6SpeedOnline - Porsche Forum and Luxury Car Resource - DIY Inside Rearview Mirror (Detach, Disassemble, Fix Rattle/Creaking)

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DIY Inside Rearview Mirror (Detach, Disassemble, Fix Rattle/Creaking)

This is a DIY to detach and disassemble the inside rearview mirror to fix creaks, rattles, or vibrations from the mirror.

If you squeeze the mirror with your hand, and you hear creaks, the mirror housing may be loose and will resonate or vibrate over rough roads and bumps. This DIY should remedy this issue.

This DIY is separated into the following posts:

Remove Mirror
1. https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ml#post3584448
2. https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ml#post3584450
Disassemble Mirror
1. https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ml#post3584451
Fix Creaks, Rattles, Vibrations
1. https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ml#post3584452
Reassemble
1. https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ml#post3584454

Tools

Medium, thin flat-head screwdriver
Small, sharp flat-head screw driver
Scissors
Paper
Thin cardboard
Electrical tape

Remove the black plastic housing that covers the mirror post. This is two plastic pieces. Sitting in the car looking forward, the left half of this housing fits OVER the right half (Picture 1). So pry this off from the RIGHT by pushing something underneath the left half. Try to do this just below the part where the wires enter the housing from the roof panel. You might want to squeeze the right half a little to help release the molded plastic clips inside the housing edges. Clip 2 can break easily so be careful on that one. Once this is loose, you should be able to open it up like a clam-shell.
With the housing cover removed, you will see the mirror post attached to the windshield. There is a metal bracket on both sides clamping onto the base in grooves. The mirror post looks like it will simply slide off these grooves, if you press downwards towards the windshield, but it is too tight. Also, there are wires connected to it, and they would break. So do not attempt to slide this out.
There is a little electronic chip with the light diode on the bottom of the assembly (Picture 2). This chip slides out easily by gently pushing on it, downwards towards the windshield. Be careful not to break the delicate wires. There are other wires connected to the mirror post from the back by a connector plug, but this connector plug can not be removed yet.
Take a medium thin flat-head screwdriver, slide it between the left metal bracket and the mirror post, and gently twist the screwdriver to pry the bracket up, out of the groove (Picture 3). Brace a small thin cardboard between the screwdriver edge so you don't damage the plastic. The metal bracket will start to come up out of the grove, and the mirror and post will be angled away from the windshield. Take your time and do not pry the metal bracket any more than necessary, because the tension will be necessary to hold the mirror post in place when we reattach it to the windshield. Adjust your screwdriver and continue to pry the bracket up further while gently pulling on the mirror, being careful not to scratch or damage the plastic groove. The mirror will simply pop out (Picture 4). But don't yank on it or let it drop.
The wires and connector plug will still be attached (Picture 5). The plug pivots freely, and there are two tiny clips on the left and right of the black connector plug. The female portion of the plug is attached to the mirror, while the male portion is attached to the wires from the headliner. Use a tiny flat head screwdriver (like the kind used for eye-glasses repair) to gently pry both sides of the female connector plug up, so the clips on the male plug are released. Then slide the male portion out (Picture 6).

Remove Mirror (Cont.)

The mirror and all wiring will now be free (Picture 6).

Disassemble Mirror

Before you begin disassembling the mirror, cut about 6 small rectangles out of a thin cardboard. You will use these to insert beneath the clips once you've separated them, because the mirror housing will not open unless all the clips on one side are released simultaneously. Fold a piece of paper around the tip of a small sharp flat-head screwdriver so you do not scratch or damage the plastic.
Work on the top of the mirror housing (Picture 7). Insert the screwdriver (wrapped in paper) from the front housing underneath the back housing, near Clip 1. Once you've pried this up, stick one of your cardboard rectangles under Clip 1. Then repeat this process for Clips 2, 3 , 4, 5, and 6. (Picture 8 gives a good idea of where the clips are located on the housing). At this point, you should be able to separate the front and back parts like a clam-shell. If it doesn't open easily, you may also have to pry the clips on both sides of the housing as well.
Once you've removed the mirror frame, you can pull the mirror out (Picture 9). Mirrors with auto-dim will have wires attached. These can easily be unplugged, if you need to.

Fix Creaks, Rattles, Vibrations

At this point, remove the round white rubber "plugs" (Picture 9). They may have become loose over time, so rotate them 45 degrees, and reinsert them. Do not push them all the way in, because we want them to apply a little pressure to the mirror to help dampen vibrations.
Some people have complained that the pivot elbow on the rear view mirror has become loose. It is possible that the four screws shown in Picture 9 need to be re-tightened. (If you don't have this problem, I would leave these screws alone).
To stop the creaking or rattling noise from the mirror housing, apply electrical tape around the perimeter of the mirror frame (Picture 10). Start at the bottom and simply tape all the way around, as shown. I suggest leaving a one millimeter gap along the edge, instead of butting it up against the rim of the frame like I did in the picture.
Now take a pair of scissors, and neatly trim the extra width of electrical tape all around the edge of the mirror frame (Picture 11).

Clean and replace the mirror in the back housing. Remember to reattach the auto-dim wires if you had disconnected them. Clip the frame to the back housing at the bottom. Then snap the top clips together (Picture 12). This will require a little gentle pressure since the electrical tape will make a snug fit. Be careful to not let the tape slip and squeeze out between the seams of the mirror housing.
To reattach the mirror to the windshield, first reconnect the auto-dim wire plug as in Picture 5. Then place the right metal bracket into the slot on the right side of the mirror-post base (Picture 4). Again use your medium screwdriver to pry up the left metal bracket until it fits into the slot on the left side of the mirror-post base (Picture 3). Slide the light diode chip back in place (Picture 2). Finally, replace the black plastic housing that covers the mirror post.

Awesome. Thanks for the detailed write up!

Great post! Thanks for sharing!

bob

I tried and tried on my Targa 997.2 and the upper area above the mirror you show is just not accessible to me ... maybe my small screw drivers are too big, even with spudgers... the whole thing was so tightly locked together there was no getting any tool in there.

I did manage to get something wedged in when coming from the bottom to the sides of where the ambient light LED exits. Despite my best efforts and care, the front clips inside the clam shell were damaged, the top one completely broke off and the lower front one cracked.

So as a bit of advice, I'd add that you should just plan to purchase a new clam-shell housing when you work on the mirror and assume you will damage/mangle/break the existing one in all likelihood.

PN of the parts that came off:
997.731.812.00 12716412 Passengers Side - the one likely to break the tabs on
997.731.811.00 12716411 Drivers Side

Minok,

Sorry to hear about your clam-shell housing for the mirror post.

I think your issue was in step 1, where I suggested squeezing the right 1/2 of the clamshell and warned that clip 2 might break. ;)

It is indeed difficult to work on that part-- it is well put together, as you noted.

For others doing this, do NOT try to remove this housing by prying open the bottom side near the LED. You must work (as difficult as it is) on Clips 1 and 2 in picture #1, first. Try squeezing the right 1/2 of the clamshell to get the clips dislodged from the slots.

Minok, thanks for the heads-up and for the part numbers; these always come in handy in case of mishaps!

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSPorsche (Post 3765636)

If I could have gotten a tool into that tiny space to get at clips 1 and 2 I would have, but that space is just not accessible on a Targa at least (in case there are differences in car types) Squeezing the right side did nothing.. no flex.

There's only so long that one tries in vain to get a tool in there before giving up and looking for other options. Maybe a clamp or padded pliers to compress the right side would have been better. Maybe doing this in summer or a warm garage rather than in the garage at 45 degrees would have made things more flexible. But as it was, there was just no way coming at it from the top at clips 1 and 2 would have done anything in my case.

I'm just saying.

see page 1756-1758 on the porsche 996 TT facotry manual. It is for installing rain sensor but it is also for mirror removal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjc32 (Post 3808767)

see page 1756-1758 on the porsche 996 TT facotry manual. It is for installing rain sensor but it is also for mirror removal.

Doing step (1) in that sequence without breaking any tabs on the clam shell covers is the hardest part of the entire process.

I found that using the method highlighted in pages 1756-1757 the 996TT service manual as previously posted works well.

I also found that rather than prying the gold clips of the mirror off each side of the mount to remove, that the mirror will simply slide down out of its bracket. I took a punch with the end covered in duct tape and with a hammer tapped on the bracket from above the mirror as close to the bracket as possible. After about three taps the mirror slid down out of the bracket.