Replacement of a mirror
In the event of damage to an exterior mirror, Glassdrive will install a replacement mirror that is perfectly adapted to the part, without changing the entire device. However, our 1,400 workshops in Europe are also authorised to replace your entire mirror (including the shell) if, after examination, our teams consider that its repair is impossible due to the seriousness of the damage suffered. In all cases, our service includes the calibration of the electronic driving aids to be reinstalled on your new equipment.
The rear-view mirror, a key element for your safety
Road regulations prohibit motorists from driving without an external rear-view mirror. Even when fitted, the equipment must not have any major defects that would prevent it from fulfilling its safety function properly.
The two side mirrors provide the driver with an additional field of vision behind him or her, enabling him or her to anticipate obstacles coming from the rear, on the left and right sides, when undertaking a delicate manoeuvre (overtaking or reversing, for example).
By depriving the user of an essential angle of view, the absence of a mirror or a defective mirror increases the risk of a collision. This is especially true today as the device offers, in addition to the reflective capabilities of its glass, additional information to the motorist via the electronic driving assistance tools (ADAS) installed on some of its components, such as the detection of obstacles in the blind spot.
When replacing your rear-view mirror (the mirror alone or the entire unit), Glassdrive ensures the identical installation of these devices, and ensures their recalibration by relying on adapted professional equipment in order to guarantee your safety when you get back on the road.
Our teams work on all models of manually or electrically operated mirrors, regardless of the type of mirror they are equipped with (flat, convex, waterproof, anti-glare) and the technologies they incorporate: light signals embedded in the glass in conjunction with the blind spot detector, defrosting and anti-glare functions, side camera integrated into a 360° view system, etc.
What are the risks for your mirror on the road?
Because of its position in the middle of the vehicle, the exterior rear-view mirror is particularly exposed to impacts:
A poor assessment of safety distances in a car park or on a narrow road can lead a motorist to collide with a vehicle parked next to his or her own, or to hit a car travelling in a parallel lane during a poorly negotiated junction: in this type of touch-and-go situation, the mirrors are often the first elements to be threatened, and ultimately hit. Depending on the suddenness of the collision, the entire unit may come loose from its mountings and collapse along the bodywork, held together only by its connecting cable.
The mirror is not immune to vandalism either, when a careless motorcyclist kicks it on the road (this is just one of many examples). It is also an ideal target for malicious individuals who undertake to attack vehicles parked in public parking spaces at night.
The rear-view mirror is a particularly vulnerable glass surface: the accidental or deliberate throwing of a stone is enough to crack or break it.
Glassdrive repairs or replaces your mirror
Attempting a small makeshift repair to straighten a torn mirror, or patching up a broken mirror, even temporarily, are risky initiatives, liable to penalties in the event of a police or gendarmerie check. The law considers that only an approved mirror, i.e. one that is in perfect working order, is capable of ensuring the safety of its user, his passengers and the motorists they pass on the road.
Why is it not advisable to repair your car yourself?
In the event of an accident, it is strongly recommended that you contact a professional such as Glassdrive, who has trained personnel and the appropriate equipment to repair or replace a rear-view mirror: the motorisation of the systems, which is now almost universal on all vehicle models, and the numerous electronic connections to be made in connection with the ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) make the task particularly complex for those who wish to undertake it themselves.
Very often, it is necessary to remove part of the door trim to access certain components and electrical cables or to reposition the mirror adjustment lever correctly.
The retail purchases made by Glassdrive allow our teams to offer damaged motorists the replacement of their only damaged mirror, when its shell is perfectly intact: our technicians then reassemble the blind spot detector light on a suitable glass identical to the original part, if your mirror is equipped with this technology. Of course, we ensure that the system is correctly adjusted.
The reverse procedure is also possible: the mirror of your original equipment can be transposed into a new shell.
Finally, Glassdrive will replace the entire mirror (shell + glass) if none of the components of the damaged equipment can be repaired.
Broken mirror: how does the insurance work?
Some car insurance policies cover the cost of replacing or repairing a mirror as part of their "glass breakage" cover.
Depending on the circumstances and the cause of the loss, other optional cover may apply, such as vandalism cover if it is proven that your equipment has been deliberately damaged by a third party.
As soon as you contact the Glassdrive advisors, we will contact your insurance company to determine what compensation you are entitled to.