My '16 CX-5 sport rear view mirror sometimes comes off the sliding clip when I am putting a sunshade on. I notice there seems to be some sort of screw that probably needs to be tightened to secure it. I can manually slide the mirror back on the clip but maybe that screw needs to be tightened to hold it.
2016 CX-5 Rear view mirror falls off
- Thread starter txt990
- Start date
Do you know the size of the screw and type of screwdriver I need to use?
I don't know for sure even though I have a 16 but I would bet it's probably an allen screw and you would need a allen wrench.
Something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)
Found this video on youtube and it shows a mirror being replaced for a mazda cx-5 2016. he claims to use a Torx bit T20 to remove the screw. (43 seconds into the video)
Mazda CX 5 Auto dimming Rear view mirror replacement. DIY.
Hi guys , another short video. I'm wondering if your car has the same issue as mine ? Old car problems.... Unfortunately there's no body here in my area that...
www.youtube.com
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- Plano, Texas, USA
Here’s my 2016 CX-5 GT looks like and it does use a T20 Torx bolt:
How To Remove the Sensor Cover Behind the Windshield
I finally decided to do something to our loose auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink on Sunday before the weather is getting too cold and the tabs of plastic cover may become less flexible and more fragile. I guess I was lucky none of the tabs been broken after I separated the windshield sensor cover. Again thanks to Kedis82ZE8 otherwise I would need to get the new cover!
The T20 screw holding the heavy mirror was loose. I tightened it up but not too much as I'm fully aware the weak windshield issue on CX-5 and many people had line crack developed from this sensor area due to stress fracture which might be caused by the heavy mirror attached to a small metal plate glued to the windshield, definitely not sensors as these sensors looked pretty light-weighted and attached to larger area of the windshield.
I've seen at least one forum member mentioned having the loose auto-dimming rearview mirror. That's why I went ahead and checked ours for sure ours was loose too. I suspect Mazda is intentionally not putting enough torque on this T20 screw to prevent adding too much uneven force by the screw itself against the metal plate and windshield, hence loose mirror after the delivery. But leaving the mirror loose may also contribute possibility of line crack on windshield as the base of the mirror will keep banging the windshield. To me, the design needs to be improved. At least the metal plate which glued to the windshield where the heavy mirror attached to should be larger and thicker!
Now your 2016 CX-5 Sport may not have auto-dimming mirror and / or sensor cover. Can you tell the loose bolt is missing?
Mine doesn't have the auto dimming feature. I believe on mine the screw has to be tightened. The screw looks exactly like yours and the one in the video. Just need to get that screwdriver.
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- 2016.5 CX-5 GT AWD titanium/black 2016 Miata Club ST MT white
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I hear ya. Maybe there's a cell phone app that can be used to tighten it. GMAFBYou think?
I was just trying to figure out the screw type, that's all. Anyway, have figured it out and solved the problem. Thank you!You think?
Sorry for all the foolishness on your post. What type of screw was it and what did you use?
I have a 16 Touring as well as a 19 Reserve and I was curious.
Too lazy to go out to the garage and check mine.
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- Plano, Texas, USA
See post #6、#7 above. Looks like they’re all the same for the CX-5, a Torx T20 pointed-tip screw. And here’s another look from a 2023 CX-5:
New member here ⋯
However, when the shop did the windshield, they removed the homelink mirror. And they failed to put back the torx screw, which caused the mirror to be loose.
View attachment 321628
This mirror screw is prone to get loose all the time. My mirror is loose again after I tightened it up 3 times. And you don’t want to make it too tight, or you may crack the windshield. There’s a Service Alert for that, only 15 in•lbf (1.25 ft•lbs which is very light) recommended.
I just went back to and untightened the screw because I think I had tightened it a little too much. Then just tightened it enough, but not too much.
Do you have the link to the service alert by any chance?
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- Plano, Texas, USA
Sorry, I don’t. The Service Advisor mentioned there’s an SA warning them not to make that screw too tight on the mirror when the customers complain about the loose mirror. I was concerned about possible cracking the windshield from the neighborhood area around the mirror base reported so many times at the time when I brought my CX-5 in for loose mirror problem under warranty.
15 in•lbf is the torque spec for the screw. You can buy a small ¼” torque wrench to verify if you’re interested.
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- Plano, Texas, USA
So, your mirror keeps getting loose even though you have tightened it three times in the past? When you actually tighten the screw, how many turns to hold it? Just asking since turning it too many times can potentially crack the windshield.
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- Plano, Texas, USA
I couldn’t remember how many turns, I only use my feeling that hand tight is good enough and there’s no play exist. I’d say no more than a quarter turn after the tip of the screw contact the aluminum base plate.
But your Torx T20 screw from Walmart won’t have the pointed-tip like the original mirror screw (see picture above in post #12) and that could change everything though. IMO the mirror screw is almost impossible fallen off completely by itself unless someone unscrewed it. Are you sure you can’t find the original screw somewhere on the floor? If the Walmart screw keeps getting loose often, you may try to get the original mirror screw from a Mazda dealer.
