Bizarre mirror issue
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From: Boston, MA
Bizarre mirror issue
Have not seen this one before, so here are the symptoms:
bout 2 weeks ago my driver's side mirror started wobbling on highway. No problem, stuck my hand out, touched the mirror, did not feel any play. Housing is also rock solid. Wobble stopped after touching the mirror. However, same thing happened again and is happening pretty much consistently now.
Today driving home from the race it happened again. Tried to switch the mirror switch to a different position, move the mirror a bit - no help. Stick the hand out, touch the glass - mirror gets stable. OK for 10 minutes than did it again. This time I let it wobble for a few minutes (wobble is _always_ up and down only, not sideways). Went to the shoulder. The wobble stopped. However as I was attempting to pull off the shoulder back onto the highway I can swear that the mirror wobbled in unison with de-clutching and pushing the gas pedal. At which point I've touched the glass again and it stopped wobbling and was OK for the next 20 or so minutes all the way home.
I am more than a bit perplexed. It almost feels like a bad switch or wiring, but why does it stop when touched? Why did it seem clutch and pedal (not speed) related? Revving it in neutral did not make it wobble.
What could this be?
bout 2 weeks ago my driver's side mirror started wobbling on highway. No problem, stuck my hand out, touched the mirror, did not feel any play. Housing is also rock solid. Wobble stopped after touching the mirror. However, same thing happened again and is happening pretty much consistently now.
Today driving home from the race it happened again. Tried to switch the mirror switch to a different position, move the mirror a bit - no help. Stick the hand out, touch the glass - mirror gets stable. OK for 10 minutes than did it again. This time I let it wobble for a few minutes (wobble is _always_ up and down only, not sideways). Went to the shoulder. The wobble stopped. However as I was attempting to pull off the shoulder back onto the highway I can swear that the mirror wobbled in unison with de-clutching and pushing the gas pedal. At which point I've touched the glass again and it stopped wobbling and was OK for the next 20 or so minutes all the way home.
I am more than a bit perplexed. It almost feels like a bad switch or wiring, but why does it stop when touched? Why did it seem clutch and pedal (not speed) related? Revving it in neutral did not make it wobble.
What could this be?
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There is a gear behind the mirror that is accessed via a small hole beneath the mirror. This gear is moved with a small flathead screwdriver (for eyeglasses and such) - not sure which way to move it but sounds like yours is so loose that it should be easy to move it in the right direction. If I remember it takes about 5 angled movements to tighten the mirror.
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From: Boston, MA
Thanks!
I'll look at that hole on the bottom and see if the gear is lose. But... if something is mechanically lose in there, why does a simple touch stop the wobble for good and why doesn't mirror glass seem lose?
I'll look at that hole on the bottom and see if the gear is lose. But... if something is mechanically lose in there, why does a simple touch stop the wobble for good and why doesn't mirror glass seem lose?
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The back of the mirror is held by a ball and socket type setup. The gear is moved to put pressure on that point or release pressure. Since your mirror is already loose - you may want to just pop it out with a screwdriver covered in cloth or tape ( so you don't scratch the inside of the mirror housing) - just to understand the mechanism. It's very easy to do and takes only a few minutes - plus you can really clean out around the inside edges of the mirror housing.
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From: Canada & the Alps
If the mirror is not locked in position that may be your problem. The heater wires and adhesive foam may be all that is holding it in place.
These pics should help clarify how the mirror glass is mounted.
These pics should help clarify how the mirror glass is mounted.
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From: Boston, MA
If the mirror is not locked in position that may be your problem. The heater wires and adhesive foam may be all that is holding it in place.
These pics should help clarify how the mirror glass is mounted.
These pics should help clarify how the mirror glass is mounted.
Not sure yet that I understand this correctly. If the mirror is not locked, would it make the glass loose? mine is not, it seems firmly in there.
Should I pop the lass out to get access to the black plastic piece that unscrew that from the housing and try to lock it?
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Alex, thanks for the pictures.
Not sure yet that I understand this correctly. If the mirror is not locked, would it make the glass loose? mine is not, it seems firmly in there.
Should I pop the lass out to get access to the black plastic piece that unscrew that from the housing and try to lock it?
Not sure yet that I understand this correctly. If the mirror is not locked, would it make the glass loose? mine is not, it seems firmly in there.
Should I pop the lass out to get access to the black plastic piece that unscrew that from the housing and try to lock it?
Is the whole mirror loose on the door or just the mirror glass within the mirror housing?
You can only pop the mirror off after you rotate the retaining ring to enable the mirror to be pulled off...gently. The mirror is not mounted on a ball socket that can be snapped off...you'll break it if you do.
Using your mirror control, you need to tilt the mirror glass so that the top is in towards the mirror housing and the bottom of the glass is out towards the rear of the car. Have a look with a small flashlight under the mirror and you'll see what I have pictured in my thread.
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From: Boston, MA
Alex, that's the whole point. _Nothing_ is lose to the touch. The mirror glass only just start slightly oscillating up and down while driving. Only up and down, never side to side.
Touching the mirror stops the oscillation. It almost seems like an open loop electrical signal going out to it.
I'll move the mirror as you've described and look into it. Can you let me know if I should see a gear as dpowell described above?
Touching the mirror stops the oscillation. It almost seems like an open loop electrical signal going out to it.
I'll move the mirror as you've described and look into it. Can you let me know if I should see a gear as dpowell described above?
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dpowell, thanks for the clarification!
Can you do me a favor and look at these pics http://edelweiss.smugmug.com/Cars/Po...85135053_jvnXh and kind of pint me in the direction of this gear so I do not screw things up? I have a feeling that you and Alex are talking about the same thing when he mentions a "lock". I also have a feeling that my problem is electrical and not mechanical as the glass is not at all loose to the touch. But I'd like to clear simple things first.
Can you do me a favor and look at these pics http://edelweiss.smugmug.com/Cars/Po...85135053_jvnXh and kind of pint me in the direction of this gear so I do not screw things up? I have a feeling that you and Alex are talking about the same thing when he mentions a "lock". I also have a feeling that my problem is electrical and not mechanical as the glass is not at all loose to the touch. But I'd like to clear simple things first.