# Exploding Passenger Mirror? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** toyota, pickup\ **Created:** [July 3, 2025, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881 "2025-07-03T22:59:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![annieoakley1933\_194043](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@annieoakley1933\_194043](https://community.cartalk.com/u/annieoakley1933_194043)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/1 "2025-07-03T22:59:13Z")
I was driving down my street. I saw what I thought was a bright light coming toward my passenger side window. This happened at that time. The back cover came off and landed by the curb. I didn’t hit anything. I looked for evidence a projectile but saw nothing. I’m baffled. I didn’t hear a noise. The mirror wasn’t really moved. There’s no mark on the back cover. I truly don’t know what happened. I hope I posted in the right area. I’m brand new here. ![IMG_20250703_173419681_HDR](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/5/4/546e7558090829f6d943ea7ba284051bbea3f647.jpeg) Blown Up Mirror? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 11:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/2 "2025-07-03T23:28:14Z")
I have no more clue than you do what caused that. Mirrors generally don’t spontaneously explode. That white light may have been something that struck your mirror… UFO, maybe? Clearly it is unidentified. A collision repair shop should be able to fix you right up. Give your insurance a call, it may be covered ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/3 "2025-07-03T23:29:46Z")
Welcome to the forum… Judging by the “fin” on the outer A pillar of your truck (it’s a 3rd gen aero thing), I think you are driving a 3rd gen (2016-2023) Tacoma, but please confirm… Anyway, I am on probably the biggest Tacoma forum out there and I have not seen what you are describing… To me it looks like a pellet (gun) hit it, is there a mark on the inside of the cover that fell off???.. ---
**Author:** ![annieoakley1933\_194043](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@annieoakley1933\_194043](https://community.cartalk.com/u/annieoakley1933_194043)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 11:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/4 "2025-07-03T23:57:49Z")
It is a 2017 Tacoma. I’m sorry,I thought I mentioned that. Maybe a pellet gun …that didn’t even occur to me. I’m going to look at the inside of the cover right now. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 12:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/5 "2025-07-04T00:00:50Z")
You might be able to replace just the mirror part, is the rest of it damaged or just popped apart? ---
**Author:** ![annieoakley1933\_194043](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@annieoakley1933\_194043](https://community.cartalk.com/u/annieoakley1933_194043)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 12:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/6 "2025-07-04T00:02:58Z")
Thank you. It is a 2017 Tacoma. Maybe a pellet gun …that didn’t even occur to me. I’m going to look at the inside of the cover right now! ---
**Author:** ![annieoakley1933\_194043](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@annieoakley1933\_194043](https://community.cartalk.com/u/annieoakley1933_194043)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 12:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/7 "2025-07-04T00:04:39Z")
It just popped off. It snapped right back on- after I found it! That would be wonderful if I can just replace the mirror! ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 12:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/8 "2025-07-04T00:04:56Z")
Here it is: [2017 TOYOTA TACOMA 3.5L V6 Outside Mirror Glass | RockAuto](https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/toyota,2017,tacoma,3.5l+v6,3437069,body+&+lamp+assembly,outside+mirror+glass,6484) ---
**Author:** ![annieoakley1933\_194043](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@annieoakley1933\_194043](https://community.cartalk.com/u/annieoakley1933_194043)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 12:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/9 "2025-07-04T00:13:08Z")
Thank you!!! ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 12:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/10 "2025-07-04T00:13:43Z")
My advice is replace just the broken part yourself . . . And don’t overthink just why it happened Replace it and enjoy driving your 2017 Toyota Tacoma ---
**Author:** ![annieoakley1933\_194043](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@annieoakley1933\_194043](https://community.cartalk.com/u/annieoakley1933_194043)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 12:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/11 "2025-07-04T00:14:18Z")
Thank you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 12:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/12 "2025-07-04T00:25:33Z")
[quote=“Mustangman, post:2, topic:200881”] A collision repair shop should be able to fix you right up. Give your insurance a call, it may be covered [/ Had my 2006 Nissan Altima mirror destroyed when I went to church and parked on the side of the road. . Yea, insurance company replacement it but I’m not sure if my premium was increased as a result. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 12:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/13 "2025-07-04T00:32:47Z")
The parts listed on [rockauto.com](http://rockauto.com) are cheap This is well within the realm of projects a diy person could tackle Seems to me leave the insurance for the big ticket high labor stuff, imo ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 12:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/14 "2025-07-04T00:42:06Z")
> [@texases](#): > > You might be able to replace just the mirror part, is the rest of it damaged or just popped apart? Agreed, just make sure your order the correct mirror, I think it is a heated mirror, but not sure about blind spot monitor, you should know, if you need help finding out which one you have just ask… ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 1:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/15 "2025-07-04T01:57:35Z")
It reall6 doesn’t matter how it happened. I’ve had good luck with Rockauto. The three I bought are exact matches to th3 original. I kept getting in a hurry and knocking them off on the sude of the garage. The last time I just bought the rjight and left set to have on hand. A little over $100. Might need to be painted but less than an hour work, you’re done so not the end of th3 world. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 11:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/16 "2025-07-04T11:26:29Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > This is well within the realm of projects a diy person could tackle +1 I replaced the mirror on my wife’s van about 15 years ago I bought the replacement at a local auto glass shop. ---
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2025, 5:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/exploding-passenger-mirror/200881/17 "2025-07-05T17:21:29Z")
> [@annieoakley1933\_194043](#): > > I truly don’t know what happened. I would guess it was one of two possibilities. First possibility is your mirror was hit by a semi-solid object like a baseball or softball, judging from the outside portion of the mirror having significantly more damage and the baseball/softball/similar object would not have damaged the side housing of the mirror. And my other conjecture would be; if you have heated mirrors and they were accidently turned on and with the summer heat, that mirror just shorted out and the “bright light” you saw was the electrical short circuit of the heater element… Bur my money is on a flying object like a baseball, etc. hitting your car and the “little scams” playing ball across the street disappeared as soon as they realized they hit your vehicle…. And the flash of “Bright Light” was only sunlight being reflected off the falling mirror… Just be glad what you saw was not the “bright light at the end of the tunnel…” L o L . . .