Regarding rear view mirror with electrochromic feature, compass, rain sensor. Only the mirror, not the mount.

All but 1 of the plastic 'tangs' that help secure the mirror to the ball stud with the aid of a retaining ring gave out, & mirror was left hanging by a wire. It appears to be a single thick black wire, or wires in black insulation. It goes directly into the back of the mirror. There's no visible connector.

How would I go about disconnecting the wire?

Can the back of the mirror be separated?

Thanks.

 

There should be a wire connector above the overhead console you can unplug.

 

Thanks. I'll look for it.

Can the mirror backing be separated?

 

Well of course!!! But I'm further assuming you mean in such a manner as to be capable of a proper re-assembly? That I'm less certain of.

There is a fellow here in the DFW area that refurbishes the auto-dimming mirrors found on the X300's. So they can be dis-assembled. The only electrochromic failures I've experienced on the S-types thus far was the driver's side mirror. I just bit the bullet and replaced it.

 

What I was trying to do was separate the mirror completely from the ball stud, & remove the mirror's back cover. Once again, this was for a mirror with the electrochromic feature, compass, & rain sensor (XR825753).

My mirror doesn't have map lights. Regarding the two map light delete covers... Trying to remove them may cause their locking tabs to break. It may be best to leave them in place. I removed mine for this task, resulting in broken lock tabs.

Steps to separate mirror from ball stud assembly & separating back cover of mirror from front frame...

1. Pop off the big plastic mount cover/ball stud assembly from the windshield mount, & disconnect the 3-pin connector for the thick-insulated wiring.

2, Two of the 3 'flanges' at the ball stud hole on the back cover of this mirror were already gone, so the mirror was already dangling. In the case of a mirror that isn't that far gone, you'd have to slide the retaining ring away from the mirror assembly rear cover, removing pressure from the flanges. The mirror should be able to be carefully pulled away from the ball stud. Be aware that the plastic flanges at the ball stud hole on the back cover of the mirror are delicate. Age, & interior temperature extremes seems to contribute to them becoming frail.

3, Inside the big plastic mount cover, unplug the connector from the circuit card.

4. Remove 3 screws that secure the metal ball stud assembly to the big plastic mount cover.

5. Manipulate the ball stud assembly to give enough space to feed the thick-insulated wiring/connector out thru the ball stud hole.

6. Carefully, with equal grip & less than moderate force, pull apart the mirror back cover from the front frame. This surprisingly happened quickly & was rather easy. It appears the back cover is lightly glued to the front frame. Be careful that the mirror doesn't fall out. It didn't seem like it could do so easily, but it would be best to do this step above a folded towel on a table top, instead of 4 feet above the floor.

7. Disconnect a 3-pin connector from the circuit card that is attached to back of the actual mirror. This connector is for wires that run thru the center of the ball stud. Remove the wire/connector thru the ball stud hole on the mirror's back cover.

8. Disconnect the thick-insulated wiring connector from the circuit card on the back of the actual mirror. The wiring/connector can be carefully pulled thru the back of the mirror via an oval slot, paying attention not to separate any wires from the connector.

The mirror's back cover is now completely separated & isolated from everything else.

What an XR825753 mirror's back & ball stud looks like...