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Powerfold Mirror Repair
- Usel
- Member
- Posts: 941
- Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:59 am
Powerfold Mirror Repair
I sold a powerfold mirror to Enigmatik and he kindly sent me his broken one as I was curious as to whether a repair is possible:
Where the break was:
So after taking a trip to my local parts department (enuff_zed) I was donated a good non-powerfold mirror to do a donor repair.
With both mirrors stripped down I commenced rebuilding the powerfold:
With first cleaning and a little polish to make it shiny:
Then bolt it together:
Then put the wiring loom back:
Add mirror cap:
Add glass motor and bottom trim:
Reattach block connector and other wiring loom gubbins:
And finished:
I didn't put in the mirror glass as the only one I have is not heated so that will be a job for another day to source and fit.
The mirror now works perfectly, can all be disassembled easily to service the internals but shouldn't need doing for a long time as I greased everything up whilst it was apart.
Where the break was:
So after taking a trip to my local parts department (enuff_zed) I was donated a good non-powerfold mirror to do a donor repair.
With both mirrors stripped down I commenced rebuilding the powerfold:
With first cleaning and a little polish to make it shiny:
Then bolt it together:
Then put the wiring loom back:
Add mirror cap:
Add glass motor and bottom trim:
Reattach block connector and other wiring loom gubbins:
And finished:
I didn't put in the mirror glass as the only one I have is not heated so that will be a job for another day to source and fit.
The mirror now works perfectly, can all be disassembled easily to service the internals but shouldn't need doing for a long time as I greased everything up whilst it was apart.
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- Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2022 7:12 pm
- Location: Surrey/ hants border
- BumpyZ4
- Member
- Posts: 607
- Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:05 pm
- Location: New Orleans, LA USA
Powerfold Mirror Repair
What did you use to polish it?
2003 E85 3.0i Sterling Gray
KLR 650
Diva Roadster (Kit Car)
KLR 650
Diva Roadster (Kit Car)
- Usel
- Member
- Posts: 941
- Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:59 am
Powerfold Mirror Repair
2500 grit dry and then wet
Then to finish off a car polish, I used autoglym super resin polish but anything will do.
I haven't sealed it yet but use anything that will block UV.
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
- Posts: 15169
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
Powerfold Mirror Repair
Was the glass in the one from me not heated?
Welcome to use that if it is.
- Usel
- Member
- Posts: 941
- Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:59 am
Powerfold Mirror Repair
Yes it is!
Thanks again, put another 'IOU' note on pile
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
- Posts: 15169
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
Powerfold Mirror Repair
- Usel
- Member
- Posts: 941
- Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:59 am
Powerfold Mirror Repair
- kis
- Lifer
- Posts: 4554
- Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:33 pm
- Location: Surrey / West Sussex Boarder
Powerfold Mirror Repair
Nice work! Can you figure out how to unfold the mirrors on unlock now?! lol
On a serious note, do you know where the motor for the powerfold is located? It wasn't immediately obvious when I last opened mine.
(has started to stick so will need to disassemble and apply grease unless it's a gear or something that's knackered)
On a serious note, do you know where the motor for the powerfold is located? It wasn't immediately obvious when I last opened mine.
(has started to stick so will need to disassemble and apply grease unless it's a gear or something that's knackered)
My E85 Z4 3.0i SMG
BMW Family History (past and present):
1 Series - E87
3 Series - E46 Coupe, E46 M3, E90 (x3)
4 Series - F36, F82 M4
5 Series - E34 (x2), E39
7 Series - E32
X5 - E53, E70
X6 - E71
BMW Family History (past and present):
1 Series - E87
3 Series - E46 Coupe, E46 M3, E90 (x3)
4 Series - F36, F82 M4
5 Series - E34 (x2), E39
7 Series - E32
X5 - E53, E70
X6 - E71
- Usel
- Member
- Posts: 941
- Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:59 am
Powerfold Mirror Repair
On paper it's already done, just need to test it in the car. Not possible oem.
I bought some more mirrors and one is sticking in the up position. So will work out why it is. The mirrors when they hit their stops are done in different ways. When open so you can use the mirror. That stops on a pin which moves in and out on a spring. That can be serviced with brake cleaner to clean and then regrease it. This can be done quite easily and there's a gap in the moulding on purpose so you can service it.On a serious note, do you know where the motor for the powerfold is located? It wasn't immediately obvious when I last opened mine.
(has started to stick so will need to disassemble and apply grease unless it's a gear or something that's knackered)
When it stops in the up position that is metal to metal. It that fails then something will be broken. Will find out soon hopefully.
The motor is quite large, will send pictures tonight where it is housed. The motor has a cog on it which turns a worm gear that then turns another large cog. You can not easily get to it. You would basically have to do what I have done to fix the mirror above.
- kis
- Lifer
- Posts: 4554
- Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:33 pm
- Location: Surrey / West Sussex Boarder
Powerfold Mirror Repair
Brill, look forward to updates
FYI when mine gets stuck it's in the up position, I make sure I unfold my mirrors (one does work) so I can see they are supposed to be unfolded. Then I manually unfold the powerfold like you would a standard one. Sounds like you may have to do this, in order to service it. I'm expecting it to just be full of shite from 2 odd years since I was last in there to give it a blast of WD40. Folding up is fine, just struggling with the down. Hope this helps with your own adventure
FYI when mine gets stuck it's in the up position, I make sure I unfold my mirrors (one does work) so I can see they are supposed to be unfolded. Then I manually unfold the powerfold like you would a standard one. Sounds like you may have to do this, in order to service it. I'm expecting it to just be full of shite from 2 odd years since I was last in there to give it a blast of WD40. Folding up is fine, just struggling with the down. Hope this helps with your own adventure
My E85 Z4 3.0i SMG
BMW Family History (past and present):
1 Series - E87
3 Series - E46 Coupe, E46 M3, E90 (x3)
4 Series - F36, F82 M4
5 Series - E34 (x2), E39
7 Series - E32
X5 - E53, E70
X6 - E71
BMW Family History (past and present):
1 Series - E87
3 Series - E46 Coupe, E46 M3, E90 (x3)
4 Series - F36, F82 M4
5 Series - E34 (x2), E39
7 Series - E32
X5 - E53, E70
X6 - E71
- Usel
- Member
- Posts: 941
- Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:59 am
Powerfold Mirror Repair
It's quite a good design in the sense that if the powerfold stops working the mirror can be folded up or down exactly like a manual fold mirror. The powered part is a separate entity which uses its own method to fold.kis wrote: βWed Apr 03, 2024 11:02 am Brill, look forward to updates
FYI when mine gets stuck it's in the up position, I make sure I unfold my mirrors (one does work) so I can see they are supposed to be unfolded. Then I manually unfold the powerfold like you would a standard one. Sounds like you may have to do this, in order to service it. I'm expecting it to just be full of shite from 2 odd years since I was last in there to give it a blast of WD40. Folding up is fine, just struggling with the down. Hope this helps with your own adventure
- Usel
- Member
- Posts: 941
- Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:59 am
Powerfold Mirror Repair
Before I go further I'm just going to show the stop points for the mirror folded up and then down.
This is for the folded up position stop points:
The red arrow points to raised area (poor angle but it's all I have)
That raised area butt's up against this part
This shows the unfolded down position stop points:
There are 3 arrows and these point to 3 locking points that are all the same
One of those points catches this pin
If the mirror unfolded down and went too far the only reason it eventually stops is because the power is shut off. Power to the powerfold motor is timed. The reason the mirror went too far is because the pin is stuck in the up position. If the power didn't shut off the mirror would just go round and round.
This pin can be serviced. If you remove the glass, glass motor and mirror cap you will get access to the pin.
It's here:
Try spraying wd40 or anything you have up there and try and flick the pin with a tiny screw driver or stanley knife blade.
If you can't free it the only option is complete disassembly of the mirror. There is a hole behind it you can push a needle through to push it out.
Edit: You could actually drill a hole through the plastic just above the pin. Wants to be a good size (5mm.) The other side of the plastic is metal casing so you won't damage anything. Later photos below of the complete strip down will show the hole you are drilling through to find:
If your mirror gets stuck in the up position then this could be a big problem.
Fold your mirrors up and whilst doing so record the sound, on the mirror which gets stuck, as close to the unit as you can where the pin is. Play the recording back and listen carefully for a click. You may not be able to hear it because the motor is so noisy. If you do hear a click then the mirror is turning too far. This means something is worn and you need to disassemble the unit to try and fix it.
You can try spraying wd40 into the unit in the hope it does something and the point you need to concentrate on is this gap all the way round:
Between the black plastic and greenish metal. Anywhere else will do nothing.
Will write up the full strip down of the motor and cogs and everything tomorrow.
This is for the folded up position stop points:
The red arrow points to raised area (poor angle but it's all I have)
That raised area butt's up against this part
This shows the unfolded down position stop points:
There are 3 arrows and these point to 3 locking points that are all the same
One of those points catches this pin
If the mirror unfolded down and went too far the only reason it eventually stops is because the power is shut off. Power to the powerfold motor is timed. The reason the mirror went too far is because the pin is stuck in the up position. If the power didn't shut off the mirror would just go round and round.
This pin can be serviced. If you remove the glass, glass motor and mirror cap you will get access to the pin.
It's here:
Try spraying wd40 or anything you have up there and try and flick the pin with a tiny screw driver or stanley knife blade.
If you can't free it the only option is complete disassembly of the mirror. There is a hole behind it you can push a needle through to push it out.
Edit: You could actually drill a hole through the plastic just above the pin. Wants to be a good size (5mm.) The other side of the plastic is metal casing so you won't damage anything. Later photos below of the complete strip down will show the hole you are drilling through to find:
If your mirror gets stuck in the up position then this could be a big problem.
Fold your mirrors up and whilst doing so record the sound, on the mirror which gets stuck, as close to the unit as you can where the pin is. Play the recording back and listen carefully for a click. You may not be able to hear it because the motor is so noisy. If you do hear a click then the mirror is turning too far. This means something is worn and you need to disassemble the unit to try and fix it.
You can try spraying wd40 into the unit in the hope it does something and the point you need to concentrate on is this gap all the way round:
Between the black plastic and greenish metal. Anywhere else will do nothing.
Will write up the full strip down of the motor and cogs and everything tomorrow.
- Usel
- Member
- Posts: 941
- Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:59 am
Powerfold Mirror Repair
This is going to be a complete strip down of a passenger mirror which is broken. It would still move up and down, to a fashion, but once opened it's amazing it did. I have no idea why this mirror broke, maybe it was hit or it could be mechanical failure.
Separate the mirror
First part removed which was broken
More damage
Cog removed
Remove 3 screws and then the metal plate
Remove 4th screw and plastic plate
Pull out worm gear and Cog, both brass ends can fall off so be careful when you have it out
2 small metal spacers either end of worm gear are loose, don't lose them
Separate the mirror
First part removed which was broken
More damage
Cog removed
Remove 3 screws and then the metal plate
Remove 4th screw and plastic plate
Pull out worm gear and Cog, both brass ends can fall off so be careful when you have it out
2 small metal spacers either end of worm gear are loose, don't lose them
- Usel
- Member
- Posts: 941
- Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:59 am
Powerfold Mirror Repair
Pull actuator housing out
The pin hole behind the pin that you can use to push it out if seized in. There is a spring inside behind the pin
Actuator housing
Remove plastic cap from the end of motor
Remove motor from actuator housing
Remove plastic spacer
Pictures of the damage
Damage is terminal, I will need a new actuator housing. You can buy these from aliexpress and they are around Β£50 excluding postage but it is complete with all cogs and motor.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006 ... 37127fe1c1
AZGIANT on aliexpress also has single parts available like the worm gear, motor and cogs. They are around Β£10 each.
Donor vehicles you can get the actuator housing from:
1998-2003 BMW M5 E39
2001-2008 BMW 7 Series E65 E66 E68
2002-2008 BMW Z4 E85 E86
2003-2007 BMW X3 E83
2004-2008 BMW 1 Series E81 E82 E87 E88
1995-2004 BMW 5 Series E39
The actuator is also found in the Audi C5 S6 and the mirror glass motor is found on some models of Mercedes. So an outsourced company is making the internal parts.
The pin hole behind the pin that you can use to push it out if seized in. There is a spring inside behind the pin
Actuator housing
Remove plastic cap from the end of motor
Remove motor from actuator housing
Remove plastic spacer
Pictures of the damage
Damage is terminal, I will need a new actuator housing. You can buy these from aliexpress and they are around Β£50 excluding postage but it is complete with all cogs and motor.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006 ... 37127fe1c1
AZGIANT on aliexpress also has single parts available like the worm gear, motor and cogs. They are around Β£10 each.
Donor vehicles you can get the actuator housing from:
1998-2003 BMW M5 E39
2001-2008 BMW 7 Series E65 E66 E68
2002-2008 BMW Z4 E85 E86
2003-2007 BMW X3 E83
2004-2008 BMW 1 Series E81 E82 E87 E88
1995-2004 BMW 5 Series E39
The actuator is also found in the Audi C5 S6 and the mirror glass motor is found on some models of Mercedes. So an outsourced company is making the internal parts.
Last edited by Usel on Thu Apr 04, 2024 11:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.