Rear view mirror plastic housing not flush against windshield

[Wakesnowb]

I noticed today that the plastic housing behind the rear view mirror is not sitting flush against the windshield on the passenger side but it is flush on the drivers side. I took a couple pictures showing both driver side that’s flush and passenger side that is not flush to the windshield (photos are a little sideways, should be rotated 90 degrees to the right to make right side up). Anyone ever take this piece off before and put it back? Is it easy? I’m scared to mess with it as I don’t want to break any clips or mess anything up. Do you think it is an easy fix?

 

[Dusty1948]

I noticed today that the plastic housing behind the rear view mirror is not sitting flush against the windshield on the passenger side but it is flush on the drivers side. I took a couple pictures showing both driver side that’s flush and passenger side that is not flush to the windshield (photos are a little sideways, should be rotated 90 degrees to the right to make right side up). Anyone ever take this piece off before and put it back? Is it easy? I’m scared to mess with it as I don’t want to break any clips or mess anything up. Do you think it is an easy fix?

I see you have the Driver's Assistance Module. It looks to me as if the lower portion of the cover didn't make the retaining clips. Have you tried to seat it by pushing on the cover towards the windshield?

Here are the service manual removal steps:

1. Using a trim stick or equivalent, remove the upper mirror bracket cover (1). (Fig 1)
2. Using a trim stick or equivalent, remove the lower mirror bracket cover (1). (Fig 2)
3. After the mirror cover is removed disconnect the mirror wire harness connector (1). (not shown)

Hope this helps.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 031839 miles.

 

[Big White RAM]

I had the exact same problem with my mirror cover. The cause of the cover not being flush to the windshield on the passenger side, is a wire harness that is routed OVER the bracket contact point near the top of the windshield, instead of being routed AROUND it. This causes the cover to not sit flush to the contact point where the clip is. After removing the cover, you will see the harness in question. Simply move it toward the other harness and use a small zip tie to secure it out if the way; then re install the cover and front panel. Hope this helps.

 

[Wakesnowb]

I see you have the Driver's Assistance Module. It looks to me as if the lower portion of the cover didn't make the retaining clips. Have you tried to seat it by pushing on the cover towards the windshield?

Here are the service manual removal steps:

1. Using a trim stick or equivalent, remove the upper mirror bracket cover (1). (Fig 1)
2. Using a trim stick or equivalent, remove the lower mirror bracket cover (1). (Fig 2)
3. After the mirror cover is removed disconnect the mirror wire harness connector (1). (not shown)

Hope this helps.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 031839 miles.

Thanks for he response. Hopefully removing the covers goes smooth and I don’t break any of those little tabs.

 

[Wakesnowb]

I had the exact same problem with my mirror cover. The cause of the cover not being flush to the windshield on the passenger side, is a wire harness that is routed OVER the bracket contact point near the top of the windshield, instead of being routed AROUND it. This causes the cover to not sit flush to the contact point where the clip is. After removing the cover, you will see the harness in question. Simply move it toward the other harness and use a small zip tie to secure it out if the way; then re install the cover and front panel. Hope this helps.

Thanks much for responding. Any tricks to removing the cover so I don’t break anything? Did you remove both the upper and lower bracket covers like Dusty outlined? Thanks!

 

[ericd]

Be careful pushing it back up. My vehicle was in for service and at some point my mirror came loose and was dangling in that housing. The technician removed that housing and when he went to snap it back in he cracked the windshield with very little upward pressure.

 

[Dusty1948]

Be careful pushing it back up. My vehicle was in for service and at some point my mirror came loose and was dangling in that housing. The technician removed that housing and when he went to snap it back in he cracked the windshield with very little upward pressure. View attachment 53148

Something tells me that the "upward pressure" was really an impact. Windshields aren't that easy to break.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 031839 miles.

 

[Big White RAM]

Thanks much for responding. Any tricks to removing the cover so I don’t break anything? Did you remove both the upper and lower bracket covers like Dusty outlined? Thanks!

Yes, you have to remove the small cover directly in back of the mirror first. I used a spring removal tool (basically a "T" handle with a hook on the end) and pulled directly forward from the top)! Once the top is out, lift up and out. The remaining cover just pulls straight down after inserting a trim removal tool under the lower corner on the passenger side. There are 4 metal clips, so there is really nothing that can break in terms of plastic.

 

[Big White RAM]

Also, I have removed the mirror cover on my Ram a few times, in order to diagnose a "tick/click" that was coming from the housing when the temperature was cold. I posted the topic in the "interior" section under "rearview mirror tick/click solved", and included pictures of the covers, etc. Check that out before you attempt removal. It gets much easier the more you do it. Lol

 

[ericd]

Something tells me that the "upward pressure" was really an impact. Windshields aren't that easy to break.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 031839 miles.

yea possibly. that's the story I got at least

 

[Wakesnowb]

Got it done! Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Big White RAM]

Awesome!! Glad we could help. Was it the harness that I had mentioned?

 

[Wakesnowb]

Awesome!! Glad we could help. Was it the harness that I had mentioned?

Yes sir, the harness wasn’t directly over the main snap thingy but was close enough to effect it. I pulled it out of the way and over some other long vertical post thingy. Didn’t have enough slack to route the harness around everything but I rerouted it over top of long vertical post thingy and had plenty of clearance to the cap. Short answer, you were spot on that it was the harness. Popping out the small cover first was a bit nerve racking but it finally popped out and I checked and all those little tabs still looked good, that was a relief lol. Snap it all back together and looks good!

 

[Big White RAM]

Excellent! Yes, removing the small cover for the first time is nerve racking indeed, but becomes second nature thereafter. I've had to remove my cover quite a few times to diagnose and eliminate an annoying "click/tick" noise coming from the cover area. Yesterday, I removed it for the final time (hopefully) as I discovered a loose wire connector that needed to be zip tied (in red). Between felt padding and that, I have done all I can to quiet things, and will test drive it later today. I took a picture showing the connector, in case you have an issue with noise in the future; it also shows the harness that I relocated and also zip tied (in black).

 

[Boosty88]

Excellent! Yes, removing the small cover for the first time is nerve racking indeed, but becomes second nature thereafter. I've had to remove my cover quite a few times View attachment 53331 View attachment 53330 View attachment 53331 to diagnose and eliminate an annoying "click/tick" noise coming from the cover area. Yesterday, I removed it for the final time (hopefully) as I discovered a loose wire connector that needed to be zip tied (in red). Between felt padding and that, I have done all I can to quiet things, and will test drive it later today. I took a picture showing the connector, in case you have an issue with noise in the future; it also shows the harness that I relocated and also zip tied (in black).

Where exactly are you pulling on that upper trim piece to get it out? Trying to get the small cover out and afraid I’m not pulling in the right area and going to break the tabs.

 

[Wakesnowb]

I believe you pull right where this arrow is pointing if I remember right:

 

[Big White RAM]

That's exactly where you pull the cover off. I put a piece of thin cardboard between that cover and the headliner so it wouldnt catch on the headliner material when I removed it; the same for installation.

 

[IndianaRoy]

I had an issue trying to remove my large plastic trim on my 2020 ram limited. Could not find anything that really shows how to get it off. Mine was on extremely tight and would not come off. I thought I would share my experience with what I did.
After removing the small center cover (see below). I had to use a metal blade screwdriver under the small opening on the lower passenger side of the trim and pry pretty hard to get the 4 clips to release. It came off rather violently.
I had to "repair" all the small "teeth" on the clips when I reinstalled it. They all bent away from the windshield when I removed the trim.

I was able to get it all back together once I finished tapping into the mirror and map light wiring to provide power for my dash camera, but it was definitely a painful experience.
I hope this helps anyone else that needs it.

 

[Chemesherpa]

I'm trying to understand how to remove the small plastic piece behind the mirror. I guess that is first. But are you supposed to insert something at the location of each of the clips to pry one clip out at a time?

I tried my thinnest electronics flat head screw driver and it's still too thick... Almost impossibly thin at the clip locations to insert anything... Maybe a feeler gauge...

But then earlier in the thread some are saying to pull from top center from behind the headliner? Do you just pull until the top two clips pop out by force? What about the bottom 2 clips?

I don't want to break the plastic clips and I also don't want to scratch or mar the outside of it by shoving something in where isn't not supposed to.

I really wish there was a video of this but I cannot for the life of me find the words to type to search for this specific thing lol

 

[Chemesherpa]

I had an issue trying to remove my large plastic trim on my 2020 ram limited. Could not find anything that really shows how to get it off. Mine was on extremely tight and would not come off. I thought I would share my experience with what I did.
After removing the small center cover (see below). I had to use a metal blade screwdriver under the small opening on the lower passenger side of the trim and pry pretty hard to get the 4 clips to release. It came off rather violently.
I had to "repair" all the small "teeth" on the clips when I reinstalled it. They all bent away from the windshield when I removed the trim.

I was able to get it all back together once I finished tapping into the mirror and map light wiring to provide power for my dash camera, but it was definitely a painful experience.
I hope this helps anyone else that needs it.

Did you stick the flat head in the gap on picture 1? How did you have enough room? Did you have to go to each of the 4 clips and insert the flat head?