White 'Crud' from mirror mount

carcap

Active member
Joined
Sep 22, 2004
Location
Montreal
Anybody know what the white crud is that comes out from behind the side view mirror mount (that triangular shaped thing on the door) when you wash the car. If you leave the hose water there, it never seems to stop coming out. I have seen other Golfs with water stains on the door just below the side view mirrors. Any hints on how to get rid of the white crud and stains on the door. Washing with car wash soap doesn't do it.
 

big_red

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 22, 2008
Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2001 Golf TDI, 2011 Jetta TDI
I noticed that too this spring, after not washing my car since about November (too cold a winter to wash it, and they get dirty instantly here in Ottawa).

I got it off by rubbing some wax on it and wiping it off, claybar should have worked too but I've misplaced mine.

I am wondering what it is from though... is it from windshield washer fluid?
 

Tdi-Matt

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Location
CFB Cold Lake
TDI
2002 JETTA TDI
I found out what that stuff was...its some form of corrosion on the mirror assembly. If ya take of you mirror glass you'll find its full of 'white crud'

My passanger mirror eventually 'fell off in flight' because of that corrosion.
 

Ben1000

Veteran Member
Joined
May 27, 2007
Location
Greensboro, NC
TDI
2001 Baltic Green 5spd
Yup, it's corrosion of the low-grade aluminum/pot metal mirror bracket casting.

The insides of these aren't painted, presumably to avoid overspray on the outside.

- Unbolt mirrors
- clean inside bracket
- mask edge
- paint inside
- reinstall

Then forget about it, it won't do it again until at least the outside of the bracket begins to corrode.

It's also a good idea to use a bit of sealant on the bolt, otherwise the normal corrosion from the joint will leak out.
 

blarg

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 4, 2005
Location
Auburn, MA
TDI
Jetta TDI, 2009, Blue, 160k
Does anyone have a source (or part numbers) for the brackets and clips for when they DO break? My '02 TDI just sneezed off its side mirror because the cheap metal bracket snapped. Thanks.
 

Powder Hound

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
TDI
'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
I don't know about the referenced post. In there, someone claimed it was "plain poor engineering." Couldn't possibly be that. Afterall, those german engineers have given us things like plastic window lift brackets that break, radiator fans that quit, arm rest latches that break, glove box hinges that break, leading edge oil pans that break, automatic transaxles that fail, plastic water pump impellers that fail...
 
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