How to Adjust Car Mirrors: 10 Steps
Step 1: Prepare Your Vehicle
Before you start adjusting your car mirrors, ensure the car is parked on level ground and the engine is off. This will help ensure a stable and safe environment for mirror adjustments.
Step 2: Adjust Your Seat
Sit comfortably in the driver’s seat with a proper posture. Ensure your hips are all the way back, and your backrest is upright. This position will allow you to maintain an accurate line of vision when using your mirrors.
Step 3: Locate Your Mirrors
Identify the side-view mirrors located on both sides of the car and the rear-view mirror mounted inside near the top of your windshield.
Step 4: Adjust Rear-View Mirror
First, adjust the rear-view mirror so that you can see directly out of your rear window. When properly adjusted, you should be able to see both rear corners of the vehicle’s body without moving your head.
Step 5: Align Driver’s Side Mirror
To adjust the driver’s side mirror, reach out with your left hand and grasp it gently. Make adjustments as needed so that you can see a small portion of your own car, as well as an unobstructed view of traffic behind you.
Step 6: Align Passenger Side Mirror
Move over to the passenger seat or ask for assistance from someone else to adjust the passenger side mirror for you. Like the driver’s side mirror, make adjustments so that you can see a small portion of your car’s body and an unobstructed view behind.
Step 7: Check Blind Spots
After adjusting your side mirrors, double-check for blind spots by turning your head slightly to view any areas not covered by your mirrors. Make any necessary adjustments until all blind spots are minimized.
Step 8: Observe Parking Lines
Use parking lines or cones as guidance while adjusting. Line up your car with parking lines to ensure a proper view of what to expect while backing up and parking.
Step 9: Test Drive
Take a quick test drive to ensure you are comfortable with the mirror adjustments and that they provide adequate coverage of the area around your vehicle. Make any final adjustments as needed.
Step 10: Regularly Re-Adjust Mirrors
Keep in mind that over time, mirrors may shift out of place due to road conditions or bumping into objects. Remember to re-adjust your mirrors as needed to ensure a safe driving experience and minimize blind spots.