Wing mirrors :-(

[M3Tony]

1st one, now both don't work. Any clues where to start looking, why I just get an electric "Click click" when I try to adjust them, on my '90 325i Sport ?

[Zayyan]

I think they're fooked, when mine had this problem (many a year ago) the mechanic looking at it just replaced the mirror.

Set of mirrors is cheap enough from the scrappie, then it's just a case of a paint can from Halfords.

I think I have a set as well though not sure whether they're working, will test them out for you if you like.

[E30Mark]

Try pushing the glass around manually, see if it frees up the motors. Otherwise just change the motors inside. Don't bother trying to spray up new ones if you don't need to...

[Dan318-is]

before you fiddle with the mirrors, get an electric switch and replace yours

id put my money on that

[M3Tony]

Electric switch - literally, the switch on the door?, take it apart or get replacement to see if this is at fault ??? I have 2x E30s....so can try from other car !

[M3Tony]

If the 'electric switch' ain't the answer, then how easy is it to get to the motors ?? Just a clue, how to go about this ? Thanks, Tony

[Brianmoooore]

I've never come across a door mirror on an E30 that has failed electrically. The mechanism can break from the shock of an impact, but I've always found the motor 100% reliable.
The control switch is often the problem. Easily opened up and cleaned, but there are a lot of small parts on the baseplate - make sure you don't tip them out when you open it up.
If the driver's door mirror clicks when you push the switch, then the problem is almost always the switch itself.
For problems with the passenger mirror it can be either the switch or the door plug/socket on either side. The wire to the clutch is usuall OK, so the mirror will click.
Corrosion occurs fastest on connectors that are live, and the blue/black wire is live all the time the key is turned to position 1 or 2, so this is the wire in which the pin/socket corrosion occurs.
Note the position of the pin/socket is different in the driver's door from the passenger door.

[M3Tony]

Wow, thanks for details....off to garage for a 'play' ! Cheers, Tony

[Brianmoooore]

Bit more "detail2 on E30 mirrors:-
There's only one motor in each mirror. The other thing that looks like a motor is an electric clutch that transfers the motor drive between up/down and side to side. The clicking sound you hear,(should be from both mirrors at the same time), is the clutch engaging and disengaging.

[t11mfn]

I actually took the motor out of the passenger side mirror as mine had stopped working, changed the switch first and that didnt do anything.

Lucky the guy who had the car before me had a replica pair of M3 mirrors took the glass out and walla the motor mechanism was exactly the same as the BMW standard one. Put it into the housing and it works perfect, much more smoothly that the original drivers side does. So if that one goes i will replace it with the other motor ive got spare

[M3Tony]

OK, bloody freezing outside.....how to get inside the mirrors?? but worse, how do you get inside the switch on the door ? I've wiggled the mirrors, as suggested, and now drivers side DOES go up & down, but not sideways....passengers side refuses any movement. However, CLICK, CLICK, is loud and strong. Does that help pin-down the issue....but Haynes manual doesn't give any clue how to get inside eithr switch or mirrors......AND IT'S FREEZING !!

[Brianmoooore]

Same motor assembly is found in quite a few different BMW models.

[t11mfn]

To get into the mirror there is a hole under the mirror housing, you need to insert a screw driver it will have to be a thin one.

You should be able to see between the mirror and the housing the screw driver. The screw driver needs to fit into a little groove like a cog and then turn it either left or right.

This will release the mirror and give you access to the motor. Hope you understand what i put and it helps you!!

[Brianmoooore]

To get into the mirror there is a hole under the mirror housing, you need to insert a screw driver it will have to be a thin one.

You should be able to see between the mirror and the housing the screw driver. The screw driver needs to fit into a little groove like a cog and then turn it either left or right.

This will release the mirror and give you access to the motor. Hope you understand what i put and it helps you!!

Always find it easier to put the mirror fully up, and put the screwdriver in under the glass. You can see what you're doing then.

[t11mfn]

true if your going to replace the motor then this is prob the best way to do it i just followed the instructions in the haynes manual