Replacement of the side mirror glass on a 2024 Model S Plaid. The glass is held to the actuator backing plate by clips and (on heated/auto-dimming variants) electrical pigtails for the heater and signal harness.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Side mirror glass assembly (heated, with backing plate, LH or RH as required) × 1 — OEM Tesla Model S (2021+ refresh) mirror glass — verify LH vs RH and heated/auto-dim variant by VIN

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place in P, and engage the parking brake.
2. Exit ALL doors with the key fob away from the vehicle. Wait at least 2 minutes for HV systems to fully de-energize, even on this non-HV job.
3. Disconnect the 12V low-voltage battery in the frunk (under the nose cowl panel). If your Plaid is equipped with the 16V lithium unit under the rear seat, disconnect that instead per architecture notes.
4. DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable — these are high-voltage and lethal.
5. If at any point you encounter an orange cable, an HV component, or are unsure if a system is de-energized: STOP and consult a Tesla-certified technician.
6. Fold the mirror out (powered fold) before disconnecting 12V if possible, to give better access to the bottom edge of the glass.
7. Inspect the new mirror glass — confirm heater tabs and (if equipped) auto-dim/BSM connector match the original.
8. Apply painter's tape around the mirror housing perimeter to protect the painted shell from pry tool marks.

Procedure

1. 1

   Tilt the mirror glass for access
   Before disconnecting the 12V, use the in-car mirror controls to tilt the mirror glass fully INWARD at the top (so the bottom of the glass moves outward, away from the housing). This exposes the lower edge for prying. Then complete the 12V disconnect from the preparation steps.
2. 2

   Release the lower glass clips
   Insert a wide plastic pry tool between the bottom edge of the glass backing plate and the mirror housing. Apply gentle, even outward pressure until you feel the lower retaining clips release from the actuator gimbal. Work slowly — the backing plate is plastic and the clips can crack if forced cold; if working below ~10°C/50°F, warm the mirror first.
   ⚠Do not pry against the painted housing edge. Pry only against the rigid plastic backing plate behind the glass.
3. 3

   Tilt and free the upper clips
   Once the lower clips release, tilt the bottom of the glass outward and lift slightly to disengage the upper retainers from the actuator. The glass should now hang on its electrical pigtails only.
4. 4

   Disconnect heater and signal harness
   Unplug the two spade terminals from the heater grid on the back of the glass. If the mirror is equipped with auto-dim or blind-spot indicator integrated into the glass, depress the connector tab and unplug the small multi-pin connector. Note terminal orientation — heater spades are typically not polarity-sensitive but the multi-pin connector is keyed.
   ℹ️If a spade terminal pulls out of the harness instead of off the glass tab, reseat it firmly into the harness housing before reconnecting.
5. 5

   Inspect the actuator and housing
   With the glass removed, inspect the actuator gimbal for cracked clip retainers, water intrusion, or seized motors. Inspect the housing drain channels for debris. This is the only time you'll have easy access — clean any debris and verify the actuator moves freely with 12V reconnected briefly if desired (otherwise leave 12V disconnected for the install).
6. 6

   Connect harness to new glass
   Plug the heater spade terminals onto the new glass heater tabs. Reconnect the multi-pin connector (if equipped) until it clicks. Verify the harness routing does not bind behind the glass — it should sit in the molded channel of the actuator.
7. 7

   Seat the new glass onto the actuator
   Align the upper clips of the new backing plate with the upper hooks of the actuator first. Then press the lower half of the glass straight inward with palm pressure distributed across the backing plate (not the glass face). You should feel and hear each clip snap home. Confirm the glass sits flush all the way around with no high corner.
   ⚠Press only on the rigid plastic backing area, not on the glass center — pressing on the glass alone can crack it or damage the heater grid.

Reassembly

1. Remove protective painter's tape from around the mirror housing.
2. Reconnect the 12V (or 16V) low-voltage battery and secure the terminal to manufacturer specification.
3. Close the frunk and re-seat the cowl panel.
4. Allow the vehicle to wake fully (touchscreen boot complete) before testing mirror functions.

Verification

• Cycle the mirror through full up/down/left/right travel using the steering wheel scroll controls — confirm smooth motion with no binding or clip noise.
• Activate rear defrost (which also energizes mirror heaters on this platform) and verify the new glass warms within 1–2 minutes by touch.
• If equipped with auto-dim, cover the interior rearview sensor at night or in a dark garage and verify the side mirror also dims.
• If equipped with blind-spot/turn-signal indicator in the glass, verify the indicator illuminates with the corresponding turn signal.
• Drive at low speed and check the glass is securely retained — listen for rattles or wind whistle from the housing.
• Note: this job is not on a Tesla service interval, but while the 12V is disconnected it's a good opportunity to check 12V battery age (3–5 years typical AGM life).

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