For most car or truck owners, a problematic or damaged side mirror would qualify as a major annoyance. Ask any true blue Nissan Navara, Patrol, or X Trail owner about misbehaving side mirrors though, and they’ll probably just shrug their shoulders.
Nissan has a reputation for building tough, all-around hard-working trucks and utes that are relatively trouble-free. Side mirror problems, however, especially on the D22 and D40 platforms, are a trait that seemingly every Nissan owner eventually has to confront.
Fortunately, the aftermarket hasn’t turned a blind eye to Nissan’s mirror maladies. There’s a healthy selection of replacement and upgrade mirror options available for Nissan’s full truck lineup that’ll allow owners to put the mirror problems behind them, and to spruce up their truck’s looks at the same time.
Smart Side Mirror Upgrades
As tempting as it may be to just ignore a damaged or dysfunctional side mirror, the Commonwealth and common sense say otherwise. ADR14 (Australian Design Rule) requires every vehicle to have rear vision mirrors that provide a clear and reasonably unobstructed rearward view at all times. It means that if either of your truck’s side mirrors is broken, missing, or can’t be adjusted, then replacing them isn’t an option. It’s all about safety, and replacing your OE Nissan truck side mirror set with upgraded Navara, Patrol, or X Trail mirror sets is going to have it looking better than ever while ensuring it stays roadworthy. This is especially advantageous for models like the D40, where the benefit of having power folding mirrors is lost entirely if they won’t unfold. With top-quality aftermarket mirrors though, you’ll immediately notice how robust the replacement assemblies are when compared to your OE units. They’re durable, they install easily, and they’re the smart upgrade that can save you money.
The Direct Replacement Advantage
When it comes to your mirrors, it’s important to insist on direct bolt-in replacements that are designed to fit and function exactly the way factory assemblies do. Nissan replacements accept all of the OE fittings and pin-out connections, so there’s nothing to modify or rewire. With the door cards and other trim removed for installation, replacements seat perfectly in place of the factory assemblies.
Unpowered, manually-adjusted replacement mirror assemblies for the D21 and D22 Navaras are an instant swap-out for OE units that have been jarred beyond repair by too many door slams. Composition-wise, however, these bone-basic replacements are built to the same standards as mirrors for more technical models, including:
- OE-quality material construction;
- Black or chrome mirror housings; and,
- E-Mark-certified convex mirror glass.
For newer, more full-featured vehicles like D40 Navaras, GU Patrols, and T-30 X-Trails, there are direct replacement Nissan mirrors that are wired to accommodate the full range of OE optional functions, including:
- Power adjusting functionality;
- Power folding functionality;
- Reflector surface heating;
- Indicator signaling; and,
- Underside courtesy lighting.
In short, regardless of whether your truck’s mirrors have taken way too many thumps on crowded streets, encountered too many narrow garages, or in the case of most D22 mirrors, have been retightened so much that they refuse to stop wobbling, there a direct replacement Nissan mirror out there for your model of truck.
Upgrade Your Mirrors for Safety
Beyond the aesthetics and the inconvenience of driving around with a mirror that’s damaged or can’t be adjusted though, there’s the very real problem of safety. It’s easy to get lulled into a sense of complacency if there’s only one good side mirror available; but nothing could be further from the truth.
A lot of what’s going on around your vehicle will inevitably go unnoticed if you don’t have use of both side mirrors. This is particularly true with larger vehicles which, when fitted with even larger tyres and a canopy, can leave you largely unaware of anything that’s outside of your immediate field of vision, resulting in:
- Near complete loss of visibility to vehicles approaching from the rear;
- Inability to safely back up or make lane changes; and,
- Diminished ability to be aware of anything entering your blind spot.
A damaged side mirror also poses a secondary risk of unexpectedly becoming dislodged. It would be regrettable if it happened while the vehicle’s standing still, but potentially catastrophic if it happened while the vehicle was in motion.
Replacing and upgrading your damaged or defective mirrors are the way to avoid these dilemmas. If you’re still not convinced, however, that your visibility might be impeded or that there’s a risk of it falling off, there’s still one very compelling reason why you don’t want to get caught with a bad or missing mirror: the law.
Serviceable Side Mirrors are Mandatory
If there’s any question about what condition your Nissan’s side mirrors need to be in, then ADR14 and a bevy of individual state regulations are very clear about it. If your vehicle was originally fitted with a pair of side mirrors, then a pair has to be attached, unobstructed, and in good working order at all times.
There’s no ambiguity about it. And although the severity of the consequences for not having serviceable side mirrors vary from state to state, you can expect any of the following if pulled over or involved in any type of accident:
- A monetary fine;
- Demerits on your license; and,
- Potentially full liability for the accident if your vehicle is deemed to be in any way unroadworthy.
The price for not paying attention to the condition of your mirrors is simply too high to ignore them. If they need replacing, an upgrade is the way to go.
In Conclusion
At the end of the day, driving around with a damaged or defective side mirror may not seem like a problem, but it is. They’re essential for maintaining visibility of what’s happening around your truck, and it’s impossible to make truly sound driving decisions without them.
If either of the side mirrors on your Navara, Patrol, or X Trail are in need of replacing, then now’s a good time to consider upgrading to a new Nissan truck side mirror set. They’ll give you more than just visibility: they’ll give you the peace of mind knowing that your truck is back to the way that you want it to be.
