[Zoomer]

I have just finished my first wash since repairs to my weeping mirrors were made at Park Acura in Akron. I can happily say that there is at least a 90% improvement over the dribbles of yore
I washed the black beauty and went for a short drive down the interstate and returned home to find an absolute minimal and acceptable amount of water that had leaked from what once was the firehose spray that covered the sides of my MDX after previous baths. Park Acura had my vehicle overnight, so the process was, I assume, very involved. The service manager told me the tech working on the problem was in touch with the engineers in California throughout the whole process. I urge all of you with this problem to contact your dealer to get the fix, so that you too may enjoy years of drip-free driving!

 

[New MDXer]

Zoomer:

Does this mean that there is a TSB out on this? What did your Service department do? What is their phone number so I can have my service department call them to fully understand what to do?

Thanks

 

[Zoomer]

No TSB out yet, as far as I know. Park Acura's number is 330.644.1300. What they did was create a new channel within the mirror housing to flush the water out much faster rather than doing something to prevent the water from actually entering the housing. I only hope your dealer is as professional as mine. They are a superb organization. Although I have an Acura dealer less than 5 minutes from my house, I drive an hour to Park for my service. My local dealer, Boardman Acura, acted more like horse theives when I originally went to inquire about purchasing an MDX. However, to their credit, Park Acura has told me that the service department at Boardman Acura is much more professional than those on the sales floor. But for the time being, I'll be taking that enjoyable drive in my MDX to Akron for service. Hell, I just like DRIVING it!!!

 

[octavian]

Zoomer, you will be a hero if this works.....I copied your post and will present to my dealer when I get it serviced.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Zoomer]

Glad to be of some help, Octavian! I hope all of my fellow MDXers can get the fix for those weepers........

Zoomer

 

[Zoomer]

HEY, Octavian, I just noticed your purchase date - same as mine!
Small world.

Zoomer

 

[octavian]

Zoom, ya wouldn't think it had ANYTHING to do with the fact that it was the end of month, now do you? Apparently, allocations are determined by # of actual deliveries in a given month, and my dealer was pulling out all the stops to make sure I had mine by the end of August.

If yours is like mine (and it is except for interior color), the guys and gals in Canada did a good job building MDX's that day.

Except for the prototypical wind noise and slight weeping and slightly misaligned glovebox, zero problems! Knock on my fake wood instrument panel.

 

[Zoomer]

Octavian,
I know all about that end of month syndrome! My sales rep was in a panic too. Even offered to deliver it to me if I would just come down and seal the deal if it didn't arrive before the 31st. I told him I would, since they had all been so nice, but I (and THEY) lucked out when it finally arrived late in the day on the 30th. The dealers DO indeed get allocations based on what they move in a given month.
I see quite a few of you have that misaligned glove box, but those guys and gals in Canada must have had their heads on straight when they were putting in my glovebox as it is just fine!
Let us all know how your weeping problem gets resolved and remember, if your dealer is not up to task, Park Acura in Akron are the 'CAN DO' folks and it will always make a nice road trip!

Zoomer

 

[groverahoward]

Did they charge you for this? If not, I'll drive from California to get this problem fixed. (i know it's not cost effective but I love driving the MDX and it would be a good excuse I could give my wife!)

 

[Zoomer]

Absolutely NO charge for this 'goodwill' repair! Not that I would have ever expected to be charged for it - hell, this is no minor boo-boo, it's a design flaw!!

Zoomer

 

[texrb]

thanks

Zoomer - thanks for posting the info on the mirror fix. I haven't taken delivery yet, but expect to have the problem. Also - I see we have twins! I also had the dealer add several assessories at a huge discount. Once I take delivery I will change my sig (again!)

Thanks again

 

[Zoomer]

You're Welcome TEXRB!

You never know, you may luck out and get a non-weeping version. In any case, you are gonna love your MDX! I drove an ML320 for two years until August, which I thought was one fine SUV. Boy, was I mistaken. The MDX is a far superior vehicle in all aspects! Good Luck with your new black beauty!

Zoomer

 

[MHarnois]

Zoomer,

Thank you for sharing. After I printed and showed your story to my dealer, they talked to Acura Tech and will be receiving instructions to do this fix on my car this week. They are telling me that this is most likely only a temporary fix. Something better is coming, possibly a new mirror design.

 

[Zoomer]

GLAD TO HELP!

MH,
Glad to be of some assistance! Actually, I washed mine again on Saturday and took a little extra time to dry the mirror housing and I didn't get ANY dribble whatsoever after driving it!
So, this fix looks to be more than temporary, at least for me!

Zoomer

 

[Rodzir]

New Channel

I created a new channel in my mirror this weekend. It seems to relieve most of the problem. I drilled a 1/8" hole in the bottom of the mirror as close to the inside wall as possible. Suprise!! The water runs out of the bottom of the mirror insted of blowing down the side of the car. Then I looked at my corvette, thunderbird and my dads Honda and what did I find you ask. A 1/8" hole in the bottom of the mirror the get the water out. One of the main problems is that the drain hole is between the bracket and the housing and with such a small hole and gap the water doesn't want to come out.

 

[Zoomer]

Rodzir

I admire your ingenuity and tinkering, but I for one would not like to be making any repairs to a vehicle with less than a 1000 miles on it. If I am going to make some permanent changes to any part of my MDX, I would rather have certified Acura service doing the work. If a fix were needed after a fix I personally had done, I would rather see the money coming out of Acura's till, rather than my wallet! Besides, the ball is in their corner - why bother with home fixes? Additionally, while they were working on my weepers, I was out zooming around in an '02 CL Type S loaner! Can't beat that for a good time!

Zoomer

 

[TheWorm]

Re: New Channel

I created a new channel in my mirror this weekend. It seems to relieve most of the problem. I drilled a 1/8" hole in the bottom of the mirror as close to the inside wall as possible. Suprise!! The water runs out of the bottom of the mirror insted of blowing down the side of the car. Then I looked at my corvette, thunderbird and my dads Honda and what did I find you ask. A 1/8" hole in the bottom of the mirror the get the water out. One of the main problems is that the drain hole is between the bracket and the housing and with such a small hole and gap the water doesn't want to come out.

Gotta pic? How does it differ from the existing one that Rail pointed out (below)?

 

[Zoomer]

Hello to the Worm! (and thanks again for your help, B!)
The pictures from Rail represent a different area of the mirror for my former weeping problem.
My drips originated from the housing not arount the mirror itself, but where it is attached to the door. Would this be another fix for additional seepage?
I really didn't have any problems from this section of the mirror assembly.

Is is just me, or are others out there........

Zoomer

 

[TheWorm]

In Rail's original disassembly and inspection, he determined that the water entry (and seepage) was both from the mirror assembly and from the triangular mount on the A-pillar.

DMor and I spent a few days eyeballing and tinkering as well. The primary culprit, IMO, is the porous gasket behind the mount, which retains the water.

I was wondering where Rodzir did his self-fix (it sounds like the mirror itself rather than the mount on the pillar) which I would think could be be a partial fix...but doesn't solve the retention issue.

 

[groverahoward]

A new fix to weeping mirrors!!!

I just had Downey Acura (CA) work on my poor weeping mirrors. I gave them the contact info from the Ohio Acura dealer. After talking with them, Downey called the Acura Technical Support line and found that Acura is now recommending a new procedure. It was faxed to them today in Service Bulletin #01-032.

They cut a 5-mm deep channel from the outside edge to the inner cavity of the gasket, being careful not to cut a hole through the gasket.

It is a fairly involved procedure that takes a couple of hours--but, damn, it seems to work! They washed my MDX and then I drove home on the freeway and, glory be, there were no drips!!!

This is soooo great to have the problem solved!!! (knock on wood!)