There’s a stigma about repairs to your vehicle being difficult. This belief especially holds firm in the more cosmetic areas of auto repair, often dissuading people who are otherwise completely capable of performing the tasks themselves. But don’t let the tiny parts fool you; most of your auto’s components are pretty tough and you’re not going to break them if you simply have a little knowledge about what you’re doing and the right tools to do it.

Removing a side view mirror is a good starter procedure for a novice do it yourself enthusiast, as it will introduce you to a small, but detailed, part of your auto. There are many reasons why you would have to remove your side view, but we won’t get into why exactly you need to take yours off. Let’s get down to taking the sucker off.

To correctly perform this task, you’ll need the following:

A 4-in-1 screwdriver

A panel remover lever

A hooked pick

All of these items can be found at any typical auto part store for a low-cost. So, once you have these things lined up next to you, let’s get inside your car.

Open your car door and locate the side view mirror trim cover panel. This is a triangular plastic cover on the inside of the door where the mirror is mounted. Insert the tip of the panel lever remover under the panel and apply adequate pressure to pry it off. Now, don’t “rip” it off. Just apply enough pressure to have it pop off. Don’t force something that doesn’t come loose easily. You may damage it and incur costly repairs or replacements.

Once the panel is removed, you should see the fasteners that were hidden by the panel. They may be behind decorative caps and are to be found in the hidden recesses of the door. Take off the vanity caps and remove the screws underneath. Set the screws aside but take care not to lose them.

Feel around the edge of the trim panel for the fasteners that secure the panel to the door. When you find them, gently pull back the panel and insert your hooked pick to pop the fastener form its hole. Make a quick check to see that none of them were damaged before you move on. Remember, don’t force things.

Now lower your window and grip the sides of the trim panel. Pull it up and away from the door to remove it. Carefully set it aside. Find the cable running from the door to the mirror and remove it from the side view mirrors electrical connector. This should be fairly simple and you can repeat the process on the power source in the door. Using the screwdriver, disconnect the screws that mount the side view to the inside of the door.…