Side Mirror Glass Replacement.....Help?

[kmcg23_ms3]

Recently, my driver side mirror cracked randomly. I am going to replace it with either an OEM Mazda replacement, or buy a set of the blue wide angle ones. Can anyone who has changed the mirror glass before help me out at all.
Some instructions, tips, or warnings...... anything would help. Is this something I should take on, or should I pay the dealer to install?

Any information would be awesome!!

Thanks everyone! :)

[Noisy Crow]

Mirror glass takes 5-10 minutes per side to change. Could probably be done in 2 minutes if you've done it before. There is a sequence you are supposed to use to pop the ball joints loose.... left, top then right or something like that... just need to look it up.

FWIW, I love my blue wide angle mirrors...............

[McGuyver_3]

just pull them out. when you install the new ones it will feel like all the pressure that you need to pop the ball joints back in will crack the glass. the good news though is that it will not crack the glass just scary with that pressure

[cwp_sedan]

Make sure the mould for the socket joint on the mirror. Many people have had issues with the pieces being fused still which causes problems during install.

[ptcary]

I have a 2010, but can't be that different. There are 3 ball sockets to pop. Two small white ones that power the lens L/R and Up/Down and one large black one to center it. Tilt the mirror all the way up to pop the bottom one, and all the way inward to pop the outer white one. Just pull.

I replaced mine with the ones from thhspeedline; blue tinted, wide angle, and red turn signals. I am very happy with them.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/ptcary/2010_08012008Feb0014.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/ptcary/2010_08012008Feb0010.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-8/1057120/M0130-002.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/ptcary/2010_08012008Feb0026.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/ptcary/2010_08012008Feb0036.jpg

[McGuyver_3]

Just watch the mirrors, I have the same ones and they are starting to change colour at the bottom. They look kind of brownish like rust almost

[kmcg23_ms3]

Thanks for the pictures, thats awesome! How tough was it to wire in the new turn signal? And what do you wire it into? I was thinking about getting either the red arrow mirrors or the LED mirror covers (One of my factory ones got hit by a bike messenger, and has a little damage anyways....F ing Bike messengers!)

Anyways, do you wire it into the side marker or something?

Then McGuyver, do you have a pick of the brownish effect going on with yours? That sounds really strainge

[Noisy Crow]

Thanks for the pictures, thats awesome! How tough was it to wire in the new turn signal? And what do you wire it into? I was thinking about getting either the red arrow mirrors or the LED mirror covers (One of my factory ones got hit by a bike messenger, and has a little damage anyways....F ing Bike messengers!)

Anyways, do you wire it into the side marker or something?

Then McGuyver, do you have a pick of the brownish effect going on with yours? That sounds really strainge


Easy way is to run the wires along the edge of the door panel to the flex thingy, jump across into the space behind the front fender and tap into the sidemarker. Hard way is to pull the door panel and under-dash panels off and then run the wires inside the door, through the flex etc. over to the junction box.

[McGuyver_3]

Thanks for the pictures, thats awesome! How tough was it to wire in the new turn signal? And what do you wire it into? I was thinking about getting either the red arrow mirrors or the LED mirror covers (One of my factory ones got hit by a bike messenger, and has a little damage anyways....F ing Bike messengers!)

Anyways, do you wire it into the side marker or something?

Then McGuyver, do you have a pick of the brownish effect going on with yours? That sounds really strainge

problem is the pics i take of it dont really come through. I will take some pics and try to show you what i mean by this.


Hard way is to pull the door panel and under-dash panels off and then run the wires inside the door, through the flex etc. over to the junction box.

Correction the RIGHT WAY lol

[Noisy Crow]

problem is the pics i take of it dont really come through. I will take some pics and try to show you what i mean by this.



Correction the RIGHT WAY lol


Heh! I think I spent about three hours routing the wires on the drivers side........ and about 45 minutes on the passenger side. My personal preference is to have things looking like they came from the factory that way...

[McGuyver_3]

Heh! I think I spent about three hours routing the wires on the drivers side........ and about 45 minutes on the passenger side. My personal preference is to have things looking like they came from the factory that way...

hence doing it the right way. It may be more work but in the end it pays off

[kmcg23_ms3]

Thanks for all the information everyone! This should all be very helpfull to me in the next couple weeks when I start messing with my car as spring in finally here :)