Hi to all!
I am wondering if anyone has experienced their rear view mirror leaking toxic fluid. Here is a condensed version of my problem:

Our 1999 XK8 convertibleÔÇÖs top would not close all of the way. So we took it out to a local Jaguar dealership for repairs. We were told we needed new armatures. They also found a leak of hydraulic liquid around the armature (I hope this makes sense). They did the necessary repairs.
When we went to pick up the car, I immediately noticed that the radio faceplate, ashtray area and where the radio meets the console was covered in a thick hard blackish liquid. You cannot see the information on the radio screen now. The trim paint where the radio meets the console is gone and the ashtray area is pitted with sections eaten away. The dealer kept the car to see how this happened. They called to say the mirror leaked and caused the damage. How does a mirror leak? We asked if this was a result of the repairs done to the convertible top and the hydraulic fluid and why didnÔÇÖt anyone notice this?????? They said it was all a very strange coincidence, but the mirror sealed up on its own ??????
Has anyone else had a mirror leak this fluid (which also burnt my fingers when I was checking out the mirror)? If so is there any way to remove this ÔÇ£gunkÔÇØ from the radio faceplate? Do we need to replace the entire radio?? Does the mirror need to be replaced (it does not auto dim any longer)? We were told there were no mirrors available in the US by the dealer.
We are heartbroken about this. We took our car out for repairs in perfect condition and by this strange coincidence caused so much damage to the interior. Would there be any connection between the hydraulic fluid issue of the top and the mirror leaking? She is a real beauty that is constantly babied.
Any assistance with this issue would be highly appreciated. We do not know what to do.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Submitted by stevejag@sbcgl… on Thu, 09/11/2014 - 19:23

Edited on 2014-09-11 19:27:26
Michel,

So, explain to me how I could take care of your car for four years, but then suddenly become a "bad guy" the day your warranty expires??

Just curious........

Everybody, I don't care who it is, deserves a chance to make an error or oversight right. Applies to restaurants, plumbers, dealers, everybody.

Cheers,

Submitted by michel@dinomar… on Thu, 09/11/2014 - 17:26

Hi,

Easy for me to say, but the car should had never left the dealer that way. Unpaid invoice a must until all was fixed to your satisfaction. The car regardless of its age should be treated as a new car since you untrusted this dealer to do the work.
After the warranty expires I never use any dealer period!

Is there anything I can do to help?

Submitted by vineyardman68@… on Thu, 07/10/2014 - 19:25

Well Jean, The help you've received so far will fix your mirror, but the rest of your questions have been left out on the porch. I may be wrong, but fixing a hyd operated top, has nothing to do with ARMATURES. An Armature is the enter portion of an electrical motor. Unless you mis-stated what they said was wrong.

If it was my car, the dealer would be looking for some quick and fast answers. They had your car in for repairs, meaning that while on their facility, they were responsible for it--lock- stock and barrel. The mirror just happens to be below where they were working--suspect--and even if it just happened to leak at that time, they should have either stoped the leak or at least covered up what it was leaking on. An old lesson here is--just because it is a dealer, that doesn't mean the yo-yo working on your car didn't just come out of the corn field.

I would return to the dealer and see if they would at least help in the correction of the damaged components (radio etc.). If they view this as "not my problem", I would next have my lawyer contact them.

Some would say 'well it is a 1999 car', but that's not the issue. It wasn't leaking when it went in for service, then it did, then it just sealed itself--give me a break. It's your baby and someone needs to make thing right.