What’s more expensive – a speeding ticket or replacing the outside driver-side mirror on your Corvette C8? Some owners are about to find out after General Motors issued a technical bulletin detailing how hardwired radar detectors and the side-mirror glass aren’t cooperating. This could lead to degraded mirror glass that displays a spider’s web of lines that obscure the reflection on 2020-2022 models.

According to the bulletin, one cause might be an aftermarket radar detector hardwired into the inside rear-view mirror. The detector could cause a higher voltage to go to the side-view mirror, resulting in the unsightly damage. If there is damage, then the radar detector is likely tapped into the inside mirror’s X1 connector, located behind the mirror’s front cover. The fix requires disconnecting the jumper harness and replacing the damaged outside mirror. Sadly, the warranty doesn’t cover any damage caused by aftermarket devices, so owners will have to foot the bill.

Gallery: 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

The post doesn’t detail the science behind the phenomena, though the Corvette does feature GM’s new digital vehicle platform that gives the model a host of advanced features like over-the-air updates. However, the electrical platform did toss a few hurdles into the C8’s development, delaying the car’s debut by about six months. At the time, rumors pointed to a “major electrical issue” that left the vehicle unable to cope with the necessary electrical load.

It’s a strange thing to see happen and one that many people likely won’t think about either. But as cars pack in more technology, software, and wiring, upgrading and modifying vehicles will only become more challenging with more room for error. GM already locks down the C8’s ECU in the name of cybersecurity. With the future looking to be all-electric with a litany of driver-assist systems installed for good measure, tapping into any wiring harness might not be as easy as it used to be. What could that do to the aftermarket scene?

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