Side view mirrors screwed

[Dathaeus]

Ok, first I had a beef with the side mirrors dipping on reverse, parked in almost every scenario without it for 20+ years, but anyways, I wouldnt mind as much if it didnt actually get STUCK in that down position!

Ok background... the seller a few months ago promised the sides worked when he drove it. Whatever. So shortly after I bought it, the adjustment toggle doesnt work. When going in reverse, it used to make the motor sound and dip down, and when back to neutral/fwd, it would come back up to default. Now it wont come back up at all, and when I manually adjust, it goes back down again on reverse and gets stuck again.

It doesnt matter what position the toggle switch is on, it does it anyways. So unless there is some secret combo to the toggle/switch, I am lost, since it seem the motor IS active, but its just being rude.

Thanks for any input... hopefully its not a big fix because not having a right view mirror is bothering me beyond what I could have imagined it would.

[330i ZHP]

you can carefully push in on the upper portion of the lens and basically make the gears slip and move to the upper most position - careful - dont strip the little white PLASTIC gears

often that can reset the position...

Also, if you have another key - try using that

and - with the normal key, adjust the mirror where you want it, and press M then 1 (or seat position preferred) - sometimes the GM5 forgets that memory setting

[Dathaeus]

Thanks for the reply... I dont understand what "key?" And why am I messing with the seat settings for the side view mirrors? I dont see the relation, are they on the same circuit and can affect each other?

[330i ZHP]

The GM5 (general module) controls the seat and mirrors memory settings

As far as the key - my ZHP used to get severly confused on the mirrors when I used the spare key - they would move in radical positions..even though I had set everything pretty much the same on both keys

Remember - each key has two memory locations - not key one has button one and key two button two...

Actually - A question for you - you dont have manual seats do you? I dont think ZHPs ever had manual

[Dathaeus]

Oh ic... first I have electric seats... and the key I am using now is the replacement key ordered, who's remote still doesnt work, but thats a whole another issue, but may be related to this? Now we are getting into more forks in the road. I dont use any other key ATM, but there were 2 original keys, one was "lost" by the seller conveniently right before the sale, and the other one always had problems and needed to be programmed every day for it to work. So i got the 2 new keys and neither of those can be programmed. So maybe this is all tied together, or maybe not...... ugh!

[JupiterBMW]

Hey Jon.. Yes, what Stuart is getting at is that the key you use to drive the car communicates with the car. The memory switches (1 and 2) on the side of the seats not only store the position of the seats, but also the side view mirrors. If the key isn't communicating correctly or isn't programmed with the car, it may be part of this. There is a simple method for programming the remotes, I found it on here forever ago. Of course I forget it now.

I say we try to reprogram your remotes first. We also need to reset your memory switches on the side of the seat and see if they will actually remember the positions of everything correctly.

Oh, and text me again, I seem to have lost your number.

[az3579]

It sounds to me that that part of the mirror motor is broken... does anyone know if there is a separate motor for moving the mirror back up, or is it just one for moving up/down and one for moving left/right?

[330i ZHP]

just one - and his is likely the hateful ribbon mirror

BUT - if he can manually control it then the motor is good

although...on the ribbon mirrors - the control module is built into the motor

I still think this is a GM5, key, memory function issue - these are all in the same CLASS of functions

[Pip]

Here is my experience after doing the mirror motor swap to m3 mirrors. If you rip the ribbon cable on the drivers side it has the 'master' control for both motors. You are no longer able to control either motor but since the passenger ribbon cable is still intact it'll always rotate down when put into reverse. My car currently does this.

I was able to fix the issue by soldering the ribbon cable back together but it only lasted 6 months. I would try to fix it again but it was extremely difficult to fix because I broke the cable really close to the motor.

I think a fix for you would be a new motor and cable setup for the driver side mirror. However, this is and expensive fix so try these other cheap fixes first.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[330i ZHP]

he said he can manually adjust the mirrors and the auto tilt works - that would lead me to believe the ribbons are intact