NO, not cracking when I look in it, HAHAHA.

The newly aquired 08/2001 S Type SE V6 has inop exterior mirrors.

I am almost?? sure the RH one worked when we picked it up 7 days ago, but then the memory is not as it should be.

I have replaced ALL the "mini" fuses in the car, all 3 fuse boxes, and that is one hell of a lot of fuses. The cartridge style I have left alone, as I can see none that are related to the mirrors.

I dissmantled the RH door trim today and removed the switch pack, and seperated the 2 sections (that was fun NOT), looking for dry solder, non continuity etc, and all sweet as it should be.

The memory buttons work, the windows all work as designed, so I am convinced it is NOT the switch pack??.

I have de-powered the car, in case the DCM (door control module) was having a hissy moment, NOPE.

The fact that BOTH mirrors do NOTHING, has me thinking it is some gremlin as versus the mirror motors, surely both would not fail at once, or would they.

The "drivers" door module has lots of stuff going thru it, and all that stuff is working fine, except the mirrors, so the DCM is off my radar at the moment, or am I wrong??.

Any help would be nice, as it is HER car, and the nagging is a tad testy.

Thanks in advance.

 

Slider switch in left or right position and ignition on? Sometimes it's the simple things

The door mirrors are cheater mounted, colour-coded, remote electrically adjustable and heated. Adjustment of both mirrors is carried out from the driver door switch pack. A slider switch selects the mirror to be adjusted, and a toggle switch adjusts the selected mirror to the required position.Automatic dipping of the door mirrors when reversing is fitted as part of the memory pack. With the ignition switch in position II and the reverse gear selected, automatic dipping will be initiated.

It *appears* that the difference between the memory and non-memory are the potentiometers used for position sensing.

So, with luck, the motors are convention dc motors. In that event, you could for example look for +12 at all the relevant points between the DCM and the motor when pushing the switch in a particular direction.

 

I believe they are NOT auto-dipping on reverse. Many have wished - and indeed expected - they were.

 

Thanks, got all that.

What started it was I wanted to move the LH (passengers) mirror a tad "outward" whilst driving home from interstate after car purchase, NOTHING happened, OH, maybe the rocker selector is not contacting, so rocked to the RH side, NOTHING again, mmmm.

A voltage check is what I will do when time permits, UNLESS someone pops ups with a common S Type issue I am just not grasping.

 

That is contraindicated by "and the nagging is a tad testy."

 

Perhaps he should apply voltage elsewhere ?

 

HAHAHAHA.

She has to drive the X300, coz the mirrors WORK. NOT a happy camper, wants the XJ-S back.

I told her to grow a bit, I mean 5ft tall is not tall, then the seat and mirrors can stay where they are. I was told to shrink a bit, not that politely obviously, see nagging already. Only had the car 7 days.

I know it will be something simple, just need to find it.

 

As you know we do not have the power fold mirrors here (North America) on or S Types.

Are you sure that they are in the proper "lock" or seated position. On my daily I have the power fold and if they are not in the "seated" position they do not function.

Just a thought...

 

Rick,

MMMM, never even considered that one.

I also am not sure if this car has the power fold feature either, or even heated?.

I will go give them a "smack" in the morning. Dark and COLD here and JD is warming the internals too much to really go out there. Glad she dont read this stuff HAHA.

 

Good luck Grant.....when the nagging gets testy here and throws me outta the X300 and into one of their S-types...I start to get a bit cranky myself.

Only S-type mirror problem I've experienced was resident on purchase - Driver's side kinda gold and produced a double-image - kinda like its heaters had over-cooked it. Found that one's not a cheap fix if you want to maintain the "monochromatic" function.....

 

Might be easiest to take the mirror rear cover (shell) off and then you'll see the motor(s), if any. Lubricate (not WD40) whilst apart.

 

OK, back in retirement for a while.

Spent today on the "S" mirror issue.

Removed the switch pack again, dissmantled, polished the circuit contact pods, cleaned the contact "buttons" inside the membrane.

Using an old lense from a "childs" microscope, I inspected all the solder joints, as dry joints was suggested, then checked the same with an ohm meter, ALL good.

Basically the switch pack is just fine.

Got voltages in wires to and from teh DCM, so leaving that well alone.

Tracked down the original owner, and she never adjusted the mirrors after buying the car new, as she was/is the ONLY driver, so nothing ever changed. The rear seat has NEVER been sat in.

Sooooooo, my thinking is that the mirrors have "died" simply from lack of use, agree???????.

I will take the covers off, ONCE I FIND OUT HOW, as I do know the X300 covers can be tricky to remove without breaking the tabs unless your mouth/tongue is at just the right angle.

Some hints here would be great, as in where the locking tabs are and what tricks are/may be needed.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

 

Could the motors be just gummed up then? If you apply power through a ammeter equipped lead the current would be high on a stalled motor.

Maybe if power was applied from the switch pack to alternate movement left and right while a helper pushed the mirror glass in on the left and right in sync with the switch movements it could help free up a gummed up mechanism. A generous fog of WD-40 behind the mirror using a straw might be helpful.

Is the glass removable without removing the covers? That might help with the oil fogging operation.

This might be one time where "only driven on Sundays by a little old lady" is not a good thing.

 

I doubt the shell tabs will break. They're smaller than I expected, hardly exist at all. I ended inserting something thin and a quick blow. Possibly the best place is the outer edge, well below of centre, but I'm not convinced it matters. Be sure to have padding / someone to catch the cover as it flies off LOL

I reckon damp will have got in and some corrosion will be stopping the movement. I'd take it all apart but you could just work the mirror by hand - maybe.

 

Grant, normally what I do for my fellow S Type members is do a write up with pictures in this case I would remove the mirror or shell.

Anyways I took a look at Joyces mirrors, normally the mirror face will pop off with simple prying. I was able to move the mirror to get a good look inside (behind the mirror itself). On our MY 05, the motor seems to be sealed and there is a rubber boot that covers the swivel portion between the mirror and motor. I am NOT going to attempt prying the mirror face off, sorry...

Here is a pic I grabbed from the net from a MY 03, you can see what I am typing about.

 

I've had the glass off. It was a real SWINE to put back on and I am never doing it again if I can help it.

The shell (rear cover) is easy by comparison.