You've probably seen them lying around at the side of the road: someone's outside rearview mirror that's been knocked off by a driver’s not-so-perfect driving. And you realize the person who owns that vehicle now has lost an important safety feature. Having functional mirrors enhances your safety and that of drivers around you.

You probably don't think too much about your mirrors, so now it's time to "reflect" on some signs that yours may have problems. The most obvious one is broken mirror glass. Whether caused by an accident or vandalism, a cracked outside rearview mirror reduces your ability to see your blind spots. In these cases, you may only have to have the glass replaced. Driving blind (without a mirror) can cause serious accidents. Don't put this off.

Another issue is an outside mirror that can't easily be adjusted. Many newer vehicles have power mirrors. They're super convenient when they work but a real pain to adjust when they don't. There can be many things that break the adjustment mechanism: a switch can break, the power supply to the motor can go bad, a motor might fail. In those with manual mechanical adjustments, sometimes the linkage to an inside control can become corroded, frozen, or simply break. Sometimes it's stuck in a locked position, but it can also become so loose in its frame that it won't stay adjusted at all. 

If the mirror will hold its position, a driver can often make an adjustment (with difficulty) by putting down the window and manually pushing the mirror into place. The problem comes when the mirror slips, or a different person drives the vehicle, and the mirror is in the wrong spot. This can be as unsafe as a broken mirror. 

If you live where the weather gets cold enough to fog or ice your outside mirrors, you know how helpful mirror heaters can be. But these, too, can break, either by a broken switch, electrical supply, or heater. You can be driving blind if these heaters aren't working.

Outside rearview mirrors are something good drivers depend on to safely operate their vehicles. The designers took great care to make sure they are easily adjustable and provide the driver with vital traffic position information. If you are having problems with your door mirrors, head over to your NAPA AutoCare Center and get them repaired. If it helps you avoid a major accident or even a tiny fender bender, the price will be well worth it.