While my 2002 Sienna was parked in Puebla for a New Year’s visit, in a quiet neighborhood, something happened to crack the glass on my left, external rear view mirror. The body was intact, and the remote controls work okay. I have a small “Dolly Parton” stuck to the glass, so I can still drive the car safely.
I was lucky. Usually, in Puebla vandals take a baseball bat and essentially smash the whole external mirror assembly. This almost looks like someone on a bicycle ran into it, rather than deliberate vandalism since the only damage is to the glass reflector itself.
At this point, my plan is to wait until I get back to the States to have it fixed.
Is there such a thing as replacing an “insert” for the glass reflector part for these fancy external mirrors? Or, is there an independent service which can fix them cheaper than paying Toyota, sort of like windshields can be done faster and cheaper by an independent?
I posted first on Sienna Club, but after five days, no response, so my guess is not many people there have ever had to replace a Sienna mirror, so I thought I’d seek generic knowledge here. Thanks.
A glass shop will cut a replacement to match the original shape. Just epoxy it over the broken mirror. Or go to a junk yard, find one that is a close match and remove it, epoxy it in place.
Yes, the glass itself can be replaced. You don’t need the whole mirror. An automotive glass shop can fix this for a few dollars. There’s probably someone in Puebla who can fix it.
I broke a side mirror once while chipping ice from it. A glass shop replaced it for about $15.
Many GM side mirror glass could be replaced some could not,on some you glued the glass and on some the replacement glass came with attaching hardware attached and you "snapped"the glass on (ball and socket design) never saw one sent to a glass shop.
Lets us know where Puebla is,somewhere in New Mexico? or maybe Mexico? the press is really covering the drug war situation heavily,I live in Tucson and no longer visit Nogales,Sonora due to the situation (it was a blessing in regards to cheaper dental work)
Cool! I will probably go to the same place in Edinburg next to McAllen that replaced my windshield a few months ago, and ask. This is the sort of information I was hoping to find out, because I had no idea.
Puebla is a city, I think 3 million people, maybe 40 or 50 miles southeast of Mexico City, in Mexico, not New Mexico.
Normally tourists are not bothered by the drug war. It is police/Army fighting with drug dealers, and drug dealers fighting for power. The only scary part of the trip coming in is at the border.
Above, I said I will try the glass place back in Texas and see if they can do it. I am sure Toyota dealer can replace the whole assembly at great expense, but if I can get it fixed much cheaper, I will. They did a fantastic job on the windshield.
Thanks, all, for tips. As I said, I had no idea except the whole assembly.