Folding mirrors issue
Author
Discussion

gardeners26

Original Poster:

31 posts

217 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
I have brand new MG HS automatic. I have an issue with the folding door mirrors.
1)They will only fold in at speeds below 12 mph (19kmh) This the dealer tells me is a safety feature- in reality it’s the exact opposite as one can be traveling slightly above this speed when it becomes necessary to fold the mirrors due to an oncoming wide vehicle on a narrowing road.
2) If driving well below 12mph with the mirrors folded in and then accelerating only fractionally say from 5 to 7mph the mirrors automatically fold out which risks having them hit by oncoming traffic. Again the dealer tells me this is a safety feature.
I’ve had numerous cars with folding mirrors which can be folded in at normal speeds and will only fold out when activated.
There is no mention of this ‘feature’ in the owner’s manual. I’ve emailed MG but they have not responded.
Thoughts?

sherman

15,305 posts

245 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
You could just pull in a wait for the other car to pass?
Is there anyway to get it reprogrammed to how you want?

Pica-Pica

16,675 posts

114 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
I don’t have (electrically folding mirrors). Many car mirrors do not stick out much further than the car, because cars have wide ‘haunches’. I would rather knock mirror to mirror than car to car. My F30 door mirrors have a strong black mirror base to protect the mirror body. I have deliberately tested this against a metal pole and it bends back with no damage to the base or the mirror at walking speed, then flicks back into position.

I can see some logic in your set up. Can you not disable the feature, or maintain the lower speed?

shake n bake

2,221 posts

237 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
I can’t say I’ve ever had to fold mirrors in whilst driving in 22 years.
Personally I’d say stop worrying about it as it’s not a feature they can just change.

ecsrobin

18,679 posts

195 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
Where are you driving that needs you to keep folding the mirrors? I’ve never had to that whilst driving…..

uuf361

3,184 posts

252 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
I have never come across a situation where I’ve wanted to fold my mirrors in whilst driving confused

Jordie Barretts sock

6,018 posts

49 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
Isn't it the law that you must have two mirrors whilst driving?

Why on earth would you need to fold your mirrors in to pass an oncoming vehicle, and even if you did, why would you think travelling in excess of 12mph was appropriate?

mikef

6,158 posts

281 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
I have, latest yesterday smile Fold in when driving onto the Eurotunnel shuttle, then out when driving off. Because the loos stick out from the carriage sides

GranpaB

20,094 posts

66 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
gardeners26 said:
I have brand new MG HS automatic. I have an issue with the folding door mirrors.
1)They will only fold in at speeds below 12 mph (19kmh) This the dealer tells me is a safety feature- in reality it’s the exact opposite as one can be traveling slightly above this speed when it becomes necessary to fold the mirrors due to an oncoming wide vehicle on a narrowing road.
2) If driving well below 12mph with the mirrors folded in and then accelerating only fractionally say from 5 to 7mph the mirrors automatically fold out which risks having them hit by oncoming traffic. Again the dealer tells me this is a safety feature.
I’ve had numerous cars with folding mirrors which can be folded in at normal speeds and will only fold out when activated.
There is no mention of this ‘feature’ in the owner’s manual. I’ve emailed MG but they have not responded.
Thoughts?
As others have said, i have never felt the need to fold in my mirrors whilst driving, and i live in the arse end of nowhere and i encounter all sorts of vehicles.

Sheepshanks

41,241 posts

149 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
I've tried to do it on wife's car, but there's so many possible positions on the VW mirror switch you don't know where it's starting from or where it needs to go and by the time I figure it out the other car has passed!

Pica-Pica

16,675 posts

114 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
I've tried to do it on wife's car, but there's so many possible positions on the VW mirror switch you don't know where it's starting from or where it needs to go and by the time I figure it out the other car has passed!
I just have my mirror selection set to passenger side, then I can manually dip the mirror when parking, if need be.

essexplumber

7,756 posts

203 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
I fold mine in my Kuga quite regularly. I live in the sticks and have had them clipped on thought roads by people with no spacial awareness.
Rather fold them for a second or two than pay for a new one.

Sheepshanks

41,241 posts

149 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
Pica-Pica said:
I just have my mirror selection set to passenger side, then I can manually dip the mirror when parking, if need be.
In her car it dips automatically if left in the L position - which is mostly a pain as it's rare for either of us to park the car kerb-side.


I know the mirrors in my Merc don't fold at speed, but I don't know what the cut off is.

ecsrobin

18,679 posts

195 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
mikef said:
I have, latest yesterday smile Fold in when driving onto the Eurotunnel shuttle, then out when driving off. Because the loos stick out from the carriage sides
What were you driving?? Again never had to do this and use the tunnel a few times a year and also never seen anyway have to fold.

donkmeister

13,048 posts

130 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
mikef said:
I have, latest yesterday smile Fold in when driving onto the Eurotunnel shuttle, then out when driving off. Because the loos stick out from the carriage sides
Blimey, what were you driving to need to do that?

king arthur

7,893 posts

291 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
If you are so close to something that you have to fold your mirrors in to pass it, there is absolutely no way you should be doing 12mph past it. Unless you're driving a bus or something.

mikef

6,158 posts

281 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
ecsrobin said:
mikef said:
I have, latest yesterday smile Fold in when driving onto the Eurotunnel shuttle, then out when driving off. Because the loos stick out from the carriage sides
What were you driving?? Again never had to do this and use the tunnel a few times a year and also never seen anyway have to fold.
SUV

You can see that quite a number of people have scraped their wing mirrors on the loos

e-honda

9,548 posts

176 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
mikef said:
I have, latest yesterday smile Fold in when driving onto the Eurotunnel shuttle, then out when driving off. Because the loos stick out from the carriage sides
There is a difference between folding in your mirrors when manoeuvring into a tight spot and doing it on the road.

These mirrors sound like a liability if they could randomly pop out when your moving forward while manoeuvring in a tight spot, but i suspect they actually only do it when they have auto folded in when locked / parked and if you press the button to fold them in manually they'll stay in.

C.A.R.

3,993 posts

218 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
OP out for a drive, yesterday, probably


Drive Blind

5,786 posts

207 months

Saturday 19th November 2022
quotequote all
gardeners26 said:
I have brand new MG HS automatic. I have an issue with the folding door mirrors.
1)They will only fold in at speeds below 12 mph (19kmh) This the dealer tells me is a safety feature- in reality it’s the exact opposite as one can be traveling slightly above this speed when it becomes necessary to fold the mirrors due to an oncoming wide vehicle on a narrowing road.
2) If driving well below 12mph with the mirrors folded in and then accelerating only fractionally say from 5 to 7mph the mirrors automatically fold out which risks having them hit by oncoming traffic. Again the dealer tells me this is a safety feature.
I’ve had numerous cars with folding mirrors which can be folded in at normal speeds and will only fold out when activated.
There is no mention of this ‘feature’ in the owner’s manual. I’ve emailed MG but they have not responded.
Thoughts?
you just need to accept its a feature of the mirrors on that car.
if you can't fit through the space with the mirrors out then don't go through it.