Hi everyone...new poster here. Today while I was gassing my 150 SC, I decided (regretfully) it needed washing so I took it through their touchless system. Don't know where my mind was but I forgot to fold in my sideview mirrors and "touchless" suddenly became not so touchless as the arm of the car wash (laser guided at that..haha) snapped my right side mirror. It broke on the plastic arm under it. It's a power, folding mirror with the turn signal in it. Does anyone have any advice as to whether this is something easily replaced on your own if you get the part or best to let the dealership handle it? I just don't know what to expect in terms of the wiring for the signal and mirror motor and whether to believe the dealership or not if they say they should take care of it. Awesome site btw, stoked to have found it.

 

So you must have the King Ranch to have the power folding mirrors? Anyway, the mirror is not too bad to change out if you have a bit if mechanical "know how". You will have to remove the door panel ( search this forum for directions) and then you can remove the 3 nuts that hold the mirror housing on and easily remove it. The mirror has a plug that you will need to disconnect before it will come off. Really not too bad at all - I changed out my '05 Lariat mirrors for the LT mirrors recently and it was fairly easy.

 

I replaced the one on my '97 F150 a few months ago. I got one from a salvageyard, it even had the matching color plate on the back so I didn't have to swap that. I bought the entire mirror assembly, including the wires with a molex connector on the end. They just removed it and unplugged it. I asked the guy at the salvage yard how he took it off and it was pretty simple. The door panel comes off after you remove the handle and one screw, then lift up on it, the panel by the mirror comes off and you can access the screws. Routing the wiring took a little care, but no problems. All in all, it took about 30 minutes.

 

This is a very simple switch, as others have stated. In fact, I just swapped my stock mirrors for signal mirrors this past Wednesday.

I assume you have a 1997-2003 F150? If so, to remove your passenger door panel, do the following:

1. Keep the window up, you'll see why later. Pry up the door switch panel with your fingers (start at the pointy end and just pull upwards until it comes off (you will feel like you are going to break it, but you won't). Once the switch panel is off, pull the electrical connectors off (they have slide releases) and just stuff them in the hole in the door.

2. Next, you will need to pry off the plastic piece of trim that surrounds the door handle (grey or tan piece depending on your interior color). If you look towards the forward edge you will notice a small rectangular slot. You could insert a screwdriver or similar flat tool into the slot and pry outwards, but the plastic is thin and you may distort it. I just use my fingers and grip the slot, pulling outwards. It takes quite a bit of force to pop it out and your fingers may hurt, but it is safer than damaging the plastic around the slot.

3. Once the switch panel and door handle trim are off, you will need to remove three phillips head screws and a hex head screw. Two phillips screws are along the very bottom edge of the door, the third is in the area around the door handle. The hex head screw is right next to the door pull handle, also.

4. Once all screws are removed, carefully lift straight upward and out, but be careful to remove the door safety light from the panel (simple twist and pull) or you will snap the wires (just hold the door with one hand and remove the lamp with the other). Once the panel is off, set it aside.

5. Look at the door area directly opposite the base of the mirror...there should be an adhesive-backed gray dust shield. Carefully pull this completely off and set aside for re-use when done. You will also need to disconnect the mirror lead which is slightly lower and to the right of the mirror plate (it pops out of a hole in the door, you may need to pull back the main dust cover a bit to get at it).

6. Remove the door speaker (4 hex head screws if stock, 4 phillips if not), disconnect it, and set it aside. Now you have access to route the new wire.

7. Remove the three screw washers that secure the mirrors...you will need a regular socket. Be careful not to drop them in the door while removing them. I just used a socket to back them off the bolt about 95% of the way and then carefully did the last few turns with a set of needle-nose pliers, carefully holding and removing them through the holes in the door. Remove all three...you don't need to support the mirror as you do this, it won't fall out (well, not on a SCrew).

See next post...

 

...continued

8. Now, grab the mirror and twist it out of the hole. It may be difficult as there is a hard plastic tab on the door window trim holding the lower edge of the mirror to the trim...you'll see what I mean.

9. Once you pull the mirror off, carefully pull the cord out the hole in the door. Now, get your new mirror and shove the new connecting wire into the same hole you pulled the old one out of and let it dangle.

10. You will now need to carefully maneuver the mirror to fit over the tab on the window molding while simultaneously lining up the bolts. This is somewhat tricky, you will see when you try. The biggest bugger is the plastic 'triangle' that protects the cord...it really will only fit in when mounting perpendicular. The mirror sail panel has a small rectangular slot to accept the trim tab, but I was unable to keep it from snapping off. Not a problem, though, as the three bolts, once torqued, will very securely hold the mirror/trim on. There may be a better way to do this (perhaps trim the tab back a bit so it is easier to line everything up?). Good luck.

11. Once the mirror is on the door, carefully secure it with the three bolt washers. Now, reach into the speaker cavity and grab the dangling mirror wire. BE MINDFUL HOW YOU ROUTE IT TO THE CONNECTOR! If you mount it inside the window track, it will impede the window when you try to slide it down. Just make sure you mount it on the outside of the track and up through the hole opposite the fixed connector and snap it in place. Now, do a test...put your hazards on and test the turn signal. If they work, great. If not, troubleshoot. If everything works, also roll the passenger window ALL THE WAY DOWN. If it stops halfway, let off the switch immediately, roll the window up and re-route the wire outside of the window track. Test again. If the window rolls all the way down, great!

12. Replace the mirror dust cover that you removed in step 5 above.

13. Re-connect and re-install the speaker. Test the radio to make sure the speaker works.

14. Re-install the door panel the exact reverse of the way you removed it. Make sure you re-connect the door safety lamp while doing this.

15. Once the panel is back on, secure it with the four screws you removed earlier.

16. Re-attach the electrical connections to the switchplate and test the switch connections. If they work, great, re-install the switchplate to the door panel. Finally, re-install the trim around the door handle.

Done! You just saved a nice chunk of money in labor costs for something you can definitely do yourself. It sounds involved only because I explained in excruciating detail, but it really goes quick. HTH .

-Mike

 

Hmmm...just noticed you have a 2005 SCrew

Well, perhaps the procedure is similar. The above instructions are still good for 1997-2003 for those that didn't know.

-Mike

 

The '05's are pretty easy as well. The front door panels come off as follows (IIRC):
1) Pop off ther gray speaker cover grill
2) Remove the factory speaker (4 screws) You don't really need to remove the speaker fasteners (white plastic) as the door panel will slide up and off with them installed and back on again as well).
3) Pop out the black plastic cover inside the door hande (behind the chrome handle) remove those (1 or 2 screws)
4) Pop up the Window switch trim piece and remove the single bolt under there - disconnect the window, power mirror, window lock out switches
5) Lift up and pull out the door panel and it should come right off.
6) You can pop out and remove the door handle cable - but just for a mirror replacement - I'd prop the door panel up and not remove it - since the mirror bolts are near the top and easy to get to. The mirror will have 3 or 4 nuts (one is under the gasket and then it jsut pops out - be sure to unplug it's harness as well.

I belive that's it - anyone feel free to revise/comment if I missed anything.

 

first things first... did you get the carwash to pay for their foul-up?

 

Thanks for all of the information and so fast! I didn't even try to deal with the staff in the store that runs the car wash. Big sign that says to fold mirrors in and I always have up until Saturday. I've definitely learned my lesson. Only gonna wash it by hand from here out. Good news is that I learned yesterday my sister-in-law's brother works at the Ford plant here in Norfolk and he said he can probably hook me up with the mirror, so at least it might end up being not quite as expensive of a lesson as I was afraid it was going to be. Thanks again and I can't wait to see what other kind of info I can learn now that I've found the site!