How to replace the mirror switch in a 2003 Honda Civic coupe

If your Honda Civic's mirror switch goes bad (located to the left of the steering column) it's a fairly easy job to replace it yourself, rather than pay someone else to replace it.  You can buy a new switch online from HondaPartsNow for $14.39 (part #2 on the list and diagram) and other than the cost of the switch and any shipping charges, the only thing it will cost you is about 10 or 15 minutes of your time.  (You can also usually find replacement switches on eBay, but if you decide to go that route make sure you're getting the right switch for your year and model, and if it's a used switch, make sure the seller guarantees its operation.)

To remove the switch, you'll first need to loosen the panel that the switch sits in.  All three switches in that row -- cruise control, sunroof, and mirror switches -- are housed in the same panel, just above the small storage compartment by the driver's left knee.  Pull open the cover for this compartment, and you'll see a screw in the upper portion of the compartment.  Remove this screw with a Phillips screwdriver.

The whole compartment will now be slightly loose.  Wiggle it gently to pull it out enough so that you can get in the back of the three switches.  To remove the mirror switch (on the right) first remove the electrical connector leading to it; the white connector that plugs into the black terminal.  Pull this connector away from the switch while at the same time pushing in on the tab on the bottom of the connector.

Once the connector is out, push the switch out the front of its housing by pushing down on the four small tabs -- two on the top and two on the bottom -- and pushing the switch through the panel until it pops free.  With the old switch out, you can now install the new switch by pushing it into the panel, from the back, until it snaps into place.  Then reattach the connector, and push the whole panel assembly back into its original position, so the screw hole in the panel lines up with the screw hole in the frame.  Reattach the screw to secure the panel in place, and you've just finished replacing your mirror switch.

(Originally published on Helium.com, May 2012)