Electric mirror problem

[scotlan]

The switch only does one thing. It moves the right hand mirror in one direction, nothing on the left mirror. The heated button doesn't light. Tried a different switch with the same result. Any ideas, anyone?

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Most likely one of the adjusting pin behind the mirror is damaged.

Be careful.

Removing the mirror from the pivot can be done but you could end up breaking the actual mirror and they are no longer available.

There is an OLD post with the design file to 3D print a replacement pin but they are not perfect.

You might find an owner that has an already broken mirror but that still has usable pins.

It could be that the heater wires are no longer connected.

[Fredjohn]

Before trying to dismantle the mirror have you checked you have power to all the elements of the switch? Check the wiring diagram which is available from the link in BCN's post above, (LOTUS MANUALS bit). Wiring diagrams section P21.

Also, sorry to ask an obvious question, but did you press the little rocker switch next to the rocker pad to change from right to left?

You may have a faulty earth somewhere as is often the case with fibreglass cars, so check continuity of the earth circuits too.

Good luck.

[scotlan]

Before trying to dismantle the mirror have you checked you have power to all the elements of the switch? Check the wiring diagram which is available from the link in BCN's post above, (LOTUS MANUALS bit). Wiring diagrams section P21.

Also, sorry to ask an obvious question, but did you press the little rocker switch next to the rocker pad to change from right to left?

You may have a faulty earth somewhere as is often the case with fibreglass cars, so check continuity of the earth circuits too.

Thanks for both responses.
I have operated the left right switch.
I won't risk breaking a mirror glass because I am not so bothered about the functions. Once the mirror is adjusted to my driving position I won't be changing it.
However I will check the earthing as you suggested I think the answer could lie in that area.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

I was answering his only one movement issue.

Does the RH mirror motor run when trying to adjust both directions? It should make the same sound up/down or in/out.

Do any of the connection wires look to be damaged?

Here is the circuit diagram:

Mirror Circuit.jpg

[Simon_P]

I won't risk breaking a mirror glass

its a good job to do on a hot day as you are more likely to break the plastic mount in this cold weather.

[scotlan]

I was answering his only one movement issue.

Does the RH mirror motor run when trying to adjust both directions? It should make the same sound up/down or in/out.

Do any of the connection wires look to be damaged?

Here is the circuit diagram:

Mirror Circuit.jpg

Thanks for the wiring diagram and advice. I have not investigated further than the nine pin switch multiplug before asking for advice. There is only a single movement out of the available 8. That is the inward movement at the mirror top of the right hand mirror. In order to return it I have to do it manually.
Next stage: checking earths and wiring.

[quiksilva]

Bit late to the thread but i had exactly the same symptoms as scotlan, ended up taking a punt on one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Fro ... SwIyhc9XFU

Happy to say all working (incl heaters) and plug harness is exactly the same as the original (or was for my 92 SE)

Still some left and at £12 good value for money me thinks. usual disclaimers no link with seller blah blah blah

andy

[quiksilva]

Crikey you lot don't hang around!
Looks like they are all gone and i bet it wasn't for a rush of frontera drivers,..
andy

[scotlan]

Crikey you lot don't hang around!
Looks like they are all gone and i bet it wasn't for a rush of frontera drivers,..
andy

Hi Andy
I got a replacement switch from a different source BUT it didn't cure the problem. Only one operation out of the eight is the same on both switches. Too much of a coincidence to be two switches with an identical fault.

[TorqueHorse]

I'm having a similar(ish) problem too, but I don't have a lot of experience chasing down electrical faults in a car, so would appreciate any tips/advice.
Background:

* I can manually move both mirrors in the U/D and L/R directions and there is a consistent clicking with resistance which feels like what I would expect.
* The defrost button will light up the LED but I can't tell if the heating elements at the glass actually get warm (ambient temp is so high here now, and I don't really need the feature anyway).
* When using the switch, between both mirrors and the 4 directional controls, only one, the Left mirror Up, made a motor move. All the other directions pop the rated fuse, or when using a higher rated fuse, some of the wires in the WB, N, B, BW, BR cluster under the switch would get very warm (couldn't tell exactly which ones). The other wires were cool.

My question is: does any of this help in narrowing down the trouble shooting?
I'm hoping that the fact that I can get the heater LED to work without issue, and that round trip to the heaters goes through the LHDHC and RHDHC, just like the window motors, that it might rule out a short or bad earth in the wiring loom and just be a localized switch problem? But maybe the LED being on only means that it got through the timer module OK, and isn't reflecting the state of the wiring beyond that? Not really confident in my understanding of the electrical schematic.
I can get a new switch easy enough thanks to the great documentation here, but I'd like to be a bit more confident that it is the problem first. I was planning on taking the doors apart later this summer which would seem to give me easiest access to direct connection to the motors to test, but if there are other things I can do in the meantime, I'm all ears. Thanks again in advance oh mighty LEC wisdom

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Not necessarily!

I had a brand new (from Lotus UK) switch I sold to an owner and he had a problem like this. I sent him a different one (he sent the first one back) and the problem disappeared.

The fact that BOTH mirrors have the same problem would point to the switch or the wiring - but identical problems is rarely the same wiring problem on both sides. The Chinese are remanufacturing all of the GM / Lotus switches and they have a horrible record with faulty switches.

Here is the wiring diagram.

Mirror Circuit.jpg

I will try to test my switch tomorrow and tell you where to connect a digital volt meter to verify both in-out and up-down circuits.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Here is a picture of the mirror control.

IMG_0672.JPG

I have marked the two wires each that create the up-down and in-out movement.

If you put a digital volt meter on them and activate the switch, the voltage will be +12v in one direction and -12v in the other.

I tested 3 different switches:

One is my original switch which has been sitting in a box since 2007. It only worked occasionally. Most likely due to dirty contacts.

The second one I tested is a NOS switch that has been on my spares shelf for almost as long and it worked OK.

The third switch is one of the Vauxhall switches that pop up on eBay and was a disappointment since it only worked if I was heavy handed and even then only intermittently. My assumption is that like the now confirmed reproduction hazard switches, they are poorly made and the contacts are either substandard or dirty enough to fail as often as they work. I would suggest spraying some contact cleaner into the switch.

I took the "new" one apart and there are no "bits" that will fall out if you do that , but the contacts were tarnished and not at all impressive.

I hope this helps...

[johnj]

If you do open the switch pull the top off with the switch parallel to the work bench not at chest height and at about 90 degrees to the bench. There are bits that can fallout. Ask me not how I know . There is a three pronged piece of metal, the legs of which fit into three hollowed out cones. The cones are loose within three cubes. The cubes on mine were full of green yuck. I sprayed WD40 into them and cleaned them out with a small screw driver and de-tarnished with wet and dry. Put everything back together and the mirrors adjust. It not a big job and if the switch does not work there is nothing to lose.

I could not get the mirror heater light to come on. As it does not come on I assume the mirror heater does not work. Since I only use the car March to October and in nice weather this is not a problem, but would be nice to say everything works.

[GeoffSmith]

For a long term solution you're better off using contact cleaner & lubricant such as Electrolube EML rather than WD40.

[johnj]

Hi Geoff

I didn't know such stuff existed.

[TorqueHorse]

Ah, I wasn't sure I could take the switch apart. And thanks @BCN for the wire/switch testing. I appreciate the effort and am embarrassed to say that a replacement switch arrived before I had a chance to test the wires myself. Upshot is that the new switch worked and both mirrors seem to work now.
And thanks for 'not' sharing your experience @johnj . Interesting to hear different folks taking the switch apart and some with bits, some not.
Down the road, I might try to fix my original one myself, but too many other things pressing right now. In the meantime if anyone wants to attempt another repair job to see if they can bring my original switch back to life, they are welcome to have it.