Mirrors are an essential part of the vehicle’s equipment that allows you to navigate through the traffic safely and more easily.
Each mirror serves an important role – the rearview mirror gives you a wide-angle image of the traffic behind you, the right-side mirror helps you switch lanes, and the left-side mirror lets you know if someone’s trying to overtake you. Of course, they’ve got other uses and can assist you when you’re driving in reverse or parking.
But what can you do when the mirrors become loose and keep tilting down?
Rear and side mirrors can be adjusted by tightening the screw located beneath, or behind the mirror itself. In this article, I’ll teach you how to fix the mirrors and regain complete visibility on the road!
The Rear-View mirror is often adjusted, especially if the car is driven by several people. This will cause the mirror ball joint to loosen up, but there are a couple of ways to tighten it. The exact method will vary depending on your vehicle, and if none of the factory-installed methods is applicable, I’ll also provide some DIY methods to solve the problem.
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Some vehicles have a fixed mirror stand and a ball joint that attaches directly to the mirror. Inspect the mirror from underneath, where the flip tab is located. On some models, you’ll find a hex or Phillip’s head screw to tighten and get the mirror back in action.
In some models, the mirror and the rod have a solid connection, with the ball joint connection located within the roof. You’ll have to figure out how to remove the plastic shroud to gain access to the adjustment screw. After that, it’s just a matter of using the right screwdriver to tighten the ball joint.
If you can’t locate the tightening screw beneath the mirror or within the base, the last place to look is inside the mirror. At this point, I’d suggest looking up the exact method for your make & model, as disassembling the mirror unnecessarily can only cause more harm than good. Once you’re sure there’s a tightening screw inside, carefully pull off the mirror to gain access to the screw.
Side mirrors face two problems – the joint connecting the assembly to the vehicle can become loose, and the mirror itself can drop. Both are relatively easy fixes as long as your vehicle allows them.
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The entire side mirror is connected to a latch with a couple of screws. The mechanism lets you fold the mirrors to prevent unwanted damage when parked.
To tighten the screws, inspect the connection point and figure out how to take off the cowl. After that, it’s just a matter of tightening the screws with the right socket.
Like some rearview mirrors, the side mirror ball joint can be corrected by taking off the mirror and tightening the adjustment screw. This is a delicate job as trying to forcefully pull off the mirror can damage the remote adjustment mechanism, so before you start, check out the steps on how to remove the side mirror glass that’s located towards the end of the article.
By design, some mirrors cannot be adjusted in any way. The worst thing you can do is take the vehicle to an authorized dealership – not only will they charge you a ridiculous amount for a replacement mirror and labor costs. If you’re not confident in your repair skills, you can buy the mirror yourself and take the car to a local mechanic. They’ll be able to change it within minutes and charge a trivial amount.
Older vehicles have rearview mirrors that are just that – a mirror, but you can now spend a few extra dollars and buy a rearview mirror with an integrated backup camera monitor.
Before you start replacing the mirrors, you can try a few DIY methods of fixing the ball joint and restoring partial, or complete functionality to your mirrors.
The ball assembly is made out of soft metal or even plastic and will shrink over time. By far the easiest method of regaining a tight connection is to layer the ball receiver with a piece of paper, plastic, insulation tape, or whatever else you have on hand.
For this method, I like to use a piece of notepad paper, cut it into a small enough piece so it won’t be visible, and stick it into the ball receiver. The ball will have a tighter fit, and you’ll still be able to adjust the mirror. Over time, the paper might degrade, but you can always repeat the process in just a few minutes.
The most expensive part of the side mirror is the electric motor for remote adjustment and folding. If that fails, chances are that getting the spare parts will be just as expensive as buying the entire mirror.
However, there is one way to fix a side mirror that keeps tilting downwards. Hold the mirror in position with one hand, then wedge toothpicks or cardboard between the mirror and the housing. This will create a tight fit and while you won’t be able to use remote controls to adjust the mirror position, you can still open the window and adjust it by hand.
Side mirror glass can crack, become too dirty to clean, or even fall off, so knowing how to replace it is a good skill to have. You most likely won’t need any tools, just a handful of adhesion and cleaning products.
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The cost of replacing the rearview mirror greatly depends on how you approach the problem. If you take the vehicle to an authorized dealership, the cost of parts and labor can even reach $1000! In contrast, a basic aftermarket rearview mirror costs just $10.
Unless your rearview mirror has special features that require an OEM replacement, I would strongly suggest going with a cheaper alternative. Replacing the mirror is very simple, so don’t let the mechanic rip you off – you can definitely do the job yourself, and if not, don’t spend more than $50-100 on labor.
You can use Gorilla Glue to reattach the glass to the mount, but do not use it to tighten the ball joint, especially if the receiver is inside the roof assembly! Once it sets, you won’t be able to adjust the angle of the mirror, and removing the ball will become nearly impossible. You’ll likely have to snap off the mirror, then drill out the ball to save the joint receiver.
The job is very simple, so whether you’re fixing or replacing the mirror, the whole process should take 10-30 minutes.
To tighten the ball joint on the side mirror, you need to remove the glass and possibly the glass mount. Doing so requires patience and skill not to break the glass, but it can be done. Once you’ve tightened the ball joint, follow the steps explained in the guide on how to glue the glass back in place.
Some vibrations are to be expected, especially on older vehicles, but if the mirror is shaking excessively, it means that the bolts connecting it to the body have become loose. Simply take off the bottom shroud of the mirror assembly and tighten the bolts to keep the mirror from wobbling.
Loose rear or side-view mirrors can be very annoying, but repairing them is a simple process that requires just the basic tools. Be careful not to break the glass, and you should do just fine. Every mirror is different, so check the owner’s manual and forums to see what other owners have to say.
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