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Rear view mirror from hell

M

MarkJC

New member
Hey guys,

The inside rear view mirror on my '99 Grand Prix crapped out in a very weird way about a week ago. First, a bubble appeared in the mirror on a hot day that distorted the image. Then a few days later on another hot day, the bubble migrated to the bottom but the entire mirror turned foggy and a black corrosive liquid started seeping out of the bottom.

Fast forward - i'm trying to get a replacement mirror, but first I have to get the old one off. I want to remove the mirror and extension arm while leaving the metal bracket which is secured to the windshield with adhesive in place. So I looked it up online and it sounded like a cinch to do. Just pull out a set screw or press a clip depending on the type, and tada right? But no...

After prying/pressing on everything I can think of, and baffling a few guys at advance/autozone who say they have never seen this type of attachment before, the darn thing still won't budge and i'm out of ideas. I'm hoping someone here might have this same kind of mirror and might be able to offer some advice. As you can see from pic #3 (top) and #4 (bottom), there is a rectangular hole on the top and bottom that a small screwdriver can fit into, but once inside there seems to be nothing there to press on or pry, and nothing that gives.




 
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Mirror slides UP off the shoe. Use a small flat screwdriver to release the tab in the bottom. It can be a real pain in the ass to do. Careful not to shatter your windshield. IT can very well happen if you apply too much pressure. Cover your center console to protect from the nasty leak.
 
So the tab should be at the bottom hole (the 4th picture) and not the top hole (the 3rd picture) correct?

Could you provide any more details on how the tab is situated? I can't feel the tab or anything that has any 'give' to it using the screwdriver. Which direction should the tab need to be pryed in order to release? Away from the windshield?

In the bottom hole, it feels like there is something in the center keeping the screwdriver from going in, but if I tilt the screwdriver to either side I can slide it all the way up inside the piece.
 
You still have a single screw holding the mirror in place. Your mirror has a little cover that flips open to expose that one screw.

The screw is still in the same spot, as it would be on any mirror, you can't see yours because of this cover.
 
Oh good luck MarkJC, Mine fell all the way off including the part glued to the window, that clip was a bugger to get off and was worse putting back on... Managed to do it tho, but still it was a pain.. and yes, my current mirror is busted and is no use, but until I can afford one, it stays.
 


Got it off, finally. There was no screw. And there was also no clip, at least not the kind that I was expecting.

The plastic housing is attached to the metal bracket beneath (OK, that was obvious.) I stuck the screwdriver in the top hole (picture #3) and started to pry on it quite hard - pushing the tiny flat bladed screwdriver downward and using the metal bracket beneath as leverage. The plastic housing has edges on each side (Right and left) that grip onto the metal bracket that is glued to the windshield. Basically you have to pry the housing off of the bracket. It's on there good. The first time, the screwdriver popped back out. With enough force, the housing starts to lift off of the metal bracket slowly going away from the windshield. The housing basically hinges on the bottom of the metal bracket and the top pulls away first toward you.

Anyway, what a PITA. Hope this helps someone else do this nightmarishly simple task.
 
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Just did this on mom's Impala. Same deal - no screw. Same type on my '99 GP, as well. Spring clip is all that holds it on and the dealership even told me there would be a screw or clip up inside to release. It was a bear to get off the windshield!
 
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