{"id":300,"date":"2017-04-20T15:59:18","date_gmt":"2017-04-20T15:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/info.glass.com\/?p=300"},"modified":"2022-04-04T10:51:50","modified_gmt":"2022-04-04T14:51:50","slug":"automotive-mirrors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.glass.com\/info\/automotive-mirrors\/","title":{"rendered":"The 411 on Automotive Mirrors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reflecting Back<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We\u2019re all familiar with the phrase, \u201cObjects may be closer than they appear,\u201d \u2013 the statement that\u2019s been emblazoned on nearly all passenger side mirrors since the \u201870s. But have you ever thought about why it\u2019s there?<\/p>\n

Passenger side mirrors are convex in shape to extend a driver\u2019s field of vision to the rear of the vehicle. This leads to the distortion of distance between the vehicles. It\u2019s also\u00a0the reasoning behind that warning statement we\u2019ve all come to have memorized.<\/p>\n

Automotive mirrors usually are made from first-surface chrome glass, meaning they\u2019re essentially a one-way mirror designed to absorb headlight glare from behind your vehicle. This allows a driver to see reflections from activity on the sides and behind the vehicle without being impaired by bright headlight reflections.<\/p>\n

\"Vehicle<\/p>\n

Meeting the Standard<\/strong><\/h3>\n

For driver protection, there\u2019s a safety standard for automotive mirrors that auto manufacturers must follow: the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 (FMVSS 111). This specification pertains to the rear vision parts of a vehicle, specifically, the required range of vision the driver must achieve using rear vision products.<\/p>\n

These ranges are both horizontal and vertical angles from the side and rear of the vehicle. The standard also requires rear vision products use a \u201clow reflectivity mirror\u201d (40-60 percent reflectivity) to reduce glare from headlights. Household mirrors should never be used in automotive mirror applications.<\/p>\n

When It\u2019s Time for a Replacement<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Damage to automotive mirrors doesn\u2019t happen as frequently as it does to windshields. But if your mirrors appear to be hazy, cracked or have sustained surface damage, then it\u2019s time for a replacement. Damaged mirrors not only distort the images reflected, but they can cause a distraction if the driver has to strain to see what\u2019s beside or behind them. After all, automotive mirrors are designed to make viewing other vehicles and objects easier, not harder.<\/p>\n

So, you need to have one of you mirrors replaced\u2014where do you look? Well, just like with windshields, a trained technician at an auto glass shop should be able to replace the mirror. But, depending on the extent of the damage, there is another option: pre-cut mirror applications.<\/p>\n Get an Estimate<\/a>\n\n

Know Your Options<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Redi Cuts, manufactured by the auto mirror replacement company Burco, can be a great solution to fixing a side-view mirror. They’re offered at a variety of auto part retailers, and they’re available online. These replacements are known as fit-over glass because they are attached to the broken mirror using\u00a0an automotive grade adhesive. This option is cost-effective compared to having the entire side-view mirror assembly replaced, but, there are a few things to consider before taking the pre-cut route. Keep in mind, these kits are do-it-yourself, so if that\u2019s out of your comfort zone, it\u2019s best to contact an auto glass repair shop.<\/p>\n

First and foremost, pre-cut applications are only suitable for mirrors that have damage to just the glass. The backing plate must be intact for a proper fit-over replacement. Your solution could be a pre-cut mirror if the damage is contained to the surface of the glass. These replacement kits are available in many makes, models and years to suit\u00a0most vehicle\u2019s mirror shape, size and functionality.<\/p>\n

An auto glass repair shop should be consulted if the backing plate is broken to see if an assembly replacement is needed. Not every auto glass repair shop has automotive mirrors on-hand, so it\u2019s important to schedule a repair <\/a>early. That way, the shop you choose to go to will have ample time to order the specific mirror required.<\/u><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever wondered why the phrase \u201cobjects may be closer than they appear\u201d has been included on nearly all side view mirrors since the \u201870s? It may not happen as often as a crack or chip on your windshield does, but damage to side-view and rearview mirrors does happen\u2014probably more frequently than we realize. Here\u2019s the 411 on all things automotive mirrors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":301,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,714,1352],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glass.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glass.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glass.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glass.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glass.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.glass.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glass.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/301"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glass.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glass.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glass.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}