Buy Nissan Pathfinder Side View Mirrors

Quick summary: This guide covers everything a Nissan Pathfinder owner or technician might want to know about the side-view mirror (also called a door mirror, wing mirror, or side-glass).

Overview

The Nissan Pathfinder has been on the road since 1985 and is now in its fifth generation, so mirror design and wiring changed several times. (Wikipedia) All generations use an exterior mirror mounted on the driver and passenger doors that gives the driver a clear view of traffic beside and behind the SUV. (NHTSA)

Fitment Years

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Key Features

• Power adjustment lets you tilt the glass with door-panel switches on most trims since 1996. (Nissan USA)
• Heated glass clears frost in under two minutes when the rear-defrost button is pressed (R50-up). (Nissan Owners)
• Memory positioning stores two driver presets starting with some 2017 SL/Platinum models. (Nissan USA)
• Turn-signal indicators increase side visibility for other drivers (standard on many 2017-up trims). (Amazon)
• Blind-spot warning (BSW) lamp glows amber on the glass when radar detects a vehicle in the danger zone. (Nissan)
• Around-View® camera sits under the mirror cap on R52+ to give a bird's-eye parking view. (YouTube)

Safety & Rules

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 tells automakers exactly how large and how adjustable rear-view mirrors must be. (NHTSA) When fitted with BSW, IIHS studies show lane-change crashes fall by roughly 14 percent. (IIHS) Pathfinder owners should also know that oversized housings can block forward view at crosswalks, a complaint noted by early R52 drivers. (Pathfinder Talk)

Mirror Types

• Manual - basic glass you push by hand (early WD21 base).
• Power - electric motor (most trims since 1996).
• Heated - electric defroster grid.
• Tow mirror - wider aftermarket shell for trailer duty.
• Signal/LED - built-in flasher strip.
• Camera mirror - factory surround-view or aftermarket DVR.
• Aspheric/BSD - outer convex band to shrink blind spots, a design explored by SAE. (SAE International)

Installation Steps

1. Pop the interior sail-panel trim with a plastic pry tool.
2. Unplug the wire harness; note pin pattern.
3. Support the mirror and remove the 3 nuts with a 10 mm socket.
4. Lift the old unit away and seat the new one through the studs.
5. Torque nuts snugly (9 N·m).
6. Reconnect harness, cycle glass, and test features.
   A full video walk-through for 2013-20 models follows the same steps. (YouTube)

Adjust & Use

Setting mirrors correctly nearly erases side blind spots. Car and Driver recommends angling each mirror outward until a passing car leaves the center mirror and just appears on the side glass. (Car and Driver) Wikipedia's blind-spot article explains why this geometry works. (Wikipedia)

Care & Maintenance

• Wash with mild soap; avoid ammonia on the housing paint.
• Lubricate folding hinges yearly with silicone spray.
• Cycle the heaters monthly to keep circuits dry.
• Replace cracked glass immediately to stay legal and safe.

Common Issues

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Drivers report the mirror area is costly to fix after a minor scrape because cameras and sensors need precise aiming. (IIHS)

Upgrade Ideas

• Snap-in sequential LED caps for a modern look (no drill). (Amazon)
• Clip-on blind-spot roundels for older trucks.
• Dash display or HUD that replaces the mirror warning lamp to shorten reaction time. (SAE Mobilus)
• Hydrophobic nano-coating to repel rain.

Green Disposal

Broken housings are mostly ABS plastic and painted caps; both are recyclable in code 7 streams where facilities accept them. Mirror glass can be separated and sent to glass recycling. Nissan's parts site encourages returning damaged cores when possible. (Nissan Parts)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What size is the Pathfinder mirror glass?
A: Roughly 7 inches tall by 5 inches wide on 2013-20 models; always measure yours before ordering.

Q: Can I swap a mirror with camera onto a trim that didn't come with one?
A: Physically yes, but the wiring harness and ECU programming must support the camera feed or you'll have no video. (YouTube)

Q: Does the heated mirror turn on automatically?
A: It activates whenever you press the rear-defrost button and stays on for about 15 minutes. (Nissan USA)

Q: Are aftermarket tow mirrors legal?
A: Yes, as long as they meet FMVSS 111 field-of-view requirements and don't exceed local width limits. (NHTSA)

Q: How much safer is Blind-Spot Warning?
A: Research shows BSW lowers lane-change crashes by about 14 percent. (IIHS)

Q: My BSW light stopped working; what first?
A: Check the settings menu to be sure the system is still turned on before pulling the door panel. (Pathfinder Talk)

Q: The mirror housing is huge-can I get a smaller one?
A: Nissan did not offer a smaller shell, but folding the mirror in at crowded intersections helps. (Pathfinder Talk)

Q: Does replacing the mirror void warranty?
A: Using a quality part that meets Nissan specs and installing it correctly will not affect standard warranty coverage on unrelated systems.

Q: Will the memory mirror lose settings if the battery is disconnected?
A: Yes. Re-store your positions after reconnecting the battery. (Nissan USA)

Q: What torque spec for mounting nuts?
A: About 80 inch-pounds (9 N·m) keeps the housing snug without cracking the plastic.