Rear View Mirror Repair: How to Reattach the Rear View Mirror

  • 1 hours
  • Beginner
  • 5-10
What You'll Need
Mirror adhesive kit
Glue accelerant
Thin razor blade
Small Allen wrench
Masking tape
Heat gun or hair dryer (optional)
What You'll Need
Mirror adhesive kit
Glue accelerant
Thin razor blade
Small Allen wrench
Masking tape
Heat gun or hair dryer (optional)

Rear view mirror repair is quite easy and good to know as rear view mirrors can fall off for a variety of reasons. Many times you will go inside at night and everything is fine and then the next morning the mirror is on the dash board. The main reason that the mirror falls off is because the glue just stops working. This happens for all types of glue and is quite an easy fix. The longest part is letting the base plate cure overnight onto your windshield so plan your repair accordingly.

Step 1 – Remove Glue

Many times glue can be quite smelly so it is recommended that you reattach the mirror with all of the windows down. You want to remove all of the old glue using a razor blade. If it is cold out then you can soften the glue with the hair dryer or park the car in the sun. If there are no obvious marks left from the glue then you may want to mark where to place the mirror.

Step 2 – Clean the Area

Once the glue is off you also want to clean the area of any dust or dirt. It is also a good idea to scrape the base plate of the mirror as well. If there is anything on the back of the mirror surface then the glue will not stick properly and the mirror will fall off again.

Step 3 – Apply Glue to Rear View Mirror

You now can add glue to the rear view mirror. Make sure you apply enough to the surface for it to stick. You also want to use the wrench to remove the mounting base. The accelerant should also be applied to the base plate. The accelerant will need to dry before placing the mirror. Now both surfaces are ready to be glued together. Attach the side with the accelerant to the glue side of the mirror.

Step 4 – Apply Glue to Base Plate

Apply plenty of glue onto the back of the base plate and press it onto the prepped, clean spot on your windshield. Hold it in place for a minimum of 2 minutes. You want to let the base plate stick for as long as possible and leave it for a minimum of 15 minutes. Letting the adhesive cure overnight is the best.

Step 5 - Safety Concern

There are some safety concerns with doing this as you need to make sure you work in a well ventilated area. Also make sure you retract the blade of the razor whenever you are not using it. Most kits will tell you how much glue to use and it is important that you follow the directions as too much glue can cause problems.

Step 6 – Rattach Mirror and Base

Once the base plate has had plenty of time to dry you can take the mirror and re-fasten it to the base. Do not pull the mirror in any way as you may dislodge the glue from the windshield. Everything should hold just as it is and you can adjust it as needed.