Eventually, the glue holding the rearview mirror in place on most cars will fail. This often happens in hot weather when the aging glue becomes viscous. There are kits you can buy to easily reattach the mirror for many more years of useful life.
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Rearview mirror reattachment kits are available at any automotive supply store or in the automotive department of your local discount store. Occasionally, even grocery stores will carry these types of kits. The kit will contain a cleaning agent and a two-step adhesive. You should also purchase a razor scraper for the repair
Your rearview mirror is probably made up of two interlocking pieces. Take a close look at the anchoring end of your mirror and you will see a button. This is the part of the mirror that is actually glued to the windshield. This button slides out of its slot in the mirror and should be glued to the windshield and allowed to dry before the mirror section is reattached. To prep the button, clean it thoroughly.
Chances are that the area where the mirror was attached to your windshield is still covered with old glue. This glue will have to be removed before the new adhesive is applied. In order to do this well, you will have to use a glass scraper. Glass scrapers are available at the same locations where you purchased the reattachment kit. They are not included in the kits themselves.
If you are tempted to skip this step, don’t. The cleaner the window and button are, the more likely it is that the bond will be successful. The last thing you want is to have to reattach the mirror again in six months because you didn’t clean the area well enough the first time.
Mark the window where it was originally attached, and then scrape off all of the old glue. The scraper uses a razor attached to a handle, so be careful. This can sound a little scary, but if you use common sense, it’ll be fine.
When all of the glue has been removed, use the cleaning solvent in the kit to completely saturate the area and wait for the length of time specified in the directions.
The more careful you are about cleaning the button and the windshield, the more successful you will be.
Once everything is clean and has had a chance to dry, it’s time to glue the button back on the window. You don’t want to mount it upside down by mistake, so make sure you have the button turned the right way around. Check the windshield to make sure you know where you are going to position the button.
Now you are going to prep the adhesive. This usually means squeezing the glue tube that came in the reattachment kit in order to mix the ingredients by popping a glass cylinder inside. After the glue is mixed, open the tube and squeeze a drop onto the button. The directions will give you recommendations about the amount of glue to use. Pay careful attention not to exceed the recommended amount.
The button is now ready to reattach to the windshield. Be careful to position it on the mark you made.
The glue needs to cure for at least fifteen minutes (check the directions), after which you can slip the mirror back on the button. Once you have the materials, you can reattach a rearview mirror in less than half an hour and be on your way.
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