How can you replace the mirror on the drivers side of a 2004 Dodge Caravan?

Answer 1

Dodge Caravan mirror removal 2004The mirror has 3 torx screws on the outside of the vehicle. Open the door wide and you will see the bottom screw below the mirror on the outside of the vehicle. A more or less triangular part of the top of the mirror housing covers the top two screws. It is just a cover that pries off. There are two tabs on the bottom, one an inch from the top on the back side. Pry open the top, paying some attention to that tab just below, and then a little pry on the bottom will pop it off. Remove the remaining two screws.

The plastic parts that the screws go through are very weak. Mine are broken so it looks like I will have to buy a whole new mirror.

The mirror housing has obviously been made in two parts, but they are held together by a metal clip in the round access hole under the mirror. I could not get this apart so I could not remove the power cable going into the mirror. The replacement arrived with a cable hanging out of it with a nice connector on the end. The dealer says you pull off the top of the dashboard and plug it in. I can't figure out how to do that. My solution is to cut the cable (leaving as much length as possible with the van) and solder its wires onto the cable from the new mirror.

Interesting, the replacement mirror had only three wires (red, orange, white) while the original had blue, orange, white and two blacks. It turns out you don't need the blacks (must be for the defrost feature). Connect orange to orange, white to white, and red to blue. Test. Wires take a beating in a vehicle and could be a fire hazard, so I made a good twist connection, a good solder joint, and heat shrink tubing on each wire before wrapping with electrical tape.

This applies to the mirrors on both sides of the '04 Dodge Caravan.

For '05 Caravan SXT: The above works-I just did it on the passenger side mirror on Jan 27, 2010. But I avoided soldering by accessing the nice connector inside the dashboard without removing said dashboard. Not easy, but patience paid off. First, with door open, pop off the small access cover on the side of the glove box. Second, pull out the glove box completely (press the sides in to release it) so it drops onto the floor. Third, gently tug the still-connected mirror power cable so it uncoils as much as possible without unplugging the connector. This should bring the connection close to the hole in the frame. Pop the connector out. You can use a flashlight from inside to verify this. Now, this part is the hard but rewarding part: Secure the new mirror so it does not drop and shatter outside, then insert the new connector in the round hole on the end of the dashboard. With the door open, lean back on the floor with the glove box as a pillow propping your head or shoulder, while sliding one hand through the access hole in the side towards the NEW connector and the left hand goes up on the glovebox cavity side to the supply-side connector. Orient them to fit, and just two fingers on each hand will push them into a nice snap. I have very huge hands and long fingers, it was a tight fit for me but should work for most average people.