Help please re Folding Door Mirror

[builderpaul]

I have been having problems with my 2008 C5 Mk3 Exclusive Tourer passenger door mirror. For a few months, when locking the car doors, it has been folding into the side window too far and more recently it has actually become stuck, or even swivelled round in the opposite direction, when I unlock the car. My dear wife has discovered this week that if we prevent the mirror from swivelling too far when locking it will work perfectly when the car is unlocked.

Is the travel of the mirror controlled by some sort of sensor, or is it more of a physical buffer that may have broken and does anyone know how I can repair this please. I have found information on how to strip down the mirror glass, which may be useful, but I'm thinking that the bit I need to examine is in the mounting strut below the swivelling mirror body.

Also, can anyone recommend a workshop manual (online would be fine) worth purchasing please?

Thank you very much for any replies, Paul.

[GiveMeABreak]

The motor unit at the back of the mirror is for adjusting the mirror itself - and I guess you have the info on how to remove all that. The other motor seeems to be called the 'Orientation Mechanism', identified as item 8 in the second diagram.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a separate part for this item, as you can see from the parts listing:

[renagade]

Hi Guy's
My 2009 c5 near side door mirror has been like that since I bought the car used three years ago. I was wondering if the Lexia could fix this problem????????

[builderpaul]

Thanks very much Mark. The diagrams are very useful, where on earth do you find them?

I've been thinking this morning that if I could find a small overtaking mirror that could be fixed to the outside edge of the mirror (something like my caravan extension mirror does), this would stop it rotating too far into the glass window, thereby doing the same job my wife does in physically restricting the travel - job done!

[GiveMeABreak]

Diagbox will be able to tell you if there is a fault in the driver's door module, but the folding mirror issue is not likely to be reported as a fault. Diagbox will allow you to run tests on the mirror motor, by checking that the adjustments are working as per the button presses, but there's nothing on here to change. Our C3 has now developed issues with first the passenger and now the driver's electric folding mechanism within 3 weeks of the passenger one playing up. It will unfold when unlocked, but will not fold electronically. The motor runs, but it struggles to close and stas open. Folding it in by hand sometimes helps it along. I'm guessing that it will be plastic gears that have worn down - although unless it is possible to strip the actual component down (8 in the diag) it will be hard to tell. As the part isn't listed separately - it is likely a new / breaker mirror will need to be sourced. But at least you can replace the shell with your original coloured ones.

[GiveMeABreak]

Thanks very much Mark. The diagrams are very useful, where on earth do you find them?
I've been thinking this morning that if I could find a small overtaking mirror that could be fixed to the outside edge of the mirror (something like my caravan extension mirror does), this would stop it rotating too far into the glass window, thereby doing the same job my wife does in physically restricting the travel - job done!

You can try to reinitialise the door mirrors. With the Driver's folding mirror switch in the central position, press and hold the switch downwards for a LONG press. That is supposed to reset them. Failing this, you can always have the folding option deactivated by a dealer (but I assume also using a Lexia). This might be less of a hassle if they are starting to play up.

[builderpaul]

Thanks once again Marc. I've tried using the switch to try and reset them, without success. Also read that dealer deactivation is available and considering this but would like to keep this function if possible. I'm currently looking for an extension mirror that's not too large and looks good.

[builderpaul]

After spending ages thinking about this problem and finding no solution, other than a trip to the local Citroen dealer, I started thinking of alternative remedies. My wife's "cure" of physically holding the mirror (with little force) when we lock the car to prevent swivelling round too far has led me to a solution that is both simple and effective, if somewhat crude. I've bonded a 40 x 10 x 8mm piece of black plastic to the black plastic trim at the front edge of the window where my door mirror rotates round to. The mirror now hits the new plastic stop and this seems to have cured the problem - here's hoping!

Thanks to Marc for your help and I hope that this simple solution may appeal to others.

Cheers, Paul

[renagade]

Hi builderpaul
I have a 2009 c5 x7 and have the same problem and the Lexia will not put it right ,so I manually put it where I want it to close to and with a felt tip pen marked the underside of the mirror against the body of the mounting of the mirror then I electrically moved the mirror to the "outer " position and drilled a fine hole on the line of the felt tip and screwed a 1/2 inch long spacer to the underside. Now when I lock my car the mirrors close to the correct folded position.,it does not take much resistance to stop the mirror by hand so hence my little stop underneath the mirror.

[builderpaul]

Hello renagade,

That sounds like a very good solution to the same problem I have. I hadn't thought of that approach, but it makes good sense. Could you post a photo, or email me one please?

Also, do you have idea what may have caused your problem? The clip on extension mirrors I use when towing my caravan certainly put quite a lot of additional wind pressure on the mirror unit and they also affect the closing position if left on when locking the car during breaks at motorway service stations. I wonder whether this may have caused my problem.