What are the mirror turn signals and where are they located? 

Some recent model cars come with additional turn signal lights mounted on the back of the mirror housing.  When you turn your directional on, the mirror turn signal on the same side will blink in time with the turn signal light on the front of your car.  The additional lights make it a little bit easier for other drivers to see when you put your directional on, helping you communicate and making the roads just a little bit safer. 

How do I know if my mirror turn signals need to be replaced?     

Mirror turn signals usually have a plastic lens, just like your car’s other lights.  The lens can get scratched up or cloudy over time, making your signal lights dimmer.  If moisture gets inside the lens, that can also make your lights cloudy or damage the bulbs or wiring, which will obviously keep your signal lights from working. 

Sticking out on your mirrors, these lights are also more exposed than your other lights and may get cracked by flying road debris, car accidents, or vandalism.  If your mirror turn signal lights are losing function — or just don’t look good any more — you might want to replace them. 

Can I replace the mirror turn signals myself?  

Replacing your mirror turn signal can take some patience and diligence, but is within the grasp of the average do-it-yourselfer.  The job will vary somewhat from one vehicle to another.  You may need to remove the cap from the back of the mirror.  Often these can be pried off by hand, but sometimes there may be screws or plastic fasteners.  Then, you’ll likely have to remove the mirror glass.  The turn signal may be held in place by screws behind the mirror glass.  Remove the screws and you can pull off the signal light.  Then simply disconnect the signal light bulbs.  You can reverse this procedure to install the new mirror turn signal light and put the mirror back together.