gorilla1969

I have a '05 C6 with the 3LT package. The rear view mirror needs to be replaced as several of the tabs which apply pressure to ball in the back have broken off and the mirror will not stay in an upright position. After suffering sticker shock from seeing the replacement cost of a new mirror, I'm looking at buying used. I've found some used mirrors available but they are from some of the newer models and have the airbag light integrated into the front of the mirror.

Will the newer mirrors still work with my '05? Will functionality be different given it has the airbag light?

Please let me know if anybody has tried this or knows somebody who has.

Thanks.

RicK T

Not sure what you are referring to here but.......if you have the typical problem with the 3 metal pins in the back of the mirror here's a possible solution:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...ror-fixed.html

gorilla1969

There are some tabs physically broken off on the back of the mirror housing. I'd post some pics but am at work now. On the back of the housing there is a recess where the ball is inserted. On the edge of this recess there are four pairs of tabs and a metal ring which snaps over the tabs to provide tension to the tabs and hold the ball snuggly. Half of the pins are completely broken off and I'll no longer support the weight of the mirror.

Any info on using mirrors from other model years?

RicK T

Sorry, I guess I'm being dense, still don't understand.

Can you describe what you are talking about based on this pic?

gorilla1969

It not easy to always describe things verbally, sorry Rick.

The part that's busted is not the area where the mirror mounts to the windshield (shown in your picture). The damaged area is where the neck of the mirror meets the mirror housing. There is a swivel ball that interfaces the neck to the housing. The housing has several tabs which extend outward around the ball and a metal ring snaps over the tabs. This applies additional tension and helps the housing grip the ball. The mirror I have began drooping and, after removing the entire assembly from the windshield followed by separating the neck from the housing, I found the ring no longer attached and several of the tabs missing or dangling.

It's not something I can repair so this is why I'm investigating used mirrors and their compatibility. Hope this helps.

RicK T

Okay, so 2 different things. Thanks for helping me understand. And sorry I can't give a definitive answer to your compatibility question. Good luck, I'll be watching.

Gearhead Jim

For 2005, I believe there are different mirrors depending on if your car has Onstar.

rwpatte

Go Chevy parts, they can tell you the difference. Used mirrors uaually have a loose mounting problem to windshield.

gorilla1969

The mirror I currently have has Onstar, the compass, Auto-dim, and no Airbag indicator light. I suppose I can keep looking for an '05 mirror - but I'd rather find a newer mirror if compatible as I would think that it would hold up better given that it's seen less use.

azvetters

[The mirror I currently have has Onstar, the compass, Auto-dim, and no Airbag indicator light. I suppose I can keep looking for an '05 mirror]

05 is different then other years,must have an 05.......
I had this problum used Gorilla Glue"damp it/glue it/ clamp it" worked for me till I found a new one @ a parts store on line,$100~125 in Michigan......

iridelow

Just so you know. Your car does not have a 3LT package. In 05 it was called a 1SB package, which was the loaded down model, now known as the 3Lt, at least until they came out with the 4LT in the past couple of years.

gorilla1969

Thanks everyone for you input / helpful info.

I came across a discounted '05 mirror that might do the trick.

On a side note, similar to AZVetters temporary fix, I was able to make the mirror reasonably functional by applying 1/8" X 1/2 long strips of one sided foam tape (8 pcs, equally-spaced) inside the housing where the ball is inserted. The added fiction helps noticeably. On the plus side, it works almost like it was originally designed to if the cabin temp is below 80 degrees but tends to begin slipping on bumpy roads if the cabin has a chance to get hot (sitting outside in the sun).

BlueC6PA

Gorilla1069 - You Rock!! My 05 has the same problem and I found your post while sitting in the home depot parking lot on my phone. I was about to go inside and try to rig up some strip of steel, so I could atleast zip tie the mirror up lol. Instead I walked to Joanne's fabric and bought $1 2mm thick white Foam, with sticky backing, and $2 crayola scissors. I cut 8 strips, placed them in the ball socket and viola! My mirror stays up!!!!

I was so excited this fixed it. My vette is my daily driver and it is tough driving the car without a rearview mirror for a 1 week.

gorilla1969

Glad I could help! So many people have given me great advice on this forum - it's nice that I have been able to finally be able to contribute something myself.

I live in Florida and am still having an issue if the car gets really hot inside as the foam seems to get a little soft - just enough to have it slowly creep downward as the car rides along. The problem is borderline so I'm planning on adding a few more strips inside the ball housing and it might just do the trick long-term. Time will tell and the mirror replacement option will always be there as a final solution.

BlueC6PA

I now see what you mean by hot weather days! It was in the 90's here and it does creep down.

I was thinking about some material that was more gritty, than the smooth foam. Granite the idea is smooth ball housing, but generally I only drive the car so it's not like the mirror is getting adjusted between drivers every day. I'm not sure what type of material to use, but I'm sure I can think of something. I also thought about thicker foam, as I got 2mm thick. I stopped at the craft store again and the thicker foam (up to 5mm) did not have a sticky back.

RHFD122

I own a 2006 C06 1LT Vette (a base coupe). The original rear view mirror in my 2006, was a manual mirror and I wanted a rear view mirror that had a compass in it and auto dimming feature.

I purchased a used one that was from a Z06 model 3LT (coupe) / unsure if it came from a either 2007 or 2008, I don't remember. That replacement unit has the following features: Auto Dimming, Compass, On Star and Air Bag indicator. This replacement fit great and works great. As for the OnStar feature, I never pressed the button but I imagine that button will not do anything as it is not wired for OnStar but all of the other features work great. I paid only $ 125 for that used mirror.

I suggest that you create a new thread and maybe another Forum member has one that they are willing to sell. That is how I did it.

By the way, before I purchased my replacement unit, I called a few Chevy dealers (Parts Dept) and also the GM Customer Service and no one could tell be if my 1LT and a 3LT mirror would be compatible, all were very negative. Some dealers said I needed to change the wiring harness which turned out to be untrue. I took a gamble of $125 and I won - it worked without any modifications of any kind. A new mirror I believe was around $400 - 450 ?

Good luck, I hope this helps you.

gorilla1969

I must say, the foam tape is nice in that it seems to absorb some of the (infamous) vibration transmitted to the mirror. It appears to only need a little more friction / tension around the ball for a possible long term solution. Good luck BlueC6PA.

I didn't get around to trying solve the hot weather / drooping problem as I was lucky enough to be PM'd by another member who had the mirror I needed and offered to sell it to me at a price that I could refuse.

ericnet69

Might anyone know where I could still buy one of these mirrors. I have a 2005 C6 with the auto dimming mirror. Tabs just broke off like everyone elses...

gorilla1969

I bought mine on Ebay. I wasn't able to find one right away as I believe the 2005 mirror was made only for that model year. It took about three weeks to locate one.

Ebay has a 'saved search' function which you can enter keywords for a daily search, and if a 'hit' pops up, there is an email notification option and you'll be made aware. I did do a quick search before replying here and I didn't see an '05 mirror for sale. Sorry.