Ford Transit/Blind Spot

[3RIVERSGIRL]

Hi everyone,

I bought a 2016 Ford Transit and there is no window in the sliding door.  Because of this there is a huge blind spot on the right.  Not having driven one of these before, can anyone advise how to overcome this?  I have rear windows and a backup camera, so I'm not worried about that.  Just that right side.  Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[highdesertranger]

get real mirrors and learn how to use them. highdesertranger

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Adding a small stick on convex mirror on the right side mirror should help a lot.

Like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Tianmei-piec...2-spons&keywords=stick+on+convex+mirror&psc=1

 

[Gary68]

do you have a convex mirror?

 

[Gary68]

day late dollar short

 

[Almost There]

Convex mirrors on BOTH side mirrors - there's a blind spot on a van that is big enough to lose a small school bus in!

I just replaced the drivers side one on my van and I really like the newer style ones (probably been around for decades but new to me... ) that you can rotate 360 degrees. They're raised on one side so you can actually aim them independently of the base mirror...who knew!!

 

[3RIVERSGIRL]

I've been reading through the suggestions.  I have these mirrors (pic) on either side.  The lower one allows you to see the tires and would be a huge help in a smaller blind spot spot.  Adding a convex mirror (as suggested above) would be an improvement over these?   How big?

 

[ZoNiE]

Have a window installed in the slider. Many vans have this as an option.

 

[3RIVERSGIRL]

Have a window installed in the slider. Many vans have this as an option.

I thought about this but was hoping I wouldn't need to. But I'd rather be broke than dead, right?

 

[SVan]

Yes, that stick-on convex thing helps. Every vehicle is a little different, so you might wanna ask fellow Transit owners @ http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com

 

[LMTLMT]

you should be lucky you have a slide door with no window, one less the black out. when you sitting at the driving position, set the passenger mirror with your eye sight just enough to see the outside of the passenger side and more room for the rest of the mirror to see your blind spots. When making right turns, have your signal on early to acknowledge other drivers you are trying to negotiate a lane change, double check your mirrors and ease into turning and not sudden moves. If for some reason you miss the blind spot and someone is there or someone overtake you to that opening, when u are easing in and not cleared, you'll usually get a honk and retry again. If you turn with sudden moves, you might not have that chance.

I usually get to the lane I want to be in early and not wait last minute. If its doing rush hour traffic and everyone is fighting for every inch, signal early and position your van near the lane divider as a gesture you are trying to change lane and a reasonable driver will usually let you in. If are the drivers are assholes, then you just have to squeeze little by little and keep watching the mirrors and merge your way in.

You'll get familiar to the mirrors, I guarantee it

Best travels.

 

[highdesertranger]

that lower mirror you have should be a convex mirror. adjust it correctly and you should have no blind spot. highdesertranger

 

[John61CT]

Think of all the truck drivers out there unable to look over the shoulder, no rear-view out the back either.

Get good side mirrors, learn to be able to trust yourself using them.

 

[DrJean]

My 2017 has the dual mirrors on each side...  and I thought the 2016s did too.   A Godsend to me.   I now check the lower (blindspot) section before I look into the upper large mirror....since the upper one misses all those about to be crushed if I don't see them when I move over.

I needed to adjust the right mirror a bit differently for those right hand turns, but only a little, so I can see even more.

Maybe if you didn't get these, a local salvage yard might have them, or amazon?  www.fordtransitusaforum.com

 

[Trebor English]

Google search "adjust rear view mirror" then have someone walk around your van in a parking lot so that you can tell where you can and can't see them.  Most people adjust them wrong.  Even when they are already good, many people readjust to ensure that there is a big blind spot.

 

[LoupGarou]

YouTube is your friend.

There's videos on how to adjust mirrors. Driving a large vehicle using mirrors is all about spacial awareness.

 

[hepcat]

I have them on both my b-van and my Kodiak chassis moho. You'll want a convex mirror that is large enough to see what you need to without obscuring your actual mirror. Here's a photo of the mirror on my Kodiak...

20150810-DSCF7486 by Roger H, on Flickr

 

[BobBski]

I have a 2016 Transit too and as HDR says that bottom mirror is a convex mirror and properly adjusted on both sides, there are no blind spots. Once you get used to using your side mirrors you'll wonder how you survived without them.

 

[NaturePhreak]

I had a window installed on my transit sliding door right after driving it off the dealer lot.

 

[deadwood]

The Transit actually has a great set of mirrors. Regular on the top and a nice size convex mirror below it. It takes a little getting used to but the work great. The only thing I find dangerous is when coming up to an angle intersection. The mirrors won't show you what's there and you can't see out the windows. I avoid these as much as possible. Even if I have to turn the van to square it off or I'll just make a right turn when I was trying to go left. The right turn is just safer and I can always turn around.