Hello Everyone,

I have just purchased a 2004 Vanden Plas to replace my wrecked X308. All is fine with the replacement, but I can't tell if it has powerfold mirrors. The switch is there, and the owners handbook says it has them, but the original window sticker does not say so. Nothing happens when I use the switch (the button in front of the mirror direction switch), and the mirrors can be pushed to the folded direction. I didn't fully push them folded, as the handbook says not to force them folded. Did all VDP's have PF mirrors?

This is a great forum, with a wealth of information and very knowledgable members. Thanks to all.

 

I would suspect if the button is there, it should fold. Definitely check the fuses for said mirrors first, then perhaps check power to the mirrors while the swtich is pressed...first steps.

 

I think the power fold mirrors are standard on the VDP. Mine has them and they work properly. Check the fuses and try double strobing the lock button on the key fob. Push twice in one second should fold them.

 

Thanks for the replies!! I will check the power supply this weekend, and try the fob as well.

 

First of all go into the touchscreen menu and look at Vehicle Settings.
You should see an option in there for the mirrors to fold on double-lock (along with two-stage unlocking, daytime running lights, and something else....)
If you don't see the option there for the mirrors to fold then the car doesn't have the folding mirrors fitted, or at least it thinks that they are not fitted.

 

Are they supposed to fold automatically when you double lock, if you have the right button checked on the touchscreen menu? Mine never have. I have a 2006 Super V8.

 

Gary sandiego.

Yes.

Mine fold with button and double click on lock fob.

2005 vdp.

Gary in evergreen.

 

Even though my XJR only has 35k/miles, my mirrors didn't appear to be folding at all, even though the Vehicle Settings said it was on.

So I hunted around for a while in here and was beginning to think I had some ugly gunked-up mechanisms - but then I spotted this post that said "double-click the lock on the key fob" and that proved to be the trick I was missing.

There's also mention of a button in front of the mirror directional control - but I don't seem to have that button.

Thank you old posts in the Forum!

 

If it really does have powerfold mirrors, but hasn't been touched since 2004, then it is likely the mirror assembly has seized due to corrosion accumulation.

You need to remove the mirror front cover, and clean all the crud you can find inside and lubricate the swivel post. The mirror may then "swing" into action. The corrosion crud appears due to the use of Mazak alloy by the makers of the mirror. Intrusion of salt and damp means the Mazak, (an alloy of zinc) starts to corrode and the corrosion products jam things up.

 

Thanks for the feedback, but perhaps I should have stated this more clearly in that last post...

When i did the 'ol double-press the Lock button on the Keyfob trick, they folded right up. When you press Unlock on the Keyfob, they unfold.

Lucky for me, they aren't gunked up at all.

 

Hi MeatBag,

On our '04 the button for folding the mirrors is very, very small, it's black, and it's positioned in the black surround for the driver's window control panel a little forward and left of the outside mirror adjustment switches. It's easy to miss if you don't look closely. Are you sure your car doesn't have this tiny button?

Cheers,

Don

 

Enabled this on mine a few days ago, then disabled it a few days after.

I think I'd just rather do it manually as and when required

 

I looked again, and there's no button near the mirror directional controls. I'm looking on the left-hand (driver's) door where the power mirrors, windows and window lock appear. Definitely no button, so I guess they didn't all have that.

 

Strange! Abonano has just discovered that adding the overhead console with the parking alarm disable button will add that feature to vehicles that were not originally so equipped (he's going to give us a full report soon - sorry for letting the cat out of the back abonano!). I wonder if you swapped the driver's switch panel for a salvaged unit with the folding mirror switch (ebay) if the switch would operate your mirrors?


Cheers,


Don

 

Isn't it fairly common that most cars are wired for this that or the other, whether they get the options as std or not?

As stated you may well find that the wiring etc is in place, its just the actual controls that aren't...

worth checking perhaps?

 

Hi Jim,

Which mirror behavior did you enable and then disable? Was it the "double press on the lock button to fold the mirrors in," or an automatic folding feature on engine shutdown, or something else?

Cheers,

Don