Ford Repair: Ford Explorer Passenger side mirror blew out., mirror glass, mirror assembly

Question
Is it possible for a side mirror to basically explode without anything hitting it?  I was driving threw an intersection with my 1997 Ford Explorer, there weren't any cars to my right and my passenger side mirror actually blew up.  It made a huge noise and the glass hit the passenger window so hard that it actually scratched the glass.  The rest of the mirror is completely intact and untouched, only the glass was completely shattered and the plastic piece it is attached to was hanging on by one of the plastic inserts.  

Thank you,
Bambi

Answer
I have never heard of a mirror glass exploding for no reason.  If the mirror was cracked or loose, it may have broken while driving over a bump or pothole, but the plastic piece behind the glass would still be intact and not "hanging".  The door glass is thick and tempered, and I doubt that the thin and brittle mirror glass damaged it.  I suspect that a stone or something hit both pieces of glass while you were driving.  If the mirror motor still works and the center mirror glass mount isn't damaged, you may be able to buy just the mirror glass assembly from the dealer.  If the center mounting post and adjusters and still intact on the plastic plate, a glass store may be able to glue in new glass.  Otherwise, the whole mirror assembly will have to be replaced for around $250-$300.  Explorers are very popular and you may be able to find a cheap used part at an auto parts recycler/junk yard.

I hope this helps,
Dave