Replacement options for broken glass for side mirror. Heated?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by M123, Mar 27, 2026 at 6:52 PM.

  1. M123

    M123 Junior Member

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    The passenger side mirror on my 2013 Prius 2 is cracked. I'm thinking through options for replacement.

    First, any way to tell for sure if it's heated? I assume it is, based on the model and year, but not 100% sure. I tried turning on the rear defrost to see if it heated up, but to the touch I can't tell.

    Option 1: Buy a Burco glass replacement, not heated, and attach it to the current broken mirror.

    Option 2: Buy a Bruco heated replacement, break the broken glass out of there, and install.

    Option 3: Buy a complete replacement mirror, take the door panel apart, and install.

    Thoughts?
     

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  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Option 4: Buy the replacement mirror glass from Toyota, pop out the old broken one, pop in the new one, move on to next project. (y)

    Full disclosure: I've never had to do this on gen 3. You can read this post about how it worked in gen 1. I'm pretty confident it's very similar for gen 3.

    That linked post was in a thread where someone needed to replace the mirror's color cover, which it doesn't sound like you need, so you can disregard the extra words about that.
     
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Aren't all the Gen 3s heated by default I thought. And heater pad are part of glass or glued on so we'll . All the Gen 3s I've seen are heated and have two pins on the back to connect to the electric system
     
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Yes, when you buy the right glass part number at a Toyota dealer, you'll end up getting the right glass. When it's heated, there will be an electrical connector on it.
     
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Well you can go to the wrong place and buy the mirror both heated and unheated I thought it was all of em . The place I go to has them both and I think you can get both of the plates online fairly inexpensively
     
  6. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Replacement side rear mirrors assemblies for Toyota are super cheap online, like only $30... Or go to a wrecker and it's like three easy bolts to remove the whole assembly and probably cost $40. The plastic cover on the back of the mirror that's usually same color as your car just pops off and you can put it on the new one.
     
  7. M123

    M123 Junior Member

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  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I've bought online glass plates before that really were just the glass plate.

    When you buy it from Toyota, it's the glass plate mounted in the thin plastic frame with the clips allowing you to pop it right into place in the mirror once you have popped the old one out.

    If you get a plain glass plate, you then have to separate the frame and its adhesive from the old broken glass and transfer it to the new one, which is more work.
     
  9. M123

    M123 Junior Member

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    Interesting, @ChapmanF. Does this video illustrate the correct popping motion -- - YouTube ? Basically, reach behind the mirror and pull?
     
  10. M123

    M123 Junior Member

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    Interesting, @ChapmanF. Does this video illustrate the correct popping motion -- - YouTube ? Basically, reach behind the mirror and pull?
     
  11. M123

    M123 Junior Member

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    Interesting! Does this video illustrate the correct popping motion -- - YouTube ? Basically, reach behind the mirror and pull?
     
  12. M123

    M123 Junior Member

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    Argh, sorry for the multiple copies of the same post-- computer was being buggy!
     
  13. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Did you follow the link I gave in post #2?

    That photo shows the frame from the back (it's from gen 1, though, so might not be identical), showing the snappy clips at the bottom and the tilty clips at the top.

    My approach is to slide a screwdriver right up below where the snappy clips are, and give a little twist to pop them loose. I've never tried just grabbing the bottom edge and yanking, but then, if the glass is already busted, maybe no reason not to try.

    Edit: looked in the gen 3 manual, they suggest a wider "molding remover" tool at the bottom edge, essentially the same as a yank. After putting some protective tape on the lower lip of the housing where the tool would bear against it.

    [​IMG]

    Once you have it popped out, if it's heated, you find a couple little electrical connectors to unhook. and if it isn't, you don't.

    [​IMG]
     

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    #13 ChapmanF, Mar 28, 2026 at 11:53 AM
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2026 at 12:06 PM