[850] Weird Mirror Adj. Behavior Topic is solved

ToriWhite · Post by **ToriWhite** » 02 Feb 2020, 18:22

For both the Driver's and Passenger's side mirrors on my 96 850 - they follow the console-nubs adjustment in every direction except 'Up'. I can tilt them left, right, down.. but neither of them will tilt up!

Obviously not a major drivability issue, but it is a minor quality-of-life fix I want to attend to, you've got to pepper yourself with some 'easy wins' between the big stuff to keep morale up!

Anyone have any clues what this could be from?

Post by **misha** » 03 Feb 2020, 02:29

If it tries to go up but skips....it's stripped gears.
If it doesn't move at all in that position i would check the adjustment switch(es) and clean the contacts.

Post by **scot850** » 03 Feb 2020, 12:41

Like misha says, if the issue is a common one to both mirrors then it would point to a common issue. The only common issue is the adjustment switch for that direction movement.

Neil.

ToriWhite · Post by **ToriWhite** » 03 Feb 2020, 13:22

misha wrote: 03 Feb 2020, 02:29 If it tries to go up but skips....it's stripped gears.
If it doesn't move at all in that position i would check the adjustment switch(es) and clean the contacts.

scot850 wrote: 03 Feb 2020, 12:41 The only common issue is the adjustment switch for that direction movement.

No 'skipping' behavior, no motor hum of even 'trying' to move.. courtesy of RobertDIY apparently the Window Switch cluster is only a couple T25 and an ounce of elbow grease deep in the center console, shouldn't be too hard to pull out. Haven't found any info on actually cracking open the cluster, where the actual contacts / switch stuff would be to clean.. guess I'll have to take pictures and make it!

Post by **scot850** » 03 Feb 2020, 14:30

There should be info here somewhere on removing the center console. Not a particularly difficult job. There is probably less info on dis-assembling the switches. If anything like I recall it requires 3 hands and small strong fingers and safety glasses for the small springs that fly out and immediately disappear. May be easier to replace with a junkyard item.

Neil.

Post by **Clemens** » 03 Feb 2020, 23:48

+1 on cleaning the contacts. my R does exactly the same once in a while.

Post by **abscate** » 04 Feb 2020, 03:37

Ca;you just bump up the mirror by hand and then adjust down with the motor to the correct position?

ToriWhite · Post by **ToriWhite** » 07 Feb 2020, 13:11

abscate wrote: 04 Feb 2020, 03:37 Ca;you just bump up the mirror by hand and then adjust down with the motor to the correct position?

...embarrassed that I haven't even tried this
Was able to push it smoothly, had the resistance of a plate stuck on the surface of a bowl of peanut butter- didnt have to force it to skip teeth on the gears or anything..
still going to pull it apart with pictures / write-up.. just.. now that I can use my mirrors safely again, I can push that down the 'to-do' list, and get back to fretting over stupid smog error codes

Post by **abscate** » 10 Feb 2020, 05:24

When I had nine drivers, all of whom didn’t drive until the Mirrors were set, they had to deal with mirrors that froze either from age or cold, so this was a common scenario in our house. They were all very careful drivers though.

The boys next door didn’t know cars had mirrors...