DIY Network

Replacing a Broken Side Mirror Damaged side mirrors should be replaced or repaired as quickly as possible. From "Car Care & Repair" episode CCR-122

Your side mirrors are essential pieces of safety equipment, and if one should happen to get broken, it should be replaced or repaired as quickly as possible.

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	Seven years of bad luck? Perhaps, but replacing the mirror just requires a little time and know-how. Save some money by locating a replacement in an auto-salvage yard.
	Figure A
	Figure B
	For safety and to prevent damage, disconnect the vehicle's negative battery cable before beginning any project that involves electrical re-wiring.
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F
	Figure G
	Figure H
	Figure I
	Figure J
	Figure K
	Figure L
	Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. By doing it ourselves, and purchasing a used replacement from a salvage yard, this side-mirror was repaired for just a few dollars.

Perhaps the simplest repair option is to replace the entire mirror assembly (figure A), but the complete replacement may cost $100 or more. And since they generally come unpainted, you'll incur additional cost having it painted to match your vehicle.

If you'd prefer to save some money, and aren't afraid a little hands-on work, consider purchasing just the replacement mirror-portion of the assembly (figure B) from a salvage yard, and installing it yourself. You may be able to pick up a used replacement mirror for a few dollars. This replacement procedure will require removing some parts from the door interior, but it's fairly straightforward and requires just a few tools.

Materials:

replacement mirror
trim-removing tool (pry tool)
screwdriver and/or torx driver
nut driver
socket wrench

Just to be safe, have your vehicle's service manual handy in case there are any special considerations or unique parts for your particular vehicle. In our demonstration., we replaced the right side mirror on a 2000 model Ford Taurus. If you're purchasing a replacement from a salvage yard, you'll probably need to find an exact match for the make and model of your vehicle in order to obtain a suitable replacement. One advantage of this approach is that you're likely to have to remove the replacement mirror from the salvage vehicle yourself. Disassembling the housing will give you a good idea of the procedure and steps you'll go through in order to replace the mirror on your vehicle.

Safety alert: Since this project requires disconnecting and reconnecting some electrical wiring, disconnect the vehicle's negative battery cable as a safety measure before beginning work on the door and mirror.

1. Once you have the replacement piece, the first step is to remove the interior door panel. This will require that you first remove any detachable trim-pieces from the door-latch assembly. In our case, we removed a small trim plate from the door-handle assembly using a pry tool (figure C). Use caution not to damage any of the trim pieces.

2. With the trim piece out of the way, begin removing the retaining screws that hold the interior door panel in place (figure D).

3. Remove the corner-trim piece that covers the corner-trim bracket (figure E ).

4. Once the trim piece is removed, gently detach and lift off the interior door panel and carefully set it aside. Aside from the screws, the door is held in place by some plastic retaining brackets. Gently pry and rock the panel to loosen it and work it free from the brackets (figure F). Be careful not to scratch or damage the panel as they are expensive to replace.

5. Remove the screws that hold the base of the corner trim bracket in place (figure G), and lift the plastic piece off.

6. Once you've removed the trim bracket, you'll need to unplug the wiring harness (figure H) that controls the power-adjustment for the side mirror.

7. With the door panel and trim pieces off, and the metal facing of the door interior exposed, remove the mirror-bolts located beneath the trim bracket using a nut driver or socket wrench with the appropriate socket or extender. These bolts are what hold the mirror assembly in place. You may need to peel back a portion of the moisture barrier to gain access to the bolts (figure I).

8. With the wiring unplugged and the mirror bolts removed, you can lift the mirror assembly off the vehicle. You may need to feed the attached portion of the wiring harness through the opening in the door interior.

9. To remove the mirror from the assembly, you'll need to remove the retaining screws that hold the mirror in place inside the housing (figure J). In our case, there were four screws -- three at the base of the housing, and one on the outside surface. We removed the screws using a torx driver.

10. With the retaining screws removed, the mirror and plastic backing can be lifted out of the housing (figure K).

11. With the broken mirror and backing lying face-down, separate the broken mirror from the backing by gently prying the plastic tabs so that they release their grip on the mirror (figure L).

12. Snap the replacement mirror to the backing.

13. Replace the mirror and backing in the assembly and tighten down the retaining screws.

With the new mirror properly attached in the housing, reverse the procedure outlined above to reinstall the assembly on the vehicle: feed the wiring harness back into place; return the housing to its mounting position and retighten the mirror bolts; plug in the electrical connection; reinstall the trim bracket; remount the door panel; reinstall the door trim pieces.

Reconnect the battery and test the new mirror to make certain that it operates properly using the power controls.

RESOURCES :

Auto Repair for Dummies
Author: Deanna Sclar
ISBN: 0764550896

Some vehicles provided by Ted Russell Ford

Ted Russell Ford
8551 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37919
Phone: 865-693-7611
Web site: www.tedrussell.com