Wing mirror not folding...
Discussion
This is probably a common one...
2007 DB9, 24K miles. I had the autofold function enabled a few weeks ago and everything worked fine until the last trip - now the NS wing mirror only opens out halfway. If I pull it the rest of the way by hand then it only goes halfway back in later. Seems mechanical - would blasting some WD40 into the pivot help?
ETA probably officially called a door mirror!
2007 DB9, 24K miles. I had the autofold function enabled a few weeks ago and everything worked fine until the last trip - now the NS wing mirror only opens out halfway. If I pull it the rest of the way by hand then it only goes halfway back in later. Seems mechanical - would blasting some WD40 into the pivot help?
ETA probably officially called a door mirror!
My 2007 vantage does this from time to time and I have found WD40 has helped mine. It might be some 3 in 1 oil (a proper lubricant ) might be better but I always have a tin of WD40 around and it works fine. I spray in the gap, wiggle it a little and cycle the mirror function by locking, then in ignition to unfold a bit as sometime it seems to think they are unfolded when they are actually folded, but after a few cycles they right themselves. I’ve done maybe 6 times over the past 12 years of ownership. It usually happens if I haven’t used the car for a while (it lives outside)
Thanks - I agree 3-in-1 would be better but I can't blast that into the gap.
I don't have the skill/courage to take the mirror off so it will be that or nothing.
I've had the car for two years, but thanks to a combination of flat battery, advice to disconnect the battery for something else, mirrors off for respraying and the necessity for AMDS to reset so nobody within 50 miles can set it, autofold has only worked for about two months in two years. I dream of autofold...
On the XK150 it can simply be set in the car's menu. Grr.
I don't have the skill/courage to take the mirror off so it will be that or nothing.
I've had the car for two years, but thanks to a combination of flat battery, advice to disconnect the battery for something else, mirrors off for respraying and the necessity for AMDS to reset so nobody within 50 miles can set it, autofold has only worked for about two months in two years. I dream of autofold...
On the XK150 it can simply be set in the car's menu. Grr.
Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 16th December 21:35
If for sure it’s mechanical then the mechanism just needs lubrication and possibly also cleaning.
The issue with all aerosol penetrating oils like WD40 is that they are very light by necessity (to be able to wick in) and any residues aren’t really that ‘oily’ once the solvents have evaporated. It’s only ever a (very) temporary solution to the issue of a sticky mechanism.
Ideally you need some proper lube (grease) in the joint/mechanism.
As a bit of a lazy man’s fix, get the car to the steepest lateral angle, use plasticine or heavy tape (duct tape) to create a temporary reservoir catch tray on the arm under the joint, curving up either side onto the mirror body. Then gently heat some low temp (ahem, food grade) grease. Not too hot, just until it flows/becomes liquid (and don’t use lithium/high temp stuff!), then pour it into the little reservoir. It will seep via gravity and pressure into the joint, as it cools it resolidifies and hey presto you have a re-greased assembly. It can be a bit messy though, and it’s very important to use low temperature grease, stuff that becomes liquid at around 60C.
The issue with all aerosol penetrating oils like WD40 is that they are very light by necessity (to be able to wick in) and any residues aren’t really that ‘oily’ once the solvents have evaporated. It’s only ever a (very) temporary solution to the issue of a sticky mechanism.
Ideally you need some proper lube (grease) in the joint/mechanism.
As a bit of a lazy man’s fix, get the car to the steepest lateral angle, use plasticine or heavy tape (duct tape) to create a temporary reservoir catch tray on the arm under the joint, curving up either side onto the mirror body. Then gently heat some low temp (ahem, food grade) grease. Not too hot, just until it flows/becomes liquid (and don’t use lithium/high temp stuff!), then pour it into the little reservoir. It will seep via gravity and pressure into the joint, as it cools it resolidifies and hey presto you have a re-greased assembly. It can be a bit messy though, and it’s very important to use low temperature grease, stuff that becomes liquid at around 60C.
Edited by Calinours on Sunday 17th December 11:52
Probably not, because it will likely not flow well enough to wick into the joint, as soon as it’s out of the can the solvents evaporate. It’s OK for bike chains etc.
No harm in trying though, if you still have a pipe attachment try squashing one end and seeing how far you can gently force it under the mirror with the mirror rotated to the best position. You may get decent penetration that way, don’t just squirt it at the joint and hope for the best though….
Low temp (generally food grade) grease is the safest as it melts at such a low temp it can’t damage any paint while you slosh it around.
Alternatively, just using a high viscosity oil and heating it to about 60C then letting it wick in under gravity as I describe above will be better than any spray lube. There will be mess though !
No harm in trying though, if you still have a pipe attachment try squashing one end and seeing how far you can gently force it under the mirror with the mirror rotated to the best position. You may get decent penetration that way, don’t just squirt it at the joint and hope for the best though….
Low temp (generally food grade) grease is the safest as it melts at such a low temp it can’t damage any paint while you slosh it around.
Alternatively, just using a high viscosity oil and heating it to about 60C then letting it wick in under gravity as I describe above will be better than any spray lube. There will be mess though !
Edited by Calinours on Sunday 17th December 12:03
I would use a two pronged approach so that spray grease can penetrate. Halfords silicone spray followed ( after flashing off) by their spray grease. The silicone is thin, free running and should penetrate well snd provide a pathway for the grease to follow. The grease spays thin until the carrier flashes off and leaves a persistent lubricant.
Disassembling the mirror is the only way to ensure its lubricated properly and for that I would recommend Servisol silicone grease. Absolutely nothing is more persistent or weather resistant in my experience.
Disassembling the mirror is the only way to ensure its lubricated properly and for that I would recommend Servisol silicone grease. Absolutely nothing is more persistent or weather resistant in my experience.
5s Alive said:
I would use a two pronged approach so that spray grease can penetrate. Halfords silicone spray followed ( after flashing off) by their spray grease. The silicone is thin, free running and should penetrate well snd provide a pathway for the grease to follow. The grease spays thin until the carrier flashes off and leaves a persistent lubricant.
Disassembling the mirror is the only way to ensure its lubricated properly and for that I would recommend Servisol silicone grease. Absolutely nothing is more persistent or weather resistant in my experience.
Thanks. I decided to try the spray grease first after all, and to my surprise could get the fine tube right into the gap until it met something in the middle. So I gave it a few short blasts from various angles, and moved the mirror back and forth a few times by hand, and we'll see if it's any better next time I use the car. 'Place bets now' lol!Disassembling the mirror is the only way to ensure its lubricated properly and for that I would recommend Servisol silicone grease. Absolutely nothing is more persistent or weather resistant in my experience.
The mirror was removed earlier this year when I had the mount resprayed, so it may be that the the chap wiped all the lubricant off, or forgot to add new.
The mechanism has quite physical detents at each end; it seems the motor is struggling to overcome one of them.
Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 17th December 14:01
Calinours said:
I can’t understand why, having done that, that anyone wouldn’t immediately test the movement by pressing both buttons together to rotate the mirrors in…?
C’mon Simpo, give it a whirl…
Does not knowing that happened, despite owning the car for 14 years, count? C’mon Simpo, give it a whirl…
Edited by Calinours on Sunday 17th December 16:13
C’mon Simpo, it’s not the first time you have posted looking for help, and not the first time you have been helped.
Can you please outline the outcome in sentences of more than one word, it’s the PH way, and is helpful for others in separating crap advice from good. The Americans call it ‘closure’.
Can you please outline the outcome in sentences of more than one word, it’s the PH way, and is helpful for others in separating crap advice from good. The Americans call it ‘closure’.
Ah, I thought it obvious...
'I squirted spray grease in it and now it works again'
Simpo Two said:
I decided to try the spray grease first after all, and to my surprise could get the fine tube right into the gap until it met something in the middle. So I gave it a few short blasts from various angles, and moved the mirror back and forth a few times by hand, and we'll see if it's any better next time I use the car.
Simpo Two said:
Victory!
...but by way of more obvious explanation, it goes like this:'I squirted spray grease in it and now it works again'
Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 18th December 22:24
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