0
From: FL
you probably have the standard manual mirror being a 97 I think that was an 01 and up option for auto dim. Both 4 pin and 7 pin connectors are differently tricky to get out when you cant see behind it. Just take the mirror off, unscrew the screw at the base and then pull the mirror up hard and it will come off, then you can play with the mirror
