How to Remove Mirror Cover on 2013 Tacoma?

** EDIT: Modified this post from a question to an answer **

Although my regular cab base model Tacoma doesn't have cool turn-signal mirrors, I want to color match the mirror covers to look like the sport truck mirrors. Note in the photo below, the entire mirror isn't white, just the mirror cover is:



This lead me to the obvious question: How do I remove the mirror covers?

Thanks to macgyver for his nice post on "How to: Dis-assembling your mirrors for painting", I was able to figure-out how to get the mirror lens off... pull up from the bottom until it pops-off. Here's the back of the mirror itself so you can see how it hooks on the top and why you must pull from the bottom to get it off:



However, macgyver's truck is older than 2012 and I don't think his mirrors have covers. While he chose to remove and paint the entire mirror assembly, us 2012/2013 owners don't have to (assuming you want the OEM look.)

Now that the mirror lens is off, the mystery of how the cover is attached is exposed. I put some red circles around all the points where the mirror cover locks to the mirror itself. To remove the cover, I used a screw driver on the inside to release the tabs while using my finger nails to pry the cap off from the outside so as to not damage anything.



Here's the naked mirror skeleton:



And here's the inside of the mirror cover to show the tabs:



While looking at the mirror lense itself, it's interesting to note that the mirror is slightly transparent. If you had the inclination to do it, adding an LED turn signal kit like the one below probably wouldn't be that hard to do:

 

No one knows?

 

I took the mirrors off and seperated the mirror from the cover to paint mine. Theres no way that i know of to remove the cover (except maybe on the limited) without taking the mirror off.

 

Thanks for the reply. That's a bummer. I'm tempted to just start pulling on the cover and see what happens, but I suppose that could get ugly and end-up costing me more than it's worth.

 

Other toyotas like the hilux and landcruiser you have to pop out the mirror and you can access the tabs behind it to take off the cover.

 

That's what I was hoping for... I haven't built-up enough couraget to pop-off the mirror yet. I suppose I better try or else I'll forever wonder if the covers can come off or not.

 

I have done the 4runner mirror upgrade on my 05 and the newer mirror covers just pop on and you can order all toyota colors from the dealer with or with out turn signals. I'm not sure how hard they are to pop off, the plastic tabs make break easily.

 

I've been wanting to paint mine too but I'm scared to pull out those mirrors let us know what you end up doing

 

Unfortunately, only the caps for mirrors with turn signals are available color-matched from Toyota for the 2012/2013 models... leading me to believe that perhaps the cap won't come off.

 

I've seen some people order these: http://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Tacoma...7544869&sr=8-11&keywords=Tacoma+mirror+covers
And then color match them. It's not perfect but it's pretty close.

 

That's sound right Taco, I used the 2010 4runner limited mirrors with 2012 tacoma covers they fit perfect and color matched perfect, but i have not removed the covers after installing. The older models on tacomas may not remove that way.

 

ya know for a small fee (less than these parts cost to replace if you bust 'em)
you can access TIS and have all the info about every disassemble and reassemble
procedure for anything toyota has...get all the docs in one go for anything you
might think of taking apart.....

 

FYI... for those of you interested in painting your mirror covers, I took apart my mirrors today to figure it out. See my first post for details.

 

Thanks for doing it. Is it possible to pop out the cover without taking off the mirror?

Edwin

 

Hehehe Philpott Toyota

 

Maybe, but it'd be pretty hard hard. You'd have to move the mirror enough to see the tabs that hold the cover on so you could get at them with a screwdriver. Popping off the mirror is easy so I'm not sure why you'd skip that step anyway.

 

Thanks for the input. I Was thinking more of just popping them off from the outside cover (I read somewhere on here that someone did that). I prefer not to take off the mirror only b/c I am afraid of cracking it

Edwin

 

Reviving a dead thread. Sorry, kind of. My 2013 has the turn signals in the mirrors. After A run-in with a tree, I'm about to order and replace one of the covers. A thread I found of the 3rd gen Tacomas shows it just popping off https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2017-tacoma-side-mirror-cover-change.489905/. Does anyone know if this is the case with the 2nd gen as well?

 

Did you discover how to remove the mirror covers?

 

Yes, I went the other way and turned 2012 pwr mirrors into color matched with signals (basically sport mirrors) You pop off the mirror glass and then release cover from inside. RC so having to run wiring from mirrors under hood and tap into blinkers on headlights. Have the owr mirror switch on dash but will have to wire that up manually as well....RC problems, lol......I have a pr of plain black covers with no signal slots I'm never gonna use if anyone needs them............