Electric Door Mirror, Passenger door mirror motor not working.

[JunKie123]

I've checked the switch is OK. The Haynes manual shows a typical circuit but mine has an auto dip function when reverse is selected. Any ideas where I should start looking please. While I was looking I discovered the car has heated mirrors. Neither work and the elements appear open circuit. The supply is good. Has anybody seen this problem. I'm not paying £31 x 2 for a bit of mirror glass....

[xmexclusive]

Hi SplashW

The Little ECU for the dip to the passenger door mirror is on the inside of the door card fixed with two screws just above the red /white light at the bottom of the card. The wiring connector between the door hinges unscrews and provides a test point for door functions. I seem to remember that Noz has put a self help file for repairing the mirror heater wires.

Regards

XMexc

[JunKie123]

Thanks for the info. I'll have a look when I've an hour spare.....
Don't know why I hadn't found the self help file. Sounds good to me. I'd tried resoldering the connectors to no avail and had thought about soaking the glass in petrol to dissolve the glue but putting them in the oven sounds better.

[JunKie123]

The mirror motors wouldn't work because the connector to the control box XMexc mentioned was partially disconnected. The little retaining clip was broken off....
I read Noz's mirror heater repair sheet but decided to soak the mirror in petrol. It worked fine and in 15 minutes the plastic and foam could be peeled off the glass. To my horror I counted 11 pieces of wire instead of just one, all broken at the edges just as Noz described. I've decided to try and find some new wire. The total length is 4.62 metres and the wire is 0.1mm diameter (4 thou in old money).
Splash Womble

[Niek]

Hi guys,

Just hooking into to this thread. What are the odds the 2.5 vsx has the wireing present for the auto-dip (would really like that feature). How do I check, just remove the panel and check above the light?

Cheers,
Niek

[JunKie123]

Not really sure but the controller is about the size of a cigarette box and is fastened to the same fixings as the red/white door open light. The connector is a long multipin controller type plug, green from memory? The controller weighs almost nothing so I doubt there is much in the box but I've no idea how it works or even if the mirror itself is the same.

[xmexclusive]

Hi Niek

All the VSX's I have come across in the UK (RHD) have had the Auto dip fitted as standard. I would expect everthing to be transposed in a LHD car. If you pullout the courtesy light (red/white) in the base of the passenger door trim panel you will find a wide black plastic flap behind it. You should be able to push this flap enough to feel if the dip control box is installed. It mounts on the same 2 screws that fix the flap. I could also work my fingers round the flap and feel the edges of the control box. From this you should know if you have a non working dip inatallation or if you need to get the parts and fit.
If nothing is installed then the mirror mechanism may not support dipping so you might need a recovered door wiring loom, control box and mirror.
Will try to take some photos and post them.
Best of luck with it.

Regards

XMexc

[Peter.N.]

I think it depends on the year, my previous VSX didn't have it but this one does.

Peter.N.

[xmexclusive]

Hi Peter & Niek

I have had a look in my XM brochures. The indexable function on the passenger side door mirror is shown as standard on saloons and estates in all the Mk 2 equipment specification brochures I have. The earliest Mk 2 brochure was K4887 dated 15 June 1994. As the Mk 2 was only introduced in the UK in May 1994 then very few VSX & exclusive Mk 2's will be without the indexing equipment. If it is working or not is another matter altogether. I guess that if you get a car with a mirror that works off the buttons but does not dip then you could well assume that indexing is not fitted.

Regards

XMexc

[Niek]

Thanks guys.
I'll check it out, along with the wireing for the steering wheel radio control buttons...
ps: I'll probably be asking for an auto-dip control box soon

[Peter.N.]

Perhaps the one on my previous VSX didn't work, so I didn't know I had it!