Replacing a Broken Wing Mirror

Every driver knows about the importance of wing mirrors. You use these vital visual aids all the time to check your position in the road and of the position of other drivers as you approach junctions. Whilst a broken mirror still offers a little better visibility than no mirror at all, it’s anything but ideal.

There are a number of ways that your mirror can get broken. Sometimes when cars are passing they get a little too close and mirrors can clash, causing cracks. Unfortunately vandalism still happens in the UK and you could even have your mirror smashed off your car when it’s parked by the side of the road.

It’s a no brainer to tell when you car’s wing mirror needs replacing, and fortunately it’s also a similarly easy task to perform the mechanical work yourself. The only challenge is in some of the tools you’ll need, which you may need to purchase specifically for the job.

You will need: panel remover lever, trim pad remover, socket set, screwdriver, hooked pick and additional door panel clips.

Remove the Mirror Trim Panel Screws

The first thing you’ll need to do is remove the door’s trim panel to access the car mirror’s electrical systems. It may take you a little time to find the fasteners, which are usually located behind small plastic caps that hide them from view, or in small recesses obscured from view.

Remove the Mirror Trim Panel

If you are dealing with plastic caps, use the hooked pick to remove these so that you can get to the screws. Using your screwdriver, remove all the screws. This should leave only a number of fasteners holding the panel in place. Use the trim panel removal to unclip the fasteners. Finally wind down the window and lift the trim panel out of its seating.

Disconnect the Wing Mirror

If you have no mirror attached to your car, go straight to step 4.

There should now be a number of bolts exposed that hold the wing mirror in place. If you have a powered mirror there will also be an electric cord attached to the mirror that you will have to first disconnect. Use your socket set to unbolt the broken mirror and place the bolts somewhere safe.

Connect the New Wing Mirror

Compare the replacement wing mirror to the old part, checking that all the bolt holes line up and are in the same places. If you have an electrically powered mirror then reconnect the power supply cable and begin bolting the mirror back in place by replacing the bolts one by one. If you have an electrical mirror this is a good time to turn on the car and check that the electrical operation is fully functional.

Reattach the Mirror Trim

Carefully put the mirror trim back in its seating and attach new clips, pushing them firmly into place. Next use the screwdriver to reattach all the screws and press any screw covers into their recesses on the trim. Wind up the window and the job is complete.