Know how to replace Mirror Glass in Driver's side mirror?

mogulman

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CX-7 GT
Anyone know how to replace the glass in the Driver's side mirror? I have a CX-7 GT with Tech package. I'm assuming the mirror is heated, too. Not sure how it cracked but the original mirror has a big crack down the glass mirror part of it. I'm assuming it won't be covered under warranty.

The mirror glass is available for about $22 + shipping. Just not sure how hard it is to replace.
 
Anyone? I am going to the dealer tomorrow and don't want to get raped.

If it is easy to just replace the glass, it is so cheap...
 
don't hold me to this, but I'm willing to bet it literally pops out and the new one just pops right in.
 
If it's anything like the last power mirror I worked on, there's a flat pad behind the mirror that the glass glues onto. It's a matter of popping off the old glass without messing up any of the control linkages (usually plastic, sometimes metal ball joints.) If you manage to get the old one off, get a high-strength epoxy to put the new one on. Don't just superglue it.
 
Ok.. I ordered the part and installed it. It took 2 minutes to install/easy. The part was the mirror glass with the plastic backing and tabs for the electrical heated mirror connection.

Basically there are 3 little ball type connections within the housing for the mirror (One large connection to hold the mirror in, and two smaller connections for the motors that push the mirror up/down and left/right). These ball connections pop into 3 sockets on the back of the mirror (One big and 2 smaller).

I just carefully pulled off the old mirror until the connections on the back popped out and then unhook the heated mirror wiring. Then hooked up the heated mirror wiring for the new mirror and pushed the new mirror back in. First popping the center connection in, then the two connections for the motors.

The only thing that was a little tricky was making sure the ball/socket connections for the motors were lined up when pushing the mirror back in, and making sure they were engaged by using the motors.
 
Is there any way to tighten the mirror up some? My driver side mirror has a shimmer at highway speeds that drive me crazy! The passenger side mirror is solid as a rock tho.

Thanks!

Paul
 
That sounds like a problem with your mirror. Maybe the ball joints are not being held in solidly. I would take it to the dealer.

The mirror has 3 sockets on it (all plastic) and the mirror frame/bracket that is attached to the car as 3 balls (all plastic). One is big (about the size of a nickel in diameter) to hold the mirror in place. The other 2 are small about the size of a pea. These are attached to plungers that go to motors to move the mirror.

Maybe some of the plastic in the attachment is broken or just loose.

You would know if it wasn't attached at all, because the motors wouldn't be able to move the mirror in some of the directions.
 
I need mogulman's help!

Mogulman,

Yours was the best possible solution to a recent problem I've run into.

I was attacked by a cement pillar in a parking garage yesterday and gave my driver's side mirror a love tap.

The fixture luckily didn't fall off or suffer any major damage, but the glass popped out of the fixture.

What I am left with is the mirror glass with plastic molding still attached to the back. I see the three knobs that you have written about, but have tried unsuccessfully to pop the mirror back into place.

Do you have any tips for me on how to go about this?

Should this require any more effort from me than simply clicking the three knobs into place?

Also, I noticed you said that you reconnected the wiring. Admittedly, I haven't done much exploration here, but is it necessary for me to mess with the wiring?
 
Last October, one month into receiving may new CX7, both my mirrors were stolen (Viva Mexico!). Mazda Mexico has a anti-theft policy that they would replace the mirrors if stolen (Viva Japan!), max. once per year, to disencourage the black market.

Anyway, I called the dealership and they kept saying that they would replace the mirrors but needed to check the plastic connections that mogulman described, and that if the plastic connections were broken, the complete motors had to be replaced, and the cost exceeded 300 USD (I don't remember if each or both).

Thankfully the burglars were careful enough and didn't broke the connections, so I just had the mirrors replaced at no cost, though I installed anti-theft protection on each mirror, which reduces significantly the vision on the mirrors (some 20%), but they won't be stolen again.

All this sad story intended to say: 1) be very careful if you are going to remove the mirrors, and 2) review that the plastic connections weren't broken during the pillar attack.

I used my CX7 two full weeks without mirrors and the plastic knobs didn't really looked broken, though I couldn't know for sure at that time. The wires were just hanging there, with the terminals ready to be hooked. Once the installed the mirrors in the dealership, the mirror just clicked very easily.
 
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