Mirror removal help

[dazzpowder]

Hi all,

I hope to replace my mirror for the folding type soon. Can anyone tell me how to safely remove the coloured plastic cover from the mirror body?

Thanks

[UncleBob]

you just pull it off. gently, but firmly. there are tabs between the cap and the frame. they click together to be held onto the structure.
take your time and work it slowly. no tools needed, your hands will do.
note: this is how it is on my 2002 3.0i

[dazzpowder]

Thanks Bob

[Kev]

In case they don't just pull off (mine didn't) - get a flat screwdriver, put cloth around it, and get it between the outer frame and the cover (from the bottom of the mirror - no specific place) - and wait till one of the tabs 'clicks' out. The rest will be doable by hand as Bob says.

Folding mirrors are an easy retofit but try if possible not to take the door card completely off. The inside handle is a bit of a bugger to get back in if it unlatches - and the little orange light (inside) - has a kind of optical prism thingy that's easy to break if you don't undo the wire running to it.

First side takes about half an hour - and the second side - 15 minutes (once you've figured out the pitfalls ).

And best of all - no coding or messing with new control boxes (as with the E39). Just the mirrors and a switch. Shame they dont fold on lock - or when crawling (through width restrictions). Well they sort of do but you need to practically stop. They unfold ok when speeding up tho.

Hope this helps. Good luck !

Kev.

[dazzpowder]

Thanks for the tips Kev, I'm carrying out the mod on Tuesday. Do I just remove part of the door card or all but just not pull it away from the door?

Thanks again.

[Kev]

It's a shame you need to remove the card at all but unfortunately, the bit of plastic covering the tweeter disappears behind the door card. Anyway, you would still need to run the wire...

If you can get someone to hold the doorcard it's a lot easier/quicker.

1) Carefully remove the aluminium/wood trim.Start from the outside and lift away. It just pulls off once you've got a blunt flat edge under it. There's a couple of T10 screws there

2) Another screw in the one of the bins at the bottom

3) Flat blunt edge again at the bottom till the card un-pops.

Disconnect the mirror cables to the switch (drivers) or connector (passenger)

Then, pull the flimsy plastic trim way from the tweeter. Two Torx T40 are visible and the other is covered with a black trim. Undo two, and then hold the mirror whilst undoing the third.

Pull the mirror way. But make a note of how the foam sits. The plug passes through the foam and the new must go through the same hole. This foam prevents all the wind noise so take care of it.

By now your helper has been holding the door card for 10 minutes

Stick the new mirror in and pop the card back on.

It's really a doddle. Even on your own, but if you remove the card take care with that lead to the light prism on the handle, and note how the cable and black plastic clip comes off so you know how to reconnect it.

I'll PM my number so you can call if you get stuck.

Cheers,

Kev.

[gingermeig]

Hello all........I just removed the passenger (right side in USA) mirror. Somebody whacked it and some bits are cracked. The above is great...but in this USA version there is also one torx T20 under the "side airbag" label. The door card just would not come off until that was removed!!