Broken drivers side mirror

[MGrounds]

I just drove home my 2003 2500 Turbo HO with Heated, Electronic Adjustable Towing Mirrors and parked it in the garage. Second time I drove it out of the garage door, I made the worst mistake you can make. Hit the drivers side mirror on the garage door track. Damaged/Cracked the main mirror glass, but no other damage. I previously owned a 2001 2500 Turbo with Heated, Electronic Adjustable Mirrors without the towing feature and never had a problem with clearance. Went back to the dealer and was told that they had to change the whole mirror assembly. For a total of $450. 00(Nice Truck Payment). You've got to be KIDDING ME! Insurance deductible is $500 wouldn't you know!



Any suggestions to my repair dilemma? How do I cut down on this repair cost?



Thanks in advance,



mikegnds

 

[dmurdock]

If it's just the glass, any glass shop should be able to fix you up. I had the passenger mirror replaced in my 01 (got rid of the magnifying mirros) and they just walked out with a ball peen hammer, broke it, and replaced it with a cut mirror (they made a trace of it first).

 

[Mathew Clausen]

Shop around - they don't cost $450 and are easy to install. Somebody else might have the exact price but that is waaaay high. Should be able to get both sides for less than that.

 

[boonsur]

I'd like to know if the heating elements are part of the glass, or just contact it from the back side.



IMO, the factory "bubble" is in the wrong quadrant. I'd love to have a glass shop replace it with a solid piece, then use spot mirrors. I'm just too chicken to yank the old glass, in fear of costly replacement. (BTW, I want to keep the heating option)

 

[Rich Hoefer]

Boonsur

I agree with you on the bubble being in the wrong spot, I have been a truck Mechanic most of my working career and for the life of me, i do not understand why some people put the spot mirror right in the most used place on the big mirror, why not in the lower inside corner where the only thing that is viewed with the large mirror in that area is the door or side of the rig anyway.

I can't say what these dodge mirrors are using for the heating element, but on the west coaster, large truck mirrors, the heating element is glued right to the back side of the mirror glass, but in the past I have been successful in carefully removing the heating element and re gluing it on new glass.

Rich

 

[MGrounds]

It is just glued on to the back side of the mirror. I believe if you are careful you could take it off and re-stick it back on a new piece of glass.



Right now the local glass shop is checking to see if they can get the glass with the heated symbol and get a replacement for the heating element.



Thanks for all the information.



Micheal

 

[gsbrockman]

I'd be sure to check from another dealer first ! On my 2000 RAM 2500, a bluebird was trying to "mate" himself and flew into the driver's side mirror of my truck, thereby cracking the mirror and, luckily, breaking the bird's neck (He was a nice snack for the neighbor's kitty). Anyway, I called Dodge and got a replacement heated mirror for around $22. 00 and it took all of 6 or 8 minutes to install. The 03's may be different, but I'd check around.

 

[Shortcut]

Broken mirror glass

The Factory replacement mirrors are expensive, but the Mopar Accessories tow mirrors (the same mirror sold individually) are a lot cheaper.



The Mopar mirrors are about $150. 00 dealer cost.

 

[boonsur]

I had another thought.......

How hard would it be to exchange the glass from the driver's side to the passenger's side? They appear to be symetrical. You could swap and flip until the spot is in the right place.



If the heating element is attached to the glass, is there a disconnect inside the housing? Are the brackets, etc. , that the glass attaches to, interchangeable/flippable?



Anybody have experience in what's behind them? I'd love to see the insides. If anybody has an old, damaged one laying around, let me know.