B Pillar plastic issue

[R.A.N.M.J.]

Some other folks have mentioned it, I was coming here to say it as well though.

That's 100% melted.

I suspect it's happening when sunlight is being concentrated into your mirror and then the mirror is compounding it back onto your B Pillar.

I suspect that a window from a neighbor or a neighbors mirror is channeling the light there. Early morning or late afternoon would be my guess.

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[Paul Gagnon]

Some other folks have mentioned it, I was coming here to say it as well though.

That's 100% melted.

I suspect it's happening when sunlight is being concentrated into your mirror and then the mirror is compounding it back onto your B Pillar.

I suspect that a window from a neighbor or a neighbors mirror is channeling the light there. Early morning or late afternoon would be my guess.

If that's the case, folding the mirror in should stop it from happening. Easy and inexpensive way to troubleshoot.

 

[Bruzer22]

My neighbors energy efficient windows reflect and focus crazy light beams. Those beams have melted the hatch on my wife's Grand Cherokee, melted the grill on m old 4Runner, melted the mudflaps. Basically, if someone forgets to close the garage doors, there's a good chance something is going to get melted. Looks like the same thing is going on with your vehicle. Focused sun damage reflecting from something has to be the cause.

 

[R.A.N.M.J.]

5 days after I’ve had my Bronco, I go outside to get in the vehicle and notice a deformity on the exterior of the B pillar. It looks like something is melting it from the inside, but the dealer took it apart and everything looked normal. They also noticed it’s happening at the C pillar.





The next day, the issue got worse.


Then the following day it started to spread in a different area. Of the B pillar. The weather has been high 50’s during the day and high 30’s at night, so not that drastic.

Here, I made this illustration to explain my previous post. Enjoy!

The curve in the reflected surface doesn't even have to be pronounced, just has to be the right distance from your mirror to make the mirror a focal point.

 

[DesertChip]

Here, I made this illustration to explain my previous post. Enjoy!

The curve in the reflected surface doesn't even have to be pronounced, just has to be the right distance from your mirror to make the mirror a focal point.

I live in Las Vegas, it is not unusual to see over 110 degree days in the summer. So, I come out to my Bronco (if I ever get it from Ford) and the top is melted into the Bronco? Sounds like a bit of a design problem.

 

[Bonnie6G]

I live in Las Vegas, it is not unusual to see over 110 degree days in the summer. So, I come out to my Bronco (if I ever get it from Ford) and the top is melted into the Bronco? Sounds like a bit of a design problem.

You ever play with a magnifying glass and sunlight? It can set leaves and grass on fire, which means temps are getting to 450+.

 

[DUSTYcazOREGON]

I haven’t done anything to it. I wonder if it’s what the dealer cleaned it with? Off the transportation delivery truck, it was quite filthy, so I’m sure they had to take a while cleaning it.

That would be a good guess. They typically have lot boys wash these vehicle for delivery.....I would bet they don't know what these materials are made of and what to avoid using on them. They sure are not reading the owner's manual on "care". Hope you get all new pieces for the affected areas.

 

[Bruzer22]

You ever play with a magnifying glass and sunlight? It can set leaves and grass on fire, which means temps are getting to 450+.

I measured the temps from the neighbors windows where the light was concentrated (in my case, easily visible). It was incredibly hot. There was one time my son came in the house running, yelling that his goalie pads were on fire, and they were smoking where the light was hitting them. In my case, energy efficient windows are the devil.

During winters, the reflection will melt the snow in my driveway in the path that the light moves. That really does appear to be 100% heat, and not chemical in nature.

 

[LadyBronco]

I bet it’s from solar reflection from low E glass windows. I had my composite fence replaced twice due to reflection of the sun off the windows.
(Here’s an example of what I can do in the photo)

 

[wetdog]

Here, I made this illustration to explain my previous post. Enjoy!

The curve in the reflected surface doesn't even have to be pronounced, just has to be the right distance from your mirror to make the mirror a focal point.

Death ray its science

 

[gronsay]

I measured the temps from the neighbors windows where the light was concentrated (in my case, easily visible). It was incredibly hot. There was one time my son came in the house running, yelling that his goalie pads were on fire, and they were smoking where the light was hitting them. In my case, energy efficient windows are the devil.

During winters, the reflection will melt the snow in my driveway in the path that the light moves. That really does appear to be 100% heat, and not chemical in nature.

I fully understand heat and reflection, if this is truly the case, why did it not happen to my other two vehicles that were parked in the same exact spot for a long time? One being a base F-150 with similar plastic…I would think.

 

[BudgetBronco]

I am in the concentrated sunlight melting camp. Lots of reasons it could be different from your past car: slightly different angle? Different plastic type with different melting point?

It happens all the time:
https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020/02/24/south-fayette-melting-siding/

 

[Bruzer22]

I fully understand heat and reflection, if this is truly the case, why did it not happen to my other two vehicles that were parked in the same exact spot for a long time? One being a base F-150 with similar plastic…I would think.

Different plastics, I dunno. I used to park my Tacoma in the same exact spot as my 4Runner for 4 years, and nothing happened to it. Within a week of getting it, the front grill on my 4Runner melted from the heat.

I originally suspected chemical burn of some type on my 4Runner until I was outside one day and saw the reflection right on the burn spot.

 

[tracythemighty]

5 days after I’ve had my Bronco, I go outside to get in the vehicle and notice a deformity on the exterior of the B pillar. It looks like something is melting it from the inside, but the dealer took it apart and everything looked normal. They also noticed it’s happening at the C pillar.





The next day, the issue got worse.


Then the following day it started to spread in a different area. Of the B pillar. The weather has been high 50’s during the day and high 30’s at night, so not that drastic.

Wow, I'm sorry that happened to your new Bronco. I hope you get it fixed and figure out what is causing the reflection. I never thought this was a common issue. Cars should not be made of plastic, but I guess we can blame the govt for that one.

When I was a kid, my dad's car was not made out of plastic. That thing took all kinds of abuse. Once, he had it parked in front of the house, and a plastic car side swiped it. My dad's car barely had a scratch, but the plastic car was totaled. I think we all learned a valuable lesson today - no more plastic cars. Thank you for attending my TedTalk.

 

[DesertChip]

You ever play with a magnifying glass and sunlight? It can set leaves and grass on fire, which means temps are getting to 450+.

Of course,, I have. Done solar cooking too. Just seems hard to imagine things could lineup that well to melt his roof in that spot. He should move it someplace else to test. Maybe put something that melt easy in that same spot to see what might happen.

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