Folding mirror switch dead?

[milobob]

So today I decided to fold my mirrors for parking (whilst the car was on) and it didn't work.

This has happened before when I was re-doing the wiring behind my glovebox - sorta made the connections lose but after some pushing it was working fine again.

Now I have a bit of a problem. I tried to check the folding mirror button wiring and it seems fine. Made sure it was contacting at both ends - didn't work. Pulled apart the door and glovebox - use some new wiring to test and its still not working.

The other buttons on the mirror switch work (mirror adjustment & stuff). I'm not sure what is wrong... Maybe the control box folding switch part is faulty? I don't know

[Blakey]

test that the button works, if it works, then test the cable to the control box, then if that's good, test the control box(if you can)Outputs. if it works, test the motors in the mirrors. if you dont find whats wrong doing that, then who knows.

if your not miles away, i can always give you a hand as well if you want.

[tryg]

Would the quickest way be to illiminate the switch... By someone lending you one to test...

[milobob]

Hmm, the mirrors fold fine and indicate/heat, the other functions on the switch seems to work.

I'll probably borrow a multimeter off someone and see if there is a signal coming out from the switch... then to see if the wire is working... not sure how to test the control box though... (unless I could borrow one)??

[aspir3]

Bruno as you know I had all sorts of trouble with my folding mirrors including the colt switch.

My colt switch stopped working as well. It was a loose connector, somewhere.

I ended up putting 2 connectors on each of the wires. I also placed a cable tie around the new wire and the wires on either side.

After I did this the colt switch worked again.

I spoke to Adrian about the colt switch and he said it is very unlikely the switch is broken. All it does is earth out the connecting wire.

[milobob]

Yea, I was reading what happened to you. It seems unlikely that the switch and control box are dead as they are working for all other functions.

I thought it might have been the connections - but I sorta tested it by twirling the wires and folding the ends so both ends of the wire would be touching the terminals...

Currently don't have the connectors for either end.. I know the control box end is the "mini-blade terminal" (female) [Repco. Part number is 56033BL] but am unsure of what connector to use for the switch end...

[milobob]

Update: So today I found out that when the car is on/off/engine on whenever I lock/unlock my car the mirrors will fold. This is NOT suppose to happen. Perhaps there is a short circuit somewhere?... or maybe a fault in the control box?



I'm re-doing the mirror folding switch connections now so we will see what happens.

[milobob]

Update #2: So i double checked the connections.. and re-did them. They seem fine.

Used bare metal (ground) to simulate the switch with the actual wire and a separate test wire (connected to the box) and nothing happens.

Got a bad feeling something in the control box is screwed up? Will ask David to see if he has any spare that I can test with.

[Dire]

Either the switch or the box then I guess....
I'm unfamiliar with how the switch works... Can you pull it out and test it with a bulb/LED or something?

Doubt its the switch though...

[milobob]

Yea, with the locking whilst driving (quite dangerous since now I can't lock when I'm driving) I think it must be a faulty box.. short circuit somewhere with the locking and folding signal maybe.

The mirrors flash when I lock the doors whilst driving too.. so not good!

[Dire]

Ahh yeah well that can't be the switch... Must be the box if you've checked the wiring

[milobob]

Ok, so I got a reply from Shadows, and this is what I got in the email:



So since I already checked the connections which were all fine.. it had to be the connection into the fuse wiring. Opened up the red connector and the metal splice/blade was not pushed all the way down (95% pushed down).

Disconnected the fuse plug and squashed the splicing with some pliers. Works perfect now.

A+ for quick email support.


Moral of the story... use some other connectors!