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Door Mirror Folding Issue

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83K views 49 replies 23 participants last post by  MartynT  
M
#1 ·
I had a quick search on here and on Google and can find nothing similar, so I thought I'd post.


On locking the car yesterday both mirrors folded in as normal, but there was a loud clicking noise from the passenger side. I went around to it and it was clear that the motor had not stopped running after the mirror was folded, causing the gears in the mechanism to slip, which caused the loud clicking noise. I left it a while, but it did not stop clicking. I unlocked the car and both mirrors opened just fine - no clicking. Locked again, same issue on the passenger side.


Manually folding the mirrors using the buttons in the car causes the same issue.


I have gone into the car menu and disabled the folding mirrors for now and will have Volvo look at it soon.


Has anyone heard of this happening before? Is there a way of resetting the positions, like you can do on electric windows? Many thanks.
 
#2 ·
Theres another thread about where someones auto fold mirrors failed - and they had it replaced under warranty. I think it was the gears failed etc..

I've disabled mine from the auto option - so if I want to fold them its just press both buttons on the armrest when I park up. I figured that whilst its a nice feature - its only a matter of time before they wear out! Is it me or does the motor/gears/etc.. always sound a bit strained when opening or closing?

Ah - here it is:
http://www.volvov40club.com/forums/...com/forums/15-engine-technical/16538-passenger-side-mirror-stopped-folding.html
 
C
#4 ·
My started to do the same exact same thing yesterday. It started with a few slow retractions over the freezing periods during last winter but as the weather warmed up it disappeared. Then over the last 5-6 weeks there was an occasional noisy retraction (never does it when extending) and then yesterday the motor could be heard whirring against the mechanism extremely loudly for at least 30 seconds after the mirror retracted.
I've got it into to the dealers for a warranty repair later this month.
 
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M
#6 ·
Thanks for the replies. I had a service on Saturday and they had a look at it then. They say it needs a new motor (?), and are ordering the part. I'll need to take it in at some point for the repair though. I can't see it being the motor, but maybe the part comes with other parts baked in - like position switches etc. Or would they in reality, just be swapping the whole assembly over? I'll try and find out more when it is done.
 
M
#8 ·
When i had mine done they said they were swapping out the whole assembly. Had made a mental note to ask more in depth questions but was pressed for time.. They DID mention that they needed to take photos and get approval from Volvo before continuing with the fix so that would indicate to me that Volvo know about the issue

Good luck to everyone getting theirs sorted
 
M
#11 ·
Mine is fixed now. I'm guessing this is a known issue as the new part is appears to have been revised - the passenger side motor now sounds different to the drivers side when closing, and it closes faster than the drivers side too - which is a pain that they don't match (maybe just my OCD!?), but no real issue.
 
R
#12 ·
"the motor could be heard whirring against the mechanism extremely loudly for at least 30 seconds after the mirror retracted"

Mine has starting doing kind of the same over the last two months, after it extended you can hear and "intermittent, whine, whirr, creak" (like that noise you hear on planes before take off, flaps i think)...
 
B
#15 · (Edited)
Just a bit of info for if you ever need to replace a mirror unit. The driver's side mirror on mine had been loose ever sine I bought it - there was a bout 2mm of play at the fold and would flop about over bumps and under acceleration and braking (I'm sure the drivers door had a knock at some point as I found a couple of glass splinters under the seat).

You need a trim tool to remove the little triangular trim from the inner front corner of the door - it's held on by 3 plastic trim clips. You then undo the 2 T20 torx screws under the door pull, and the door trim can then be removed by holding the door pull and pulling upwards. You can then unlatch the connector for the tweeter and the blue and green connectors for the mirror/window controls. If you want to detach the panel completely you have to undo the cable for the lock handle as well.

Once the panel is off, you can then remove the mirror unit itself. Undo the large green multiplug connector and gently pull the clip securing the cable out of the panel. There are 3 T30 torx screws holding the unit in place - 2 should now be visible, the front screw is behind a black plastic trim at the front of the door. This is secured by a small plastic clip in the centre, so you need to get the trim tool behind the clip and gently prise it off.
Before you remove the screws, push the rubber cable grommet back out of the door (it's easier to start at the back edge first). You can then remove the 3 screws. The mirror unit is now only held in by a spigot in the middle with a small red clip. Hold the mirror at the fold and use a small screwdriver to press down the red clip - you should now be able to tilt the mirror upwards to release it from the door (the top edge has a tab that fits under the window trim).

In classic Haynes book of lies style, refitting is the reverse of the removal procedure - be sure to insert the tab under the window trim first, then you can push the mirror unit into place and pull the grommet though before putting the screws back in. The VIDA instructions recommend using a new foam seal/gasket (LH part no. 31299376, RH part no. 31299377, £10 each) which fits into a recess on the outside of the door behind the mirror. If you do this, the spigot with the red clip will only latch once you start tightening the screws due to the resistance of the new foam seal.

If you are fitting a new mirror unit as a replacement, you will also need 3 new M6 x 20mm T30 thread forming screws (part no. 999483, £1.20 each), which isn't mentioned in the VIDA instructions. The cast metal mounting on the mirror unit is not tapped during manufacture, so Taptite-type thread forming screws are used which tap their own thread as you screw them into the mirror. As I found out, they can only be used to form a thread once (they go blunt - if you try to use a used bolt on a new mirror unit you will end up rounding the torx splines before the bolt goes in all the way), so I'd recommend using new screws if you are fitting a new mirror unit.
 
#16 ·
Coming to 2 years already. Just a quick check:

When normal-functioning mirrors fold/unfold, can the driver hear the motor sounds working ("orhhhh")? Or is it completely silent?

Thanks all. :)
 
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#17 ·
axl886 said:
Coming to 2 years already. Just a quick check:

When normal-functioning mirrors fold/unfold, can the driver hear the motor sounds working ("orhhhh")?

Thanks all. :)
Click to expand...
Yup :wink2:
 
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#18 ·
My previous car, Peugeot RCZ were known for the auto folding mirrors to go wrong, it was constantly raised on that forum.
Basically over time they would let water into the gearing, causing them to seize up, a re-call mod was done on a rubber seal, but it rarely lasted.
You knew when the gearing was going to play up before it actually did because the paint on the doors would start to get streaking running down them where the gearing was starting to corrode, an absolute nightmare to polish out if you left it too long.
I had both mirror gearing's changed on my car, twice in 4 years.
 
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#19 ·
When folding/unfolding, my mirrors have started making creaking noises like a coffin opening in a bad Dracula film...

My instinct is that something in there needs lubricating - but would a squirt of WD40 (or silicone grease) up/around the hinge be worth doing? Or is this the start of the end for these mirrors! (if so in the next 18 months before the warranty expires would be nice!)..
Tom
 
#23 ·
Same here :(
They certainly sound anything BUT premium...
Especially as the Focus Titanium I traded in on the V40 produced an all but silent whirrr.
I too will be asking for them to be checked out at the upcoming service next month.
They definitely don't sound like they are built to last :dodgy:
 
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#26 ·
Passenger mirror fixed under warranty. Was told Volvo were aware of the problem. New unit fitted - not sure how much of the fitting was changed.
Silver top moving half is still the original, fixed bottom black piece could be new.
I have decided to un tick the folding mirrors in My Car Settings, and just press on the R & L switches simultaneously when folding is required.
This could save the motors at least 50% of the usage.
The passenger side looks to have some sort of sensor under the housing, which I don't know if this is an update or it was always there.
 
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B
#27 ·
The entire mirror unit will have been changed. The silver part is just a cover that clips off. That and the mirror glass will have been swapped over from your old mirror to the new unit. They come as spare parts looking like this:
Image


The sensor under the passenger side mirror is the outside temperature sensor. It will have always been there.
 
#28 ·
Thanks Buzby, as always spot on.
Still asmatic sounds, definitely no rubbing of the plastic parts.
Think I read about the outside temp sensor whilst reading the handbook from cover to cover, but my memory is sadly lacking !
Had another read of the handbook, and most of the information now made sense. (15 months on !!!)
 
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#32 ·
It is the same mechanism internally as the one used on the Mk2 Focus, amongst others. The only thing Volvo and Ford design is the plastic casing. The mechanisms are made by a Dutch company called Mirror Controls International, and are used by most of the other car manufacturers in the world:
http://www.mirrorcontrols.com/en/our-actuators
From when I tore down my broken mirror unit, the glass actuator is from the 300 series and the powerfold actuator is from the 21X series. Presumably Volvo did not specify the 'premium sound' option (which at a guess probably involves a higher-quality motor and quieter gears).
 
S
#35 ·
Auto Folding Mirror Issues

I have a Toyota Rav 4 2003 UK model and I believe that it did not have the auto folding mirror facility before.MY left side passendger mirror broker and have replaced it with a new mirror (which has the auto folding mode). suddenly while driving the mirror folder and is struck there. I donot want to break this by pusing the mirror too hard...but I am not sure what needs to be done.. One thing I was thinking was to disconnect the power lead to the electric mirror? will it reenable it back to the open position?

As mentioned the car does not have a swtich to enable to disable the auto folding mode? What do I do?? Any help

Regards
Srinath
 
#36 ·
I have a new and slightly different mirror noise, this time on the passenger side (right-hand side for me). The normal folding mirror is fine - where it gets funny is after reversing. To reverse into the garage, I have the mirror adjusted so that it angles downwards so that I can see the rear wheel. When I switch off and the mirror repositions itself, it now makes this juddering noise. Clearly something to do specifically with the mirror angling mechanism. I have queried my local friendly Volvo dealer as to whether I should let it collapse in a heap or bring it in before it does so.
 
#37 ·
I also had this happen the other day, I believe the juddering noise is simply the mirror motor slowing down and storing energy due to the ignition being switched off as the mirror is in operation, I try not to switch off now until the mirror has reposition itself, I wouldent have thought its a defect but rather just a case of allowing the motor to do its work prior to pressing the power button off
 
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