Tip: Use a O2 sensor socket, and tap it on with a mallet. Worked like a charm!! Thanks for the video!! Also, it seems you do NOT have to remove the screw on the lower inboard. The back comes off with that still screwed in and you can access the snap ring and spring.
This was the second video that I watched. It was more thorough and the second try I put pressure on using the ladder. I did buy an oxygen sensor socket for sixteen dollars which was a more direct hit on the washer. While crimping the teeth on the washer, I inadvertently cut one of the yellow wires which I later soldered back together and insulated with tape. Hit the mallet once and the washer seated, then put everything back together and the mirror works great, a great sense of relief since the dealer may have wanted to replace the whole mirror for $1100.00. So grateful for your help!
Perfect DIY video. They quoted $900 for the fix at dealership in Los Angeles. As other viewers have attested, this takes A LOT of force to overcome the spring. I tried with some channel locks and an adjustable wrench to no avail. Popped over to O'Riley's and grabbed a $15 Chinese special for 14" pipe wrench and black rubber mallet. Do yourself a favor and go into the fix with the right tools. Thanks for the post Larry!
Lexus WILL NOT fix this for you like Larry did, they will simply replace the whole part ($300?) and double that as the bill for 1 mirror, so if you pop both spring clip it will be a $1000 fix and a not-so-happy trip to Lexus. That particular spring loaded mechanism is a manufacture defect component (design flaw due to weak clip), but because it's not a life-safety defect, no recall was done and Lexus simply said "fuck it it's not my problem". Lexus is still very ignorant on issues like this when it comes to non-life-safety defect components. You guys need to drop a comment and thank Larry for this video because he just save you all at least $300 even you try replacing the whole thing yourself.
Actually Lexus was helpful for me. They sent a mobile tech to my place (1/2 hr from dealership) and noticing my garage/tools/early Vette, he said, you can easily do this and explained how to repair. He spent 1/2 hour looking over Vette. All no charge. Bobby Rahal Lexus treats me well.
@@davem6685 👋🏽 did it fix the issue? The other day someone hit my mirror walking by I guess and now the mirror sways side to side is this all I need to do?
Thank you so much for this fix! Worked perfectly! I was told I would need to pay 500 bucks for the mirror alone, which didn’t include labor...thank you again!
awesome. saved me $1000 because I had to do both mirrors. One tip others might find useful: I couldn't get the retaining washer to stick in place like Larry could, so I drilled two holes in the post, slightly off center, and added a cotter pin right above where the ring is supposed to stick. I used the pipe wrench to push everything down and had a helper put the pin through. I realized on my last post-hole drilling that you can put a flat screwdriver inside the post to protect the wires from the drill bit coming through and trashing them. Lucky for me I just destroyed the outer insulation without any major electrical damage.
Oh man, that's a good idea! I tried this yesterday on my 2010 IS250C and also couldn't get the washer to stick down there no matter how hard I tried, so I resorted to just sticking it in place with some VHB tape, but putting a hole and cotter pin through that post sounds like it might be an even better long term fix. I'll try that next! Thx!
Just piggybacking, I did this with my dad just now. You really gotta force the washer into the metal part. It doesn't look like it sticks anywhere initially but if you hold it down and hit it hard enough it'll stick. The dude demonstrating this video must be strong or a really heavy dude. I held it down with a small wrench and my dad used a hammer and metal tube to whack it in. I think we did it too hard because the mirror doesn't fold in like it used to. But better than having a floating mirror lol
Hi Larry, Went to dinner last night and saw my mirror flopping. Found your video and just finished the fix. Gracias....The ladder was key to leverage like you said.
Larry, you sir saved me from the local Lexus Vulture, and saved me $1036.00! I'm truly grateful to you! With your video it took me exactly 15 minutes to fix the issue. God bless and I'm a subscriber now for what it's worth.
Thank you so much mr.larry reamy for this video, I just fixed my is350 side viewed mirror under 30min, I used a wrench to bang it cuzz I dont have a hammer. This 5min video saved me so much money.
Thanks so much to everyone for the great comments. I didn't have time to do a second take and avoid all the little mistakes as someone pointed out. I just posted a quick video to save money and time for everyone. Both of my wife's mirrors are still doing fine over a year later. Wish I had time to make more video's of things I fix all the time.
Hey Larry, I just used your youtube video with great success. Thanks a million! It was on my lady friends car, and now I'm the "hero"! It didn't go without a "hitch" though. As your video shows - the compression nut slipped off the one time for you. Well even though I was able to get it down all the way over the spring, it continued slipping off no -matter what I tried. I finally took a pair of channel locks and squeezed down the 'prongs' a little bit all the way around to make it a bit tighter on the post until I was able to strike it down with the mallet. If any of your readers have this same issue, bending down the prongs just a little bit was enough to get the compression nut to grip the post long enough to get the mallet on it. Thanks again for the great video!
Thank you SO MUCH for making this video!!! I just got my 2010 IS 350C 2 weeks ago and yesterday my driver's side mirror started doing this. I freaked out but i'm sure it's exactly what was going on in your video. It's so difficult to find any maintenance videos on the 250/350's especially C models. Please keep them coming. Thanks SO MUCH again!
Hey Larry, I realize this comment is 7 years after your post but I have to thank you for this awesome fix! Fortunately, the mirror assembly is the same for a 2010 Lexus ES350 (our car). I my case, I took the mirror assembly completely off of the car and repaired it on my workbench. Instead of pushing down on the washer/spring (like you did), I turned the assembly upside down using my workbench vise instead of a pipe wrench. Once situation between the workbench vise jaws, I pushed own on the entire assembly until the wash "caught" the stem. Once "caught", I turned the assembly upright again (using the vise to now hold the three mounting bolts) and used a screwdriver and hammer to push the wash down further on the stem. Since the vehicle is now 10 years old, I refused to spend the $1000 I was quoted to fix it at a Toyota dealership. Thanks again!
Hey Larry; Your "fix" is still helping people (me!) 5 yrs later!!! I'm SURE if anyone brought that problem to a Lexus dealership they'd say; "Going to have to replace the mirror, along with a bill of between 4-700 bucks. Thanks again.....
Thank you sooooo very much, this just happened to mine, and I saw a 41 second video of a JUST a loose mirror, nothing at all on how to fix it!! Totally grateful to you for this post!!!
Problem Solved!! Thank you sir. Shop said $250 to repair. Claimed they didn't know what I was talking about when I quoted the process from the video. Wanted to pimp me for a $750 replacement. WINNING!!
Thanks so much Larry for taking the time to share this video with us all. I’m going to try to fix it right now and I will let you know how it goes on my 09 IS250. My husband swore I broke the mirror without telling him which I clearly did not it just happened on its own but with your videos help I will fix it hopefully! :)
Thanks so much for coming to my rescue. I fixed this problem once, however, after a few months, like 5k miles the problem came back. Today after disassembling and getting ready to seat the compression washer I noticed the washer was weak to the point that all the 'spars' separations on the compression washer were not grabbing around the shaft it lives on. So....i'm in search of a replacement compression washer. Going to the local hardware store since like you I Hate dealerships. Wish me luck. Again you have been a Godsend.
another option is to use a drill to drill a small hole through the tube as close to the top as possible being careful not to drill wires. Use a small cotter pin to secure the compression washer once you have it back in place. Several people have done that with success.
Just did this on my dad's car! Thanks for much! I had a hard time getting spring down so I held it down while my dad whacked at it and almost took my hand off. 👍 Thanks for the video!
Just did it a minute ago. My issue was that it wasn't staying down once I compressed it. So I had my wife come out and tap it while I had the spring all the way compressed. This takes a LOT of pressure. I'm 5'10" 240 lbs and I was laying into that with all my weight. Just to be extra safe I did put a beach towel between the mirror and the car as the pipe wrench wiggled when I was pressing down. A warning of sorts. Also I didn't have a rubber mallet. Everything in this video was spot on. Thanks again.
You're awesome Larry - this was the second time that I had an issue with my side mirror on my Lexus IS250. The 1st time the bill from the Lexus Dealership was $400. The second time I watched your video and saved $$$$. Thank you Larry
Thank you. I also just did this yesterday. I couldn't work it with a wrench because I was not strong enough. For anyone who has a similar problem, we used an O2 sensor socket (to accommodate the wiring), and put a small extension on it. I pushed down the spring as far as possible and my wife hit the extension with the mallet.
You the man Larry. Really helped me to see what was going on and solved the mystery of why my mirror was spinning around but it didn't look like anyone had hit it. Plan to fix it later this week. Thanks!
Great repair video. I have completed the repair using all the simple steps and now the side mirror is tape free. Thanks for saving me $300. Keep on Larry
Would like to thank you! This happen today on my 2009 Lexus IS250 passenger side mirror. It took me less than ten minutes to fix following the instructions on this video! I owe you a 🍺. Thanks a million!
Larry...you the man! It worked! FYI The compression nut was a bit difficult to get locked in. You just saved me from going to Lexus and paying whose knows how much Thank you, Larry!
Same here... dealer wanted $$900.00 new installed.. 20 minutes later following these directions.. completed both mirrors.. I compressed the star clip so that it had more grab once you compress it. I had my wife hold the wrench in place and I climbed the stool and did a single force push with my heal. Went right into place.. couple taps with rubber mallet and we were in business.. part of the problem this is the holder ring on the shaft is worn. That is why I compressed the star ring... thanks for your help this was great..
Nice work Larry!!! This worked like a champ on my wife's 2010 IS-250 C. It appears that the compression nut loses its tension and slips off. POOR DESIGN LEXUS! I don't know why they wouldn't use a threaded nut over a compression fitting. Thanks again Larry! The job took me 30 minutes, and for a beer I hired my neighbor to hit the pipe wrench. The hardest part was to get all of the plastic housing parts and light back together. I believed you may have saved me $300+ if I had taken it to Lexus. Way to go!!!
Because car manufacturers, like Lexus, don’t actually make mirror assemblies. To Lexus, just like most people and other automobile manufacturers, the side mirror is just a part. That’s why they don’t rebuild them and that’s why they don’t seem to have the same quality of internal design as the rest of the car.
Larry, a great money saving video. I followed your directions with my IS350C and repaired both the passenger and driver side mirrors saving me big $$$.. It took two of us to depress the spring and hammer it back in place. So far so good. Thanks again.
Larry thanks!!!!! my stem was destroyed trying to get the collar to stay. So I drilled two tiny holes. compressed spring and collar and put two tiny screws to secure the tension! works great but took some time.Still better then visiting Lexus.
THANKS Larry! Great video. A month after I fixed the passenger side, the driver side came loose! Crazy folks at Lexus wanted to "fix it" for $450-$500 A piece! Thanks, again!
Thank you so much for the video. I was told I would have to buy a whole new side view mirror. Something told me to Google it!!! A few minutes later it's fixed with no money out of my pocket!!!!
After borrowing an 8-step ladder and purchasing a $6 monkey wrench (from Harbor Freight), my boyfriend and I were able to fix the loose side mirror on our Lexus - thanks to your video! The feedback in the comment thread helped out too! That heavy-duty spring is no joke! He couldn't lock the washer/spring down like how Larry finessed in the video. I held the wrench in place while my "handy" man forced down the spring and after a few attempts at pressing the weight of his body down on his heel, we were able to get that stubborn spring clip to secure. Thanks All - money in our pocket!
Thank you for the video. This happened to my 2010 es350 a few days ago and I didn’t bother going to the dealership but went straight to RUclips and found this video. I needed the assistance of my cousin to hammer down the monkey wrench while I applied the pressure. Problem solved!!!
Wanted to say thanks, I just tried this and it worked. I will say, applying enough force to re-engage that clip was even more difficult than it looked in the video. Every other step was easy and flawless. I even had an easy time and no need for vaseline to get the mirror back on. So thank you again!
Also, Lexus said I needed a new mirror, $400.+ and about $125.00 to paint it! I had 3 LED bulbs in tail light that went out. The car has 4 of these 3-bulb lights in total. They quoted me $499.95 to replace. I asked if all 4 went out what would it cost? Same price, $499.95 times 4! Crazy! Thanks again for your mirror-fix video!
Nitin Mody Thanks a lot! I had even taken to a mechanic and they were not very confident. The only hard part was to push and hammer at the same time so I had my friend help me out on that.I am sure saved sum bucks with your video
Thank for your great video. A neighbor who parks next to me seems to have hit mine so I’m glad I found this video. Was quick to get to the problem and identify as the same as yours because I knew how to open it after having watched your video. It does take a good amount of force and hammering so it’s easier to have some help on hand. Also the Vaseline trick really did help a lot as I couldnt seem to snap the mirror back on without it. Thanks again.
I can confirm this, it's exactly the same on my 2010 es350 as well. just fixed it today; I had a large O2 sensor socket -- the kind with the cutout for the wires -- and I was able to use it for this job, made it super east! just one good whack of the. hammer.. thanks Larry!
Man, I wish I had found this video before I started work on this thing! I took the inside door panel off and the mirror housing off before looking for an instructional video! Thanks for your help! Much appreciated, George
Wewt! Thanks for the quick and clear directions. :) Forget what those haters say - it's clear you were doing a quick vid to help people out and I thank you.
I appreciate that you figured out "a" way to fix this. When I did this 4 or so years ago, I could not get it to work even though I tried it just the way you showed. Nor could my stronger neighbor. Kept popping off. Finally, since we are both engineers, we made a tool out of a piece of pipe with a notch to protect the wires, where we could put the pipe over the mirror shaft and hit down on the press fit washer with a hammer and apply uniform force down on it. One of us held the pipe putting downward pressure onto the spring while the other hit the top with a regular hammer. Even with that, I remember the two of us messed with it for the better part of 30 minutes to get it to stick properly. I only wish I put a pin in it or a cotter pin or something (drilled out) so it could NEVER come loose again. Dumbest design ever. In fact, this should have been a recall item. My guess is the manufacturer has a tool that can mechanically press that on in about 2 seconds. But a pin dudes! Hello. (Edit: Thankfully I just found that tool we made stuck to the bottom of a tool chest drawer (leaking locktite) lol)
Thanks for video, saved me a few hundred dollars. I just fixed mine today, but I did go a step further and I drilled a hole and installed a cotter pin. From looking at that design it really needs a cotter pin, roll pin, or else you will be doing this all again real soon. That pot metal failed where the compression nut was grabbing and it will surely fail again. I think I'll go ahead and do the driver's side the next chance I get, because I know it will be doing the same thing and it should be easier to do a cotter pin mod while the spring is already compressed. For those out there who want to install a cotter pin just be sure and protect the wires going up through the post prior to drilling and pushing the cotter pin through. Just a real piss poor design on the part of Lexus.
Thank you it was too easy ! I had a O2 sensor socket with an extension and a mallet dead blow, went on, no ladder or pipe wrench. Tip: I used a plastic 55 gallon trash turned up in side down with a terry cloth towel to catch any dropped screws and supports the loose mirror and holds the tools!🛠️
I am so glad to hear that my video is still helping people years later. I love producing how to videos on certain things I know how to do. Glad to be of help
My SC 300 mirror was repaired twice before, and the tube was mangled. What I did was put a long thin bolt down the center of the tube (with a small washer on top), right next to the wires. On the bottom of the support, I put a washer and nut to tighten the spring down. I used a weaker spring. This will never fail again!!!!
Hey Larry, I just watched the video and it fixed my problem I drive a 2009 in the same color as yours. I just wanted to say thank you so much you saved me such a bitching I would've gotten blaming me for the mirror breaking. If I could repay you I would! Please find the time to upload more "around the house" fixes because there isn't a RUclips channel for that! Thanks again!
Appreciate the video! This is exactly what happened to my mirror, so I watched this video when I was at the office, so I could work on it. After 10 or so vein popping attempts to get the clip pushed down, and a few tears later, I remembered one thing in your video that I didn't try... The ladder. I pulled out my yeti cooler (didn't have a step ladder lol) stood on top of it, pushed down on it with all my weight, and got it on the first try. Then hammered it home. Anyway... Thanks for the video, I would have never figured that out.
Larry Awesome video. This is prob the best video tutorial on the web. The explanation of the functionality for understanding. But my G don’t be so gentle with the car. Lol. I’m just busting ya chops. Thanks Larry much appreciated. Make more. You’re a great teacher.
I had one take to get this video. Once the work was done I had no way of repeating the process. It had been a while since I had worked on the other side mirror.
Thanks Larry -- I used a crest wrench and a 3 lb mallet worked like a champ. the Vaseline was a missing part for me -- once I did that mirror in place and good to go. good job and thanks again
Thank you so much. We have this bookmarked on our browser.....fixed the drivers side a few months ago and just had to fix the passenger side last weekend. Saved us a ton of money! Why don't they recall this item. Seems the mirror assembly doesn't like temperatures over 100.
This is a very cool and easy fix. FYI. I used large crescent type wrench to pound on with my IS 250, and that worked too. I am furthermore testing a hose clamp to better hold that compression nut but cotter pin is a much better idea if you have a drill. Just watch those wires inside the shaft. Definitely a design flaw. Thank you very much for this video.
Thank you so much......we have this problem on my Lexus Rx. I've been searching for a post in regard to this, and could not find anything. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can now remove the trip to the dealer off my upcoming bill list.
This is awesome, thank you! I had already paid to replace my passenger side mirror when it went loose (dealer claimed it MUST have been hit - it hadn't). Then today my drivers side one broke. Wasn't looking forward to paying another $400 to replace this one, so this will save me a ton of money! Took apart the removed passenger side mirror I already replaced and sure enough - compression nut was loose. LEEEEEXXXUUUS!
Thanks Larry for posting this video. I was able to fix my rear view mirror and I have an 2010 ES 350 and it worked for my car.. also I took it to the Lexus dealer were I bought it and they were charging me $800+ smh 🤦🏾♀️ but thanks to your video I was able to save $800 + 😊.
Thank you for the video. I did not have a large wrench like you used, plus I didn't like the idea of metal banging on metal, so I took a piece of 2" X 6" redwood and cut a two centimeter wide notch out of the center. Basically had a nice 6" wide square with a notch to fit around the wires and post. Used a step-ladder to get good leverage and seated it down. Pounded the top of the wooden block with a regular hammer to get it on a little further. After reassembly of mirror, I have found it doesn't want to fold in. I guess I got that compression fitting a little further down that I should have. But the mirror doesn't flop around, either, so I'm calling that a win. It may fold if I apply more force, but just didn't feel like doing that right now. Thanks again.
I also pushed the compression fitting far far down, and now it takes a lot of force to fold the mirror. But I almost never have a need to fold the mirrors, so that is not an issue.
Thanks Larry, great video. It works brilliantly. I don't have the strength to hold the clip down and lock it in position so I had another person to push the clip down and I just whacked the rubber mallet and it works.
You need ALOT of force to push the washer thingie back into place, I couldn't do it and neither could my bro in law and he weighs 275...I had him hold it in place with the monkey wretch and I hammered it down using a flat head screwdriver on all sides until it was secured. Works like a charm now.
Thank you so much for this video, I bumped the mirror on my moms ES350 with my arm and it got loose, just saw this video, went home and did exactly what u showed, except I used big vice grips instead of a monkey wrench because I don’t have a monkey wrench. Worked perfectly and saved me 500 dollars and a bunch of aggravation. Worked like a charm even at 2 am.
Very helpful. The pipe wrench did not work for me since the spring force was so high. Instead, I used an oxygen sensor socket and a socket extension rod. The oxygen sensor socket has a gap to allow it to fit over wires; so, it is nearly perfect for this application. The socket fit well and it was far easier to compress the spring. Finally, be careful with the mallet force. It is possible to compress the spring so much that the mirror housing will no longer rotate.
Tip: Use a O2 sensor socket, and tap it on with a mallet. Worked like a charm!! Thanks for the video!!
Also, it seems you do NOT have to remove the screw on the lower inboard. The back comes off with that still screwed in and you can access the snap ring and spring.
Larry = "the man". Such a quick fix. Saved me frustration, time and money. Thanks Larry!!
This was the second video that I watched. It was more thorough and the second try I put pressure on using the ladder. I did buy an oxygen sensor socket for sixteen dollars which was a more direct hit on the washer. While crimping the teeth on the washer, I inadvertently cut one of the yellow wires which I later soldered back together and insulated with tape. Hit the mallet once and the washer seated, then put everything back together and the mirror works great, a great sense of relief since the dealer may have wanted to replace the whole mirror for $1100.00. So grateful for your help!
Perfect DIY video. They quoted $900 for the fix at dealership in Los Angeles. As other viewers have attested, this takes A LOT of force to overcome the spring. I tried with some channel locks and an adjustable wrench to no avail. Popped over to O'Riley's and grabbed a $15 Chinese special for 14" pipe wrench and black rubber mallet. Do yourself a favor and go into the fix with the right tools.
Thanks for the post Larry!
Lexus WILL NOT fix this for you like Larry did, they will simply replace the whole part ($300?) and double that as the bill for 1 mirror, so if you pop both spring clip it will be a $1000 fix and a not-so-happy trip to Lexus.
That particular spring loaded mechanism is a manufacture defect component (design flaw due to weak clip), but because it's not a life-safety defect, no recall was done and Lexus simply said "fuck it it's not my problem".
Lexus is still very ignorant on issues like this when it comes to non-life-safety defect components.
You guys need to drop a comment and thank Larry for this video because he just save you all at least $300 even you try replacing the whole thing yourself.
Actually Lexus was helpful for me. They sent a mobile tech to my place (1/2 hr from dealership) and noticing my garage/tools/early Vette, he said, you can easily do this and explained how to repair. He spent 1/2 hour looking over Vette. All no charge. Bobby Rahal Lexus treats me well.
@@davem6685 👋🏽 did it fix the issue? The other day someone hit my mirror walking by I guess and now the mirror sways side to side is this all I need to do?
Thank you so much for this fix! Worked perfectly! I was told I would need to pay 500 bucks for the mirror alone, which didn’t include labor...thank you again!
awesome. saved me $1000 because I had to do both mirrors.
One tip others might find useful: I couldn't get the retaining washer to stick in place like Larry could, so I drilled two holes in the post, slightly off center, and added a cotter pin right above where the ring is supposed to stick. I used the pipe wrench to push everything down and had a helper put the pin through.
I realized on my last post-hole drilling that you can put a flat screwdriver inside the post to protect the wires from the drill bit coming through and trashing them. Lucky for me I just destroyed the outer insulation without any major electrical damage.
Oh man, that's a good idea! I tried this yesterday on my 2010 IS250C and also couldn't get the washer to stick down there no matter how hard I tried, so I resorted to just sticking it in place with some VHB tape, but putting a hole and cotter pin through that post sounds like it might be an even better long term fix. I'll try that next! Thx!
Just piggybacking, I did this with my dad just now. You really gotta force the washer into the metal part. It doesn't look like it sticks anywhere initially but if you hold it down and hit it hard enough it'll stick. The dude demonstrating this video must be strong or a really heavy dude. I held it down with a small wrench and my dad used a hammer and metal tube to whack it in. I think we did it too hard because the mirror doesn't fold in like it used to. But better than having a floating mirror lol
Lexus wanted 5
680 for the mirror and 225 to install. i fixed it in 10 mins! u rock!!! THANK U
Hi Larry, Went to dinner last night and saw my mirror flopping. Found your video and just finished the fix. Gracias....The ladder was key to leverage like you said.
Larry, you sir saved me from the local Lexus Vulture, and saved me $1036.00! I'm truly grateful to you! With your video it took me exactly 15 minutes to fix the issue.
God bless and I'm a subscriber now for what it's worth.
Just applied the fix exactly as instructed. Worked like a champ! Thanks for the helpful video!
Thank you so much mr.larry reamy for this video, I just fixed my is350 side viewed mirror under 30min, I used a wrench to bang it cuzz I dont have a hammer.
This 5min video saved me so much money.
Thanks so much to everyone for the great comments. I didn't have time to do a second take and avoid all the little mistakes as someone pointed out. I just posted a quick video to save money and time for everyone. Both of my wife's mirrors are still doing fine over a year later. Wish I had time to make more video's of things I fix all the time.
Larry Reamy always there is stupid people writing stupid things, ignore them, you did a great job
This was great ! Have now repaired my IS250 mirrors 3 times and have not spent any money on the repairs.
Hey Larry, I just used your youtube video with great success. Thanks a million! It was on my lady friends car, and now I'm the "hero"! It didn't go without a "hitch" though. As your video shows - the compression nut slipped off the one time for you. Well even though I was able to get it down all the way over the spring, it continued slipping off no -matter what I tried. I finally took a pair of channel locks and squeezed down the 'prongs' a little bit all the way around to make it a bit tighter on the post until I was able to strike it down with the mallet. If any of your readers have this same issue, bending down the prongs just a little bit was enough to get the compression nut to grip the post long enough to get the mallet on it. Thanks again for the great video!
Thank you SO MUCH for making this video!!! I just got my 2010 IS 350C 2 weeks ago and yesterday my driver's side mirror started doing this. I freaked out but i'm sure it's exactly what was going on in your video. It's so difficult to find any maintenance videos on the 250/350's especially C models. Please keep them coming. Thanks SO MUCH again!
Hey Larry, I realize this comment is 7 years after your post but I have to thank you for this awesome fix! Fortunately, the mirror assembly is the same for a 2010 Lexus ES350 (our car). I my case, I took the mirror assembly completely off of the car and repaired it on my workbench. Instead of pushing down on the washer/spring (like you did), I turned the assembly upside down using my workbench vise instead of a pipe wrench. Once situation between the workbench vise jaws, I pushed own on the entire assembly until the wash "caught" the stem. Once "caught", I turned the assembly upright again (using the vise to now hold the three mounting bolts) and used a screwdriver and hammer to push the wash down further on the stem. Since the vehicle is now 10 years old, I refused to spend the $1000 I was quoted to fix it at a Toyota dealership. Thanks again!
And that is why we make videos. To help others. Thanks for sharing. I still get great comments.
Hey Larry; Your "fix" is still helping people (me!) 5 yrs later!!! I'm SURE if anyone brought that problem to a Lexus dealership they'd say; "Going to have to replace the mirror, along with a bill of between 4-700 bucks. Thanks again.....
Thank you sooooo very much, this just happened to mine, and I saw a 41 second video of a JUST a loose mirror, nothing at all on how to fix it!! Totally grateful to you for this post!!!
Problem Solved!!
Thank you sir. Shop said $250 to repair. Claimed they didn't know what I was talking about when I quoted the process from the video. Wanted to pimp me for a $750 replacement. WINNING!!
Thanks so much Larry for taking the time to share this video with us all. I’m going to try to fix it right now and I will let you know how it goes on my 09 IS250. My husband swore I broke the mirror without telling him which I clearly did not it just happened on its own but with your videos help I will fix it hopefully! :)
Man. This was golden. Never would have figured this out. Took me only 5 minutes with this tutorial. Thanks.
Thanks so much for coming to my rescue. I fixed this problem once, however, after a few months, like 5k miles the problem came back. Today after disassembling and getting ready to seat the compression washer I noticed the washer was weak to the point that all the 'spars' separations on the compression washer were not grabbing around the shaft it lives on. So....i'm in search of a replacement compression washer. Going to the local hardware store since like you I Hate dealerships. Wish me luck. Again you have been a Godsend.
another option is to use a drill to drill a small hole through the tube as close to the top as possible being careful not to drill wires. Use a small cotter pin to secure the compression washer once you have it back in place. Several people have done that with success.
My wife came home with the problem and I watched the video and immediately did the repair, it was easy because of the video - thank you again.
Just did this on my dad's car! Thanks for much! I had a hard time getting spring down so I held it down while my dad whacked at it and almost took my hand off. 👍 Thanks for the video!
Just did it a minute ago. My issue was that it wasn't staying down once I compressed it. So I had my wife come out and tap it while I had the spring all the way compressed. This takes a LOT of pressure. I'm 5'10" 240 lbs and I was laying into that with all my weight. Just to be extra safe I did put a beach towel between the mirror and the car as the pipe wrench wiggled when I was pressing down. A warning of sorts. Also I didn't have a rubber mallet. Everything in this video was spot on. Thanks again.
You're awesome Larry - this was the second time that I had an issue with my side mirror on my Lexus IS250. The 1st time the bill from the Lexus Dealership was $400. The second time I watched your video and saved $$$$. Thank you Larry
Thank you very much Larry! I just fixed my wife's car. Your video made it easy and saved me $300.
Thank you. I also just did this yesterday.
I couldn't work it with a wrench because I was not strong enough. For anyone who has a similar problem, we used an O2 sensor socket (to accommodate the wiring), and put a small extension on it. I pushed down the spring as far as possible and my wife hit the extension with the mallet.
Larry,
Thanks for this video, I just finished fixing mine.
Lexus will no longer get $450+ from me for this reoccurring problem.
E. Henry Kraft i didnt know that is a reocurring problem in lexus cars
You the man Larry. Really helped me to see what was going on and solved the mystery of why my mirror was spinning around but it didn't look like anyone had hit it. Plan to fix it later this week. Thanks!
christobolmay excellent story. I was mad because i thought someone hitted it, but nobody touched it
Great repair video.
I have completed the repair using all the simple steps and now the side mirror is tape free.
Thanks for saving me $300.
Keep on Larry
Would like to thank you! This happen today on my 2009 Lexus IS250 passenger side mirror. It took me less than ten minutes to fix following the instructions on this video! I owe you a 🍺. Thanks a million!
Larry...you the man! It worked! FYI The compression nut was a bit difficult to get locked in.
You just saved me from going to Lexus and paying whose knows how much
Thank you, Larry!
Same here... dealer wanted $$900.00 new installed.. 20 minutes later following these directions.. completed both mirrors.. I compressed the star clip so that it had more grab once you compress it. I had my wife hold the wrench in place and I climbed the stool and did a single force push with my heal. Went right into place.. couple taps with rubber mallet and we were in business.. part of the problem this is the holder ring on the shaft is worn. That is why I compressed the star ring... thanks for your help this was great..
Nice work Larry!!! This worked like a champ on my wife's 2010 IS-250 C. It appears that the compression nut loses its tension and slips off. POOR DESIGN LEXUS! I don't know why they wouldn't use a threaded nut over a compression fitting. Thanks again Larry! The job took me 30 minutes, and for a beer I hired my neighbor to hit the pipe wrench. The hardest part was to get all of the plastic housing parts and light back together. I believed you may have saved me $300+ if I had taken it to Lexus. Way to go!!!
Because car manufacturers, like Lexus, don’t actually make mirror assemblies. To Lexus, just like most people and other automobile manufacturers, the side mirror is just a part. That’s why they don’t rebuild them and that’s why they don’t seem to have the same quality of internal design as the rest of the car.
Larry, a great money saving video. I followed your directions with my IS350C and repaired both the passenger and driver side mirrors saving me big $$$.. It took two of us to depress the spring and hammer it back in place. So far so good. Thanks again.
Great video! Dealership told me I needed a while mirror assembly and quoted $726 for the part and $316 for the labor!
Popped up again after a year or two. Found this video again, and I thank you a second time. The step ladder tip definitely makes a difference as well!
Great to hear!
Larry thanks!!!!! my stem was destroyed trying to get the collar to stay. So I drilled two tiny holes. compressed spring and collar and put two tiny screws to secure the tension! works great but took some time.Still better then visiting Lexus.
THANKS Larry! Great video. A month after I fixed the passenger side, the driver side came loose! Crazy folks at Lexus wanted to "fix it" for $450-$500 A piece! Thanks, again!
Thank you so much for the video. I was told I would have to buy a whole new side view mirror. Something told me to Google it!!! A few minutes later it's fixed with no money out of my pocket!!!!
After borrowing an 8-step ladder and purchasing a $6 monkey wrench (from Harbor Freight), my boyfriend and I were able to fix the loose side mirror on our Lexus - thanks to your video! The feedback in the comment thread helped out too! That heavy-duty spring is no joke! He couldn't lock the washer/spring down like how Larry finessed in the video.
I held the wrench in place while my "handy" man forced down the spring and after a few attempts at pressing the weight of his body down on his heel, we were able to get that stubborn spring clip to secure. Thanks All - money in our pocket!
Thank you for the video. This happened to my 2010 es350 a few days ago and I didn’t bother going to the dealership but went straight to RUclips and found this video. I needed the assistance of my cousin to hammer down the monkey wrench while I applied the pressure. Problem solved!!!
Wanted to say thanks, I just tried this and it worked. I will say, applying enough force to re-engage that clip was even more difficult than it looked in the video. Every other step was easy and flawless. I even had an easy time and no need for vaseline to get the mirror back on. So thank you again!
Awesome video. Dealership wanted to charge me over $500 for a new mirror. I fixed it in 15-20 mins. Thanks again!!!
Thank you so much! I did this myself am super grateful because I didn't have the money out of work right now once again I truly appreciate it.
Also, Lexus said I needed a new mirror, $400.+ and about $125.00 to paint it!
I had 3 LED bulbs in tail light that went out. The car has 4 of these 3-bulb lights in total. They quoted me $499.95 to replace. I asked if all 4 went out what would it cost? Same price, $499.95 times 4! Crazy! Thanks again for your mirror-fix video!
Nitin Mody
Thanks a lot!
I had even taken to a mechanic and they were not very confident.
The only hard part was to push and hammer at the same time so I had my friend help me out on that.I am sure saved sum bucks with your video
Worked like a charm once I got an 18" pipe wrench (after trying various other tools)! $20 vs. Lexus' $700+. Great deal. Thanks!
Thank for your great video. A neighbor who parks next to me seems to have hit mine so I’m glad I found this video. Was quick to get to the problem and identify as the same as yours because I knew how to open it after having watched your video.
It does take a good amount of force and hammering so it’s easier to have some help on hand.
Also the Vaseline trick really did help a lot as I couldnt seem to snap the mirror back on without it.
Thanks again.
Thanks Larry! Took 5 minutes after watching your video and worked great!
Great Solution and fantastic tutorial. I'm going to do my daughter's two 250h mirrors tomorrow. You're my new hero!
Just used your vid as a guide to fix my 2010 es350 in the parking lot at work. I can confirm it's the same for this generation of es. Thanks :)
I can confirm this, it's exactly the same on my 2010 es350 as well. just fixed it today; I had a large O2 sensor socket -- the kind with the cutout for the wires -- and I was able to use it for this job, made it super east! just one good whack of the. hammer.. thanks Larry!
Thank you Larry! Your fix worked perfectly. Using the step ladder for leverage made all the difference! SO glad you posted this!
Very welcome
Man, I wish I had found this video before I started work on this thing! I took the inside door panel off and the mirror housing off before looking for an instructional video! Thanks for your help! Much appreciated, George
Wewt! Thanks for the quick and clear directions. :) Forget what those haters say - it's clear you were doing a quick vid to help people out and I thank you.
I appreciate that you figured out "a" way to fix this. When I did this 4 or so years ago, I could not get it to work even though I tried it just the way you showed. Nor could my stronger neighbor. Kept popping off. Finally, since we are both engineers, we made a tool out of a piece of pipe with a notch to protect the wires, where we could put the pipe over the mirror shaft and hit down on the press fit washer with a hammer and apply uniform force down on it. One of us held the pipe putting downward pressure onto the spring while the other hit the top with a regular hammer. Even with that, I remember the two of us messed with it for the better part of 30 minutes to get it to stick properly. I only wish I put a pin in it or a cotter pin or something (drilled out) so it could NEVER come loose again. Dumbest design ever. In fact, this should have been a recall item. My guess is the manufacturer has a tool that can mechanically press that on in about 2 seconds. But a pin dudes! Hello. (Edit: Thankfully I just found that tool we made stuck to the bottom of a tool chest drawer (leaking locktite) lol)
I cannot thank you enough for this video sir, God bless you 🙏🏻. I was so upset earlier, got the part fixed! Thank you!!!!
Thank you Larry! Helped us figure out how a customer's mirror went "floppy".
Thanks for video, saved me a few hundred dollars. I just fixed mine today, but I did go a step further and I drilled a hole and installed a cotter pin. From looking at that design it really needs a cotter pin, roll pin, or else you will be doing this all again real soon. That pot metal failed where the compression nut was grabbing and it will surely fail again. I think I'll go ahead and do the driver's side the next chance I get, because I know it will be doing the same thing and it should be easier to do a cotter pin mod while the spring is already compressed. For those out there who want to install a cotter pin just be sure and protect the wires going up through the post prior to drilling and pushing the cotter pin through. Just a real piss poor design on the part of Lexus.
Thanks you so much for this video. It took no time to fix the problem. Saved me from wasting time and money I don't have.
Thank you it was too easy !
I had a O2 sensor socket with an extension and a mallet dead blow, went on, no ladder or pipe wrench.
Tip: I used a plastic 55 gallon trash turned up in side down with a terry cloth towel to catch any dropped screws and supports the loose mirror and holds the tools!🛠️
Thanks Larry worked great on the wife's 2010 ES 350..
Larry you are a life saver! Thanks so much for this post! It took both my husband and I to get those springs to stay down but we got it done!
I am so glad to hear that my video is still helping people years later. I love producing how to videos on certain things I know how to do. Glad to be of help
My SC 300 mirror was repaired twice before, and the tube was mangled. What I did was put a long thin bolt down the center of the tube (with a small washer on top), right next to the wires. On the bottom of the support, I put a washer and nut to tighten the spring down. I used a weaker spring. This will never fail again!!!!
Thanks Larry, it worked for my HS250H without any hassle and saved hundreds of dollars!
Glad it helped
Hey Larry, I just watched the video and it fixed my problem I drive a 2009 in the same color as yours. I just wanted to say thank you so much you saved me such a bitching I would've gotten blaming me for the mirror breaking. If I could repay you I would! Please find the time to upload more "around the house" fixes because there isn't a RUclips channel for that! Thanks again!
Tutorial helped me a lot. Used a cloth covered adjustable wrench and a hammer but I got the job done. Thank you.
Just wanted to thank you for taking the time and posting this fix. I found it very helpful. Thanks again.
Appreciate the video! This is exactly what happened to my mirror, so I watched this video when I was at the office, so I could work on it. After 10 or so vein popping attempts to get the clip pushed down, and a few tears later, I remembered one thing in your video that I didn't try... The ladder. I pulled out my yeti cooler (didn't have a step ladder lol) stood on top of it, pushed down on it with all my weight, and got it on the first try. Then hammered it home.
Anyway... Thanks for the video, I would have never figured that out.
Glad it worked. Getting leverage is the key that I should have posted. But did it in on quick take.
Is this fix still working for you? My girlfriend's mirror just started doing this same thing and the dealer quoted $800 to fix it.
Tim Ulibarri
It is still working for me! No issues yet
OkieBoy Are you able to turn the mirrors in again or no?
Anthony D. - yessir!
No way! This worked great! And I am not handy. Follow every step. Amazing. I almost skipped the Vaseline. Worked perfectly!!
Thank you Larry! This was very helpful and now my car (Lexus HS 2010) mirror is fixed!!! Also the ladder and hammering it down really did the trick!
I paid a small fortune to have the passenger side fixed at Lexus a couple years ago. I just did the driver's side. Hope it holds! Thanks!!
Larry Awesome video. This is prob the best video tutorial on the web. The explanation of the functionality for understanding. But my G don’t be so gentle with the car. Lol. I’m just busting ya chops. Thanks Larry much appreciated. Make more. You’re a great teacher.
I had one take to get this video. Once the work was done I had no way of repeating the process. It had been a while since I had worked on the other side mirror.
Thanks Larry -- I used a crest wrench and a 3 lb mallet worked like a champ. the Vaseline was a missing part for me -- once I did that mirror in place and good to go. good job and thanks again
Thank you so much. We have this bookmarked on our browser.....fixed the drivers side a few months ago and just had to fix the passenger side last weekend. Saved us a ton of money! Why don't they recall this item. Seems the mirror assembly doesn't like temperatures over 100.
had to bend the tines flat a little bit to make it work. lasvegas lexus $672 to fix the problem. larry reamy. PRICELESS!! Thanks Larry
This is a very cool and easy fix. FYI. I used large crescent type wrench to pound on with my IS 250, and that worked too. I am furthermore testing a hose clamp to better hold that compression nut but cotter pin is a much better idea if you have a drill. Just watch those wires inside the shaft. Definitely a design flaw. Thank you very much for this video.
Thank you very much. The vaseline tip saved me from breaking my mirror!
Larry ...YOU are amazing....I was puzzled when looking for replacement mirrors...Hmm...limited supply....somebody is fixing 'em....thanks L-Man.
Thank you very much! This was exactly what was needed and it worked perfectly. The dealer of course wanted to replace the mirror for $$$.
wow thank you, makes perfect sense. appreciate you taking time to make this video and helping me
Thank you so much......we have this problem on my Lexus Rx. I've been searching for a post in regard to this, and could not find anything.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I can now remove the trip to the dealer off my upcoming bill list.
This is awesome, thank you! I had already paid to replace my passenger side mirror when it went loose (dealer claimed it MUST have been hit - it hadn't). Then today my drivers side one broke. Wasn't looking forward to paying another $400 to replace this one, so this will save me a ton of money! Took apart the removed passenger side mirror I already replaced and sure enough - compression nut was loose. LEEEEEXXXUUUS!
Sarah Fields 😊👍🏽
Thanks Larry for posting this video. I was able to fix my rear view mirror and I have an 2010 ES 350 and it worked for my car.. also I took it to the Lexus dealer were I bought it and they were charging me $800+ smh 🤦🏾♀️ but thanks to your video I was able to save $800 + 😊.
This is the video I was looking for because it is the exact issue I am facing with my side mirror.
Thank you for the video. I did not have a large wrench like you used, plus I didn't like the idea of metal banging on metal, so I took a piece of 2" X 6" redwood and cut a two centimeter wide notch out of the center. Basically had a nice 6" wide square with a notch to fit around the wires and post. Used a step-ladder to get good leverage and seated it down. Pounded the top of the wooden block with a regular hammer to get it on a little further. After reassembly of mirror, I have found it doesn't want to fold in. I guess I got that compression fitting a little further down that I should have. But the mirror doesn't flop around, either, so I'm calling that a win. It may fold if I apply more force, but just didn't feel like doing that right now. Thanks again.
I also pushed the compression fitting far far down, and now it takes a lot of force to fold the mirror. But I almost never have a need to fold the mirrors, so that is not an issue.
Thank you! You saved us a lot of money... It really works, Very easy to do, fixed it in less than 10 minutes!... Thank you for posting this video!
Thanks Larry, great video. It works brilliantly. I don't have the strength to hold the clip down and lock it in position so I had another person to push the clip down and I just whacked the rubber mallet and it works.
Wow~~~I just saved $750. It perfectly works for me!!!! THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!
Larry, You are a BADDDDD DUDE!! Awesome video.
Thanks
You need ALOT of force to push the washer thingie back into place, I couldn't do it and neither could my bro in law and he weighs 275...I had him hold it in place with the monkey wretch and I hammered it down using a flat head screwdriver on all sides until it was secured. Works like a charm now.
Thanks Larry. Just fixed both mirrors! I had no idea it was so easy.
OMG!! Thank you so much for the great video... Fixed my wife's 2010 es350 following your instructions... Works perfectly 👍
Thank you so much for this video, I bumped the mirror on my moms ES350 with my arm and it got loose, just saw this video, went home and did exactly what u showed, except I used big vice grips instead of a monkey wrench because I don’t have a monkey wrench. Worked perfectly and saved me 500 dollars and a bunch of aggravation. Worked like a charm even at 2 am.
Thanks!!I have a 2011 Lexus ES350 and my two teenage sons and I got it fixed in less than 30-minutes.
Thank you Larry. You save me a thoundsand buck at the dealership today.
Dude! It worked! Even down to me having to wedge it into place a second time. The only problem I had was I couldn’t get the mirror off.
Very helpful. The pipe wrench did not work for me since the spring force was so high. Instead, I used an oxygen sensor socket and a socket extension rod. The oxygen sensor socket has a gap to allow it to fit over wires; so, it is nearly perfect for this application. The socket fit well and it was far easier to compress the spring. Finally, be careful with the mallet force. It is possible to compress the spring so much that the mirror housing will no longer rotate.
Thank you so much for the video, you saved us $400 asked by the dealership.... have a great day