Problem with retracting wing mirrors on C200 W203 2005

[garyreekie]

Dear Colleagues,

Both my retracting mirrors on my C200 W203 2005 have just recently stopped opening. Both retract perfectly but will not open. A Mercedes Breakdown Engineer used STAR but could find no problems with the switch unit and as such has reported back to me that it is his firm belief that the motor in each mirror unit has failed. I would be me most grateful for your feedback as to whether both motors could fail at exactly the same time?

Regards

Gary

 

[John Laidlaw]

Unlikely. The wires may have broken at the same time I guess?

 

[Blobcat]

Can's see both motors failing simultaneously, I'd be looking at wiring initially

 

[rf065]

My CLK ones used to stick all the time. Try gently opening them with your hand while someone presses the switch & they should move. If so, give them a good spray behind the glass with some lubricant, the mechanism inside the mirror tends to dry up over time. No need to remove the glass, you can spray everything with it in place.

 

[Naraic]

If they retract...how can the motors have failed.

 

[curious]

I'd experienced both sticky mechanism and broken wires in mine. Silicone spray resolved the sticky mechanism and splicing more substantial wiring (with a few extra loops) at the stress point where it hinges sorted the other.

 

[garyreekie]

Thank you all for your valuable feedback. If as Naraic says the motors have not failed due to the fact both wing mirrors continue to retract successfully am I right to assume that both mirrors initially need to be appropriately lubricated in an attempt to get them to open and if this fails I need to look at the wiring in both mirrors? I find it most strange that both mirrors failed to open at the very same time and as such I was hoping the Mercedes Breakdown Engineer would have pointed to a common part that would have caused the joint failure. One thing he did say which I failed to mention was that with the mirrors manually opened both the open / retract button on the control switch would cause both mirrors to retract, however, he told me there was no problem with the switch?

 

[Donald McPherson]

Is there power to the switch. If no power and the fuse is OK there might be a break in the flex between door and door post.

 

[garyreekie]

Dear Donald

I presume there is power to the switch as both wing mirrors retract automatically subsequent to having been opened manually. What is interesting is that when both wing mirrors have been opened manually which ever switch you depress on the control unit both wing mirrors automatically retract?

Regards Gary

 

[rorywquin]

This is new to me. Is a retracting mirror different to a folding mirror?

 

[garyreekie]

Dear Rory,

Folding wing mirrors

Gary.

 

[Adamki83]

Dear Colleagues,

Both my retracting mirrors on my C200 W203 2005 have just recently stopped opening. Both retract perfectly but will not open. A Mercedes Breakdown Engineer used STAR but could find no problems with the switch unit and as such has reported back to me that it is his firm belief that the motor in each mirror unit has failed. I would be me most grateful for your feedback as to whether both motors could fail at exactly the same time?

Regards

Gary

This could be totally irrelevant but when my w211 drivers side mirror folded out when fully out it felt kind of loose a bit of assistance when unfolding the mirror and it didnt go loose at all.

Im wondering yours could be the other way round is it loose when its folded in and when pushing the button have you tried helping the mirror unfold? In case the motor isnt pulling the mirror out!

 

[garyreekie]

The mirror folds in but not fully on the first press of the button, however, on a second press of the button the mirror folds in fully. I have tried to press the unfold button when I am manually folding the mirrors but the motors do not 'kick in'.

 

[Ken_R]

Get the mirror covers off and get some lubrication on the pivots. Removing the covers is fiddly, but easy when you get the hang of it.

See YouTube

You might also find that the spring holding the cover on also needs some silicone lubricant.

The trick to getting them off, apart from positioning the glass, is not to go too deep with the 'implement' - only about half an inch or so. 'Feel' for the spring tab and ease it across.

I rarely fold mine in because, with the mirrors folded, any 'intelligent scrote' (is that an oxymoron?) could have the covers off in seconds and then on Ebay.

 

[garyreekie]

Dear Ken

Thank you so much for a most informative video; I now feel more confident in attempting to resolve the issue.

Regards

Gary