Mechanic’s Review: Ford F-150 Kool Vue Rear View Mirror

Reviewed by

Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician

Technical Reviewer at CarParts.com

Written by CarParts.com Research Team - Updated on April 25th, 2024

Reading Time: 4 minutes
Summary
  • The Kool Vue rear view mirror came in a thin plastic sleeve and is very impressive as soon as you get a good look at it.
  • While it doesn’t come with instructions, installation is simple and straightforward with brackets. You need to be careful, however, so as not to do any damage.
  • At $19, the mirror provides great functionality by significantly improving rear visibility, allowing you to see more of your cargo area and blind spots.

Key Information

Why You May Need a Kool Vue Rear View Mirror

The OEM mirror can’t provide nearly such a wide range of view. If your mirror is losing its “silver” and you’re frustrated at the limited field of view you’re getting with the mirror that came on your car, this universal unit is a great choice.

An old F-150 rear view mirror that’s losing its silver | Image Source: Richard McCuistian

Product Review

Kool Vue Rear View Mirror

The Kool Vue rear view mirror, priced at $19, impresses with its design, offers simple installation, and greatly improves rear visibility.

Price may change from the time the review is published. This product is also available from other stores.

Why You Should Trust This Review

  • This is an unbiased review. The product reviewer agreed with CarParts.com to provide a completely unbiased review of the product. The reviewer did not receive any monetary compensation for this review.
  • The product reviewer is an expert in their field. CarParts.com strives to provide quality product reviews that look at key aspects customers care about. To achieve this goal, we work with professional mechanics and automotive enthusiasts experienced in DIY auto repair and maintenance who have high standards when it comes to performance, durability, ease of installation, and pricing among other things.
  • You’re seeing actual photos and videos of products ordered from CarParts.com. The products sent to the reviewer were not pre-selected to choose the best of their kind. The products were ordered and shipped to the reviewer the same way for most customers.

Initial Observations

The Kool Vue rear view mirror is perfectly made and easy to mount. The unit came in a thin plastic sleeve and is very impressive as soon as you get a good look at it. It has the “Objects in Mirror are Closer Than They Appear” warning so when you see a T-Rex behind you, look out!

The Fit

This mirror has perfect fit. It will easily clamp onto just about any inside existing rearview mirror.

Installation

The rear view mirror is easy to install but be careful. If you try to force this unit on the existing mirror, you’ll cause damage, so pay attention to the way it works. The release button is in the middle on the bottom of the mirror, and you keep your thumb off of that until you get the lower brackets (the ones with the “swinging tabs”) pulled all the way down against their spring pressure. They’ll lock in that position until you release them with the button on the bottom of the mirror.

Then you hook the upper brackets over the mirror with the lower brackets, apply pressure to the release button, and the lower brackets firmly grab the existing OEM mirror. Voila! The whole process takes about 60 seconds.

Performance and Overall Quality

A new universal Kool Vue rear view mirror installed on a 2007 Ford F-150 | Image Source: Richard McCuistian

Driving with this outstanding rearview mirror provides a brand new experience. I can now see my cargo area (never could before) as well as the places where vehicles like to ride in my blind spot. This mirror is a must-have for vehicles without fancy cameras and radar.

Pros and Cons

This $19 mirror is comparable in price but superior in function and ease of installation to a similar mirror I purchased on Amazon a year ago for my other vehicle. Also, inside rearview mirrors of this type are very difficult to find in local chain parts stores, so no comparison could be made to locally purchased comparable products.

Pros

  • Easy and very quick installation – nice, well-engineered spring-loaded bracketry that can be latched open and then released to attach to the existing mirror. No tools needed.
  • Provides far superior rear view than the smaller flat mirror that came OEM, significantly enhancing driving safety and function.

Cons

  • No accompanying instructions of any kind were sent with it. Had to figure out exactly how to install it (although it wasn’t that challenging).

The Verdict

Before you decide to replace your existing rearview with another one like it, get one of these – you won’t be sorry!

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About The Author
Reviewed By Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician

Technical Reviewer at CarParts.com

Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. Richard is ASE certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.

Written By CarParts.com Research Team

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