Fix your side mirror

Ohiosnow · November 11, 2005

I've read & been told that you can't fix them but I figure I have nothing to lose but my time. This is not if your plastic housing is cracked or busted, I've only seen a couple this way.

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I should have taken pixs but here is what I did, I'll try to give a detailed description.

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1-Open door & put down window then pop the inside triangle trim off from the top ( catch clips on left & right & at the bottom is a fixed clip that goes behind the sidepanel trim).

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2-pull foam out & unplug wire plug to mirror.

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3- use a 10mm socket & unbolt the 3 being carefull not to drop the nuts in the door panel all while holding the mirror. The white 3-prong plastic clip that's around the wire may or may not not hold the mirror in place.

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4- take mirror to work bench & pop off mirror plate ( tilt mirror full to right side & use a long screwdriver to pry between the back plate of mirror & housing, there is tabs all the way around the mount just carefully pry in-between the taps closest to back of mirror) & don't lose the gasket.

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5-take foam the off the side mount & remove white wire guard clip by pinching all 3 legs & lifting straight up as there are 2 fixed pins the guide it molded to the mirror frame. Now your can pull the wire with the end plug thru the housing & tuck under the motor on the left side so it's out of the way.

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6- you can now separate the 2 peices, in the mirror compartment there is a spring & retaining clip in a recess. It will likely have a build up of crap in the recess that needs to be cleaned out. The other half of the mount has a tube that the spring clip attaches too that needs wiped off ( don't sand clean as this is a friction fit).

I put a little dab of waterproof grease between the 2 pcs. on the bottom where the notches are on the housing. Take the spring & clean it off & take the retainer clip & use a pair of pliers & carefully flated the tabs on the clip.

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7- Take & put the mount halves back together & place spring in the recess with the retaining clip. Now you need some tools to press this back together, I used a piece of wood (under the bottom of the mount as not to crack the plastic) & a 8"-C-clamp & a 1-1/8" socket on top of the retainer. And slowly press it on ( I had to tap the socket a couple of times to keep it centered over the clip). Don't press it on too tight, it only goes on 1/4" to 3/8".

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8- Take & push wire with plug back thur & replace wire guard & foam.

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9-wipe clean painted area on vehicle

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10-Bolt it back on & center the clips, test to see if housing flips back & forth, Now pop mirror back in place with gasket, making sure to line up the 2 inside tabs with the motor, plug in power conn. & test mirror, put foam back & replace triangle trim, put window up & close door.