How To - Dismantle Wing Mirrors 4G
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 8:17 pm
I had to replace my wing mirror shells, so I thought I’d do a write-up. 
1. Remove the door card and plastic screw cover, and unfold the mirrors if they’re folded.
2. Unclip the connector and unscrew the three screws that are holding the mirror in place. Hold onto the mirror when undoing these (it’s quite heavy).
The following can all be done indoors.
3. Get your fingers under the bottom of the glass and gently lift. It should unclip easily enough with a bit of force.
4. Once the bottom edge has lifted, pull the glass towards you and it should come away from the top clips.
The next job is to remove the connector without damaging it or the wiring.
5. Draw a diagram to show you where the wires go. The driver’s and passenger’s sides are wired slightly different.
You’ll first need to release the crimp clamps.
6. Use a small screwdriver to lever them up, these will just unclip.
Holding each crimp in place within the connector, is a small plastic retaining tab.
7. You need to get a small flat-blade watchmaker’s screwdriver into each crimp hole to release the crimp.
Lift the tab while pulling on the wire. Once released, the wire will come out quite easily. Release all of them until the connector comes off.
8. Take off any electrical tape on the wire. You can then remove the rubber cover, exposing the metal plate.
9. Remove the wire clamp and store all the small parts together in a safe place.
10. Remove the four big screws holding the two main parts of the unit together. These may be rusted in, so be careful not to strip the heads.
11. Once these screws are out, you can separate the two parts of the unit.
12. Remove the four screws that are holding the metal plate on. This will separate the metal from the foam and plastic parts.
Onto the main body now.
13. The first thing to do is to remove the plastic end cover.
There are two tabs that hold the cover in place. I was able to get a small screwdriver and a finger into the inside of the unit to gently prise them apart. It should just pop out.
14. Removing this cover exposes two screws. Take these out and store them with the rest of the small parts.
15. There are three remaining screws holding the motor unit to the plastic shell. Remove these and pull the two apart.
The unit is now ready for a new shell unless you have work to do inside the motor.
Reverse this procedure to reassemble the mirrors.
Use copper grease on the screw threads and wrap some new electrical tape around the wire.
My mirrors all back together again with shiny new shells.
All fitted back onto the car and tested.
1. Remove the door card and plastic screw cover, and unfold the mirrors if they’re folded.
2. Unclip the connector and unscrew the three screws that are holding the mirror in place. Hold onto the mirror when undoing these (it’s quite heavy).
The following can all be done indoors.
3. Get your fingers under the bottom of the glass and gently lift. It should unclip easily enough with a bit of force.
4. Once the bottom edge has lifted, pull the glass towards you and it should come away from the top clips.
The next job is to remove the connector without damaging it or the wiring.
5. Draw a diagram to show you where the wires go. The driver’s and passenger’s sides are wired slightly different.
You’ll first need to release the crimp clamps.
6. Use a small screwdriver to lever them up, these will just unclip.
Holding each crimp in place within the connector, is a small plastic retaining tab.
7. You need to get a small flat-blade watchmaker’s screwdriver into each crimp hole to release the crimp.
Lift the tab while pulling on the wire. Once released, the wire will come out quite easily. Release all of them until the connector comes off.
8. Take off any electrical tape on the wire. You can then remove the rubber cover, exposing the metal plate.
9. Remove the wire clamp and store all the small parts together in a safe place.
10. Remove the four big screws holding the two main parts of the unit together. These may be rusted in, so be careful not to strip the heads.
11. Once these screws are out, you can separate the two parts of the unit.
12. Remove the four screws that are holding the metal plate on. This will separate the metal from the foam and plastic parts.
Onto the main body now.
13. The first thing to do is to remove the plastic end cover.
There are two tabs that hold the cover in place. I was able to get a small screwdriver and a finger into the inside of the unit to gently prise them apart. It should just pop out.
14. Removing this cover exposes two screws. Take these out and store them with the rest of the small parts.
15. There are three remaining screws holding the motor unit to the plastic shell. Remove these and pull the two apart.
The unit is now ready for a new shell unless you have work to do inside the motor.
Reverse this procedure to reassemble the mirrors.
Use copper grease on the screw threads and wrap some new electrical tape around the wire.
My mirrors all back together again with shiny new shells.
All fitted back onto the car and tested.
