Interior Rear View Mirror Fell Off

[cooltouch]

The wife took my car to work today and returned with the rear view mirror taped up to the windshield, thanks in part to a couple of helpful folks at her job. Apparently the mirror detached itself from the windshield while she was at work.

I've unplugged it from its wiring harness, and I've inspected the hardened cement left behind on the windshield. It actually kind of thick -- almost 1/16". So, my plan is to pick up some of this special rear view mirror adhesive you can buy from the parts store. But it's obvious from looking at the underside of the mirror mount that there's a metal piece that should be detached from the rest of the mirror assembly and that this piece should be what's glued to the windshield. Or so it seems to me. Here's a pic of what I'm talking about:



The question is, how do I detach it. It seems to me that there is a metal clip, seen below the bright metal piece in this view, that must be removed, which likely holds this piece in position. It looks a lot like the spring clips I see used on car interior pieces. It looks to me like I should try to push in a downward direction (as shown), prying against the two little metal bumps. Maybe I also need to push down (in) on this clip as well, to get it to compress? It's really stout. I've tried to pry against it with a couple of screwdrivers so far, but it doesn't want to budge. You can see some marks I've made on this clip, if that's what it is.

So, have I been going about this right? Or is there a better way to do this?  And I'm wondering now what the trick will be reinstalling this clip once the metal piece has been remounted. There's an opening at the base of the plastic shroud that covers up the mount, and I'm thinking that, if I can engage this clip into its slot, I may be able to push it back up to where it belongs with the edge of a screwdriver.

Any thoughts or experiences you'd like to share about this would be most welcome.

[tigger]

The bright metal "button" slides down and over the metal bumps. How you depress them enough for it to slide out is beyond me...

You could just glue it back as is. I glued the button in my truck on backwards or upside down once, DOH!

Don't forget to mark your windshield from the outside, haha.

[cooltouch]

Okay, I see what you're talking about. Yeah, I don't know how I'm supposed to push it over those bumps either, especially because they're shaped for it to get pushed in one direction only, seems to me.

I was concerned about gluing it back as is because of the weight of the mirror assembly. It must weigh close to a pound. Depends on how fast the cement sets up, I suppose. I may have to try this route if I can't get the button off that clip.

[wfooshee]

You have to get that piece out in order to get it back on the glass. I've been through it and it was tough. i don't even remember how I removed it, whether it was pliers squeezing that tab or a screwdriver prying it. Your mind naturally tries to erase traumatic experiences.....

That adhesive requires you to thoroughly clean the glass with the supplied pad, after scraping all the residue off with a blade of some kind. Scrape the old gunk off the button, too, but you don't use the cleaner on the metal. Then you apply one drop of the adhesive to the button, place it on the glass in the right place, and hold it to the glass for a full minute, pressing hard. then you have to let it set for an hour or so, maybe more, before you can hang the mirror from it.

You'll never get it stuck to the glass with all that wait hanging while it has to set.

[cooltouch]

Yeah, I bought some cement this morning and read the directions. I dunno how I'm gonna get that button out, but, I agree, it has to come out to effect this repair.

[RCA1186]

If I remember right, you remove the mirror (normally) by simply pulling it off the windshield. I think you just need to get a screwdriver under the metal mount and twist, or in effect pop/pry it off. Sounds crazy, but I'm fairly certain that's what I did when my mirror came off. Just make sure that when you glue it on the windshield you don't do it backwards, or you'll be sitting under it with a lighter till the glue melts enough for it to come off again, then you have a scalding hot piece of metal flying at you, not fun stuff trust me on that haha.

[cooltouch]

Actually, it wasn't difficult removing the metal button once I got all the plastic stuff out of the way. Even though there is a gradual slope to the top of the metal base that holds the button, I was still able to get a set of vise-grips on it. Clamped down on that spring clip and the sloped top of the base, the jaws held and I got enough compression on the metal clip where the button just slid right out. I glued the button in place yesterday evening. I was gonna try and remount the mirror this morning before the wife left for work, but she beat me to it. I don't feel like doing it tonight, so I'll try again tomorrow morning.

I'm hoping that I'll just be able to slide the mirror's base onto the button until it snaps into place. I have a plastic-headed mallet, so I may be able to use that to get the mirror up the rest of the way if I need to. It will depend on how much in the way the shroud will be. I don't want to beat on the shroud to get the mirror's base to click back into place. I won't be able to use the vise-grips because the clearance allowed by the narrow slot in the base won't be sufficient for them. If all else fails, I guess I'll just try shoving very quicky and very hard. We'll see what works.

So anyway, for future reference to anyone else who needs to do this repair: just remove the plastic shroud from around the mirror's metal base. Then use vice grips to clamp down on the clip. Slide the button off. That's it.

Note: the plastic shroud has a compartment with a cover held on by a phillips screw. this cover must be removed. The compartment reveals a component of the mirror's electronic circuitry, which remains attached to the cable. This shroud can be maneuvered off the mirror's base without much difficulty, but it has to be removed to expose all of the metal base.

[RCA1186]

It should snap right back on no problem.

[cooltouch]

Yes, in fact it slid into place and did not require much force at all to get it to snap into place. Glad of that. All in all, this ended up being a very simple repair with a much lower anxiety factor than I had originally anticipated.

[wfooshee]

Apparently the weight of that mirror is something else, though.... I've had to fix mine twice in the year and a half that I've had it, and I recall my mother-in-law having to get it done during the year before I bought it from her.

I've had several of those pop off on other cars I've had, but I've never had to fix it again except on this car.

[skizo]

Mine fell off a couple years back and went back on quite easily.

I think the main problem is that people use too much adhesive, or don't clean the mating surfaces well enough. All you need is a thin layer, so goop on enough to cover the slide thingie, press it REAL HARD to the glass to squeeze out any excess, and wipe that off before it has a chance to set and get in the way of the mirror when you remount that.

Glad the wiring harness seems quite robust though ... it ain't yer grand daddy's mirror, ok.

[wfooshee]

Following instructions to the letter. Clean the glass with a razor knife to remove old adhesive, then the pad the comes with the kit, let that dry two minutes, a single drop of the adhesive on the button, press it hard to the glass for a couple of minutes. Let it cure before hanging the mirror. I think it says an hour, i usually leave it overnight.

[cooltouch]

Yep, that' what I did. I left it overnight -- and then most of the next day 'cuz the wife took off for work before I got a chance to remount the mirror. Here's hoping it stay put for a while.

[RCA1186]

I used the kit from O'Reilly's Auto, seems to be holding up so far. At least over a year I believe.

[cooltouch]

Mine was Permatex. I decided to go with a brand name because I didn't want to be doing it again any time soon.

[skizo]

While we're talking mirrors ... anyone make a replacement that has the monitor built in for a backup camera that will fit the stock Aurora mounting point? I got one of those clip on jobs, but it's butt ugly ...