Mirrors: operation, maintenance and price

Mirrors in your car play an important role in your safety. They allow you to expand your field of view on the road and limit blind spots. Your car has two mirrors on the outside and one on the inside.

🚗 What are mirrors for?

An important element of your safety, wing mirror allow the driver to see the road to the sides and behind the vehicle without turning their head. However, be careful with blind spots! A car usually has 3 mirrors: two outside (left and right) and an inside one glued to the windshield.

from 1972The driver's side mirror is compulsory in France, as is the interior mirror. Legally, a rearview mirror on the passenger's side is optional if there is an interior rearview mirror, but it guarantees maximum safety on the road.

🔍 What kind of mirrors are there?

With the advancement of technology, mirrors have become more and more sophisticated. Indeed, today there are many possible options for mirrors, for example, that they anti-icing agents by gluing heating threads behind the mirror or Power Mirrors which can be adjusted and folded automatically and remotely.

The same way now electrochromic mirrors, or automatic anti-reflective mirrors that allow you to adjust the tint of the mirror based on brightness. For operation, electrochromic mirrors are equipped with an electrochemical gel layer and a light sensor that allows you to measure the light intensity and, if necessary, dim the mirror.

Finally, there are also mirrors equipped with blind spot detector... This alerts the driver that the vehicle is in one of the blind spots when changing lanes or overtaking. The rearview mirror is then equipped with sensors that check the vehicles passing by.

Thus, if the turn signal is turned on and the sensors detect the vehicle in the blind spot, a warning light in the rearview mirror comes on.

As you can imagine, these various devices embedded in mirrors are rapidly increasing their value.

🗓️ When to change mirrors?

Unsurprisingly, mirrors need to be replaced if the mirror is broken or visibility is impaired. To save money on the maintenance of your car, you can just change the mirror and not the whole mirror if its body is intact.

This way you will pay much less to restore the mirrors. Be careful if your mirror is loose or broken, you won't be able to walk by. technical control your car.

🔧 How to change the rearview mirror?

Replacing the rearview mirror is possible as long as the housing or system is intact. Then you can replace the glass yourself by purchasing one window. However, there are several mirror mirror mounting systems.

Required material:

• screwdriver
• Hill
• New mirror

Step 1. Check glass compatibility

First of all, it is important to check which model of glass you are going to buy, so as not to present unpleasant surprises when replacing the mirror. To make sure the glass is compatible, simply place it on top of the old glass and make sure the size and model fit.

Step 2: remove the mirror

Once the correct glass model has been selected, use a screwdriver to knock out the old mirror. When doing this, be very careful not to injure yourself or cut off some of the wires that may be connected to the mirror, as is the case with heated mirrors.

Step 3. Install a new mirror.

If you were able to remove the old mirror, all you need to do is reposition the new mirror in the same way and reconnect the wires if you need to disconnect them. Then gently press on the mirror to replace it and secure it. Another solution is to glue the mirror (if it's sticky) on the old mirror if it's not too damaged.

Step 4. Make sure everything works

After replacing the mirror, be sure to check that everything is working and that you still have good visibility in the rearview mirror. If everything is in order, you can hit the road again!

Here are other detailed methods depending on the type of your mirror:

Spring lock:

• Find the location of the locking system.
• Move the mirror away from the locking system for easier access.
• Use a flat head screwdriver to dislodge the spring.
• Keep the spring in good condition as it doesn't always come with new mirrors.
• Disconnect all wires that can be connected to the mirror (if you have a heated rearview mirror).
• Return the spring of the new mirror to the locked position.
• Reconnect all wires if you disconnected them.
• Press lightly on the entire surface of the mirror to put it back in place without breaking it.
• Pat the edges to make sure the mirror is securely in place.

Language lock:

• Pull on the mirror to knock it out. Use the up and down motion for easier removal. You can also use a screwdriver to pry.
• Disconnect all wires that can be connected to the mirror (if you have a heated rearview mirror).
• Connect all wires to the new mirror (if you disconnected them).
• Press lightly on the entire surface of the mirror to put it back in place without breaking it.
• Pat the edges to make sure the mirror is securely in place.

Turntable lock:

• Find the location of the locking system.
• Move the mirror away from the locking system for easier access.
• Turn the plate to the left or right with a flat screwdriver.
• Remove the mirror from the tray.
• Disconnect all wires that can be connected to the mirror (if you have a heated rearview mirror).
• Connect all wires to the new mirror (if you disconnected them).
• Place the mirror on the tray and rotate it in the opposite direction of removal.
• Pat the edges to make sure the mirror is securely in place.

💰 How much does it cost to replace a mirror?

The price of mirrors varies greatly depending on the technology: built-in flashing light, electrochromic rearview mirror, blind spot detector, retraction motor, etc. For example, for manual rearview mirror, quantity from 50 to 70 € et from 50 to 250 € for an electric mirror.

Likewise, the price of an electrochromic mirror or a mirror with a blind spot sensor will quickly rise to around € 500. If you took out auto insurance, including glass breakage, you can ask the insurance to cover the cost of replacing the mirror.

Interior mirrors are generally much cheaper as they have less built-in technology. Count on average from 20 to 50 euros change the interior mirror.

Voila, now you know everything there is to know about mirrors. Therefore, remember to service them regularly to ensure your safety on the road. Replace the mirrors yourself or see a trusted mechanic if necessary. We're here to help you find the best car garages near you, so take advantage of this!