SC430 Rear View Mirror Motor Removal
09-19-13, 12:03 PM
#1
Rookie
Thread Starter
SC430 Rear View Mirror Motor Removal
How to access gears and motors in Lexus rear view Mirrors
Each paragraph has a photo illustration. I hope the photos do well. My only snags were figuring out the back of the mirror had to come out first, and the plastic dowels that pressed the motor assembly into the frame.
1) Remove the glass mirror by standing in front of it, and pull towards you from the bottom of the mirror. It will separate, then gently lift up to slide away from the top of the mirror. There are two heater wires in back that need to be unplugged. The these come up from the board (if you were looking at an assembled mirror, the connectors have to be pull toward the front of the car, not up or down). I used a flat screwdriver and was very careful. The wires are short.
2) Remove the screw / spring assembly in the center of the mirror. It has grease on it, and I used a paper towel to collect these parts.
3) The plastic rectangular plate has to be removed. It has 2 plastic gears that pivot behind the plate. To avoid stripping those 2 worm gears, I turned the ignition to on, and carefully pressed the mirror buttons to extend those gears as far as possible, tuned the key off, then pulled them forward and away from the motors.
4) There are 3 screws that hold the front half of the mirror body, and a hidden 4th screw which can not be accessed until the back of the assembly is removed. I undid the 3 screws and set them aside.
5) The back half of the mirror has two clips and a plastic guide. I had to pinch the clips from the inside of the mirror while carefully pulling the back half of the mirror away from the car. It splits in half, but I tore up my fingers getting it out.
6) Locate the 4th screw holding the front half of the mirror, and undo. The front comes out easily.
7) There are 3 plastic fasteners holding the motor assembly in place. I used a hex head screwdriver with a face small enough to push the plastic dowel out (from the front of the car to the back). The motor assembly comes out easily.
8) Open the 3 tabs on the motor casing, and inside you'll find 2 motors, two wheel gears, and two worm gears.
Thats it. To replace, reverse the procedure.
Each paragraph has a photo illustration. I hope the photos do well. My only snags were figuring out the back of the mirror had to come out first, and the plastic dowels that pressed the motor assembly into the frame.
1) Remove the glass mirror by standing in front of it, and pull towards you from the bottom of the mirror. It will separate, then gently lift up to slide away from the top of the mirror. There are two heater wires in back that need to be unplugged. The these come up from the board (if you were looking at an assembled mirror, the connectors have to be pull toward the front of the car, not up or down). I used a flat screwdriver and was very careful. The wires are short.
2) Remove the screw / spring assembly in the center of the mirror. It has grease on it, and I used a paper towel to collect these parts.
3) The plastic rectangular plate has to be removed. It has 2 plastic gears that pivot behind the plate. To avoid stripping those 2 worm gears, I turned the ignition to on, and carefully pressed the mirror buttons to extend those gears as far as possible, tuned the key off, then pulled them forward and away from the motors.
4) There are 3 screws that hold the front half of the mirror body, and a hidden 4th screw which can not be accessed until the back of the assembly is removed. I undid the 3 screws and set them aside.
5) The back half of the mirror has two clips and a plastic guide. I had to pinch the clips from the inside of the mirror while carefully pulling the back half of the mirror away from the car. It splits in half, but I tore up my fingers getting it out.
6) Locate the 4th screw holding the front half of the mirror, and undo. The front comes out easily.
7) There are 3 plastic fasteners holding the motor assembly in place. I used a hex head screwdriver with a face small enough to push the plastic dowel out (from the front of the car to the back). The motor assembly comes out easily.
8) Open the 3 tabs on the motor casing, and inside you'll find 2 motors, two wheel gears, and two worm gears.
Thats it. To replace, reverse the procedure.
09-20-13, 10:18 AM
#2
Lead Lap
Excellent and very helpful. Thanks Marty!
09-26-13, 05:41 PM
#5
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Excellent note.
If you are game, you can try to repair the motor. These motors are little used and have a small load. There is no reason why they should electrically fail. More than likely, they are just dirty. Look at it this way – if your original plan was to replace the motor, you have nothing to lose.
You will need to remove the worm gear before taking the motor apart. Be careful not to damage the shaft when removing the gear.
The case of the motor is affixed with only some slight peens in the cover. See photo. If you tap the spread in the vee closed and pry a little, the cover will come right off. Be gentle so you don’t damage the brushes.
Once the cover is removed, you will have the main cover with a brass bushing at the end, the other part of the cover which contains the brushes and another brass bushing, the armature, and a small nylon bushing (don’t lose it!).
I tested the windings in the armature and as I suspected, there was nothing wrong with them. There are three windings, each with a soldered connection on the armature. Using an ohmmeter, there should be continuity from any one of the 3 windings to each of the other 2.
I checked the brushes and they were slightly worn and very dirty. I cleaned the brushes with pegwood (soft wooden dowel), and checked to make sure they were bent inward slightly to put pressure on the commutator. Not too much, that will wear the brushes quickly.
I polished the shaft of the armature with some 400 wet and dry paper, and did the same with the commutator, gently. I then cleaned the brass bushings at both ends of the cover with sharpened pegwood. Test fit the armature shaft with both bushings – there should be no drag as the shaft is turned or moved in and out of the bushing. Put it all back together (don’t forget the nylon bushing). Add a small drop of synthetic oil externally at the brass bushings and you’re done.
You can test the motor easily by just plugging in either the white or black electrical connectors and pushing the corresponding mirror control. I was delighted to see my 'bad' motor spin at first try. If it turns out to be a short-term fix, no problem. At least I will already know how to get the mirror apart. And that way, I can have the new motor in hand before taking the mirror apart. BTW, dealer quoted $1200 to replace mirror. Hah!
If you are game, you can try to repair the motor. These motors are little used and have a small load. There is no reason why they should electrically fail. More than likely, they are just dirty. Look at it this way – if your original plan was to replace the motor, you have nothing to lose.
You will need to remove the worm gear before taking the motor apart. Be careful not to damage the shaft when removing the gear.
The case of the motor is affixed with only some slight peens in the cover. See photo. If you tap the spread in the vee closed and pry a little, the cover will come right off. Be gentle so you don’t damage the brushes.
Once the cover is removed, you will have the main cover with a brass bushing at the end, the other part of the cover which contains the brushes and another brass bushing, the armature, and a small nylon bushing (don’t lose it!).
I tested the windings in the armature and as I suspected, there was nothing wrong with them. There are three windings, each with a soldered connection on the armature. Using an ohmmeter, there should be continuity from any one of the 3 windings to each of the other 2.
I checked the brushes and they were slightly worn and very dirty. I cleaned the brushes with pegwood (soft wooden dowel), and checked to make sure they were bent inward slightly to put pressure on the commutator. Not too much, that will wear the brushes quickly.
I polished the shaft of the armature with some 400 wet and dry paper, and did the same with the commutator, gently. I then cleaned the brass bushings at both ends of the cover with sharpened pegwood. Test fit the armature shaft with both bushings – there should be no drag as the shaft is turned or moved in and out of the bushing. Put it all back together (don’t forget the nylon bushing). Add a small drop of synthetic oil externally at the brass bushings and you’re done.
You can test the motor easily by just plugging in either the white or black electrical connectors and pushing the corresponding mirror control. I was delighted to see my 'bad' motor spin at first try. If it turns out to be a short-term fix, no problem. At least I will already know how to get the mirror apart. And that way, I can have the new motor in hand before taking the mirror apart. BTW, dealer quoted $1200 to replace mirror. Hah!
Last edited by debrantley; 09-26-13 at 06:22 PM.
09-27-13, 10:24 AM
#6
Lead Lap
Nice work debrantley.
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10-03-13, 09:18 AM
#8
Rookie
Thread Starter
Thanks for the info. I still have an incorrect mirror movement issue. Please read:
When I had the glass out of the mirror, I tried the adjustment switches and observed the motion insdie the plastic assembly. When I press the buttons, the mirror would move to the top left or bottom right. Never to the left, right, top or bottom. With the mirror glass removed, I could see both motors spinning at the SAME time, with any switch adjustment.
With the mirror fully assembled, the left/right buttons work, but the up/down button will activate the motor once, then stop working after a few moments.
Is a bad motor still able to spin (ie is it too weak to work properly, but still move a little?). Also, no matter what button I push, both motors spin every time. Is this normal?
When I had the glass out of the mirror, I tried the adjustment switches and observed the motion insdie the plastic assembly. When I press the buttons, the mirror would move to the top left or bottom right. Never to the left, right, top or bottom. With the mirror glass removed, I could see both motors spinning at the SAME time, with any switch adjustment.
With the mirror fully assembled, the left/right buttons work, but the up/down button will activate the motor once, then stop working after a few moments.
Is a bad motor still able to spin (ie is it too weak to work properly, but still move a little?). Also, no matter what button I push, both motors spin every time. Is this normal?
Last edited by marty99; 10-03-13 at 09:23 AM.
10-08-13, 08:37 AM
#9
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Both motors turning with the press of one switch doesn't sound like a motor problem, more of a control problem. Could be the ECU in the door. I would try swapping the internals of the 2 mirrors to see if the problem is there or external. If external, either the ECU or some wiring issue.
Just so you know, when you press a switch, 12V should be applied across ONE of the motors. If the opposite switch is pressed, the opposite polarity of 12V will be applied. For example, if you put a digital voltmeter across the up/down motor and press up, you may see +12V; if you press down, you should see the opposite, i.e. -12V. NOTHING should happen to the left/right motor when you press up/down. If it is getting activated too, then either there is a short somewhere or the ECU is bad.
Just so you know, when you press a switch, 12V should be applied across ONE of the motors. If the opposite switch is pressed, the opposite polarity of 12V will be applied. For example, if you put a digital voltmeter across the up/down motor and press up, you may see +12V; if you press down, you should see the opposite, i.e. -12V. NOTHING should happen to the left/right motor when you press up/down. If it is getting activated too, then either there is a short somewhere or the ECU is bad.
10-08-13, 03:13 PM
#10
Rookie
Thread Starter
Good advice on bad Mirror on my 2002 SC430
I was curious if the 'position' sensor inside the mirror had something to do with both motors running at the same time, but didn't pursue and test. I couldn't figure out why both motors always spun regardless of my button press.
I have not opened the door panel, and don't know what to expect. What logic board will I find, and how can I test this? Is it possible the "L" mirror switch is messed up and I just need a new mirror adjustment button?
Thanks again for your input.
Marty
I have not opened the door panel, and don't know what to expect. What logic board will I find, and how can I test this? Is it possible the "L" mirror switch is messed up and I just need a new mirror adjustment button?
Thanks again for your input.
Marty
02-16-14, 02:00 PM
#11
Unfortunately, Marty99's mirror removal technique did not work for me. I couldn't even complete the first step of removing the glass which led to a broken mirror (glass). I'm usually pretty good with this type of stuff. I should never have gotten out of bed. Worst. Day. Ever.
02-17-14, 03:46 AM
#12
How to access gears and motors in Lexus rear view Mirrors
Each paragraph has a photo illustration. I hope the photos do well. My only snags were figuring out the back of the mirror had to come out first, and the plastic dowels that pressed the motor assembly into the frame.
1) Remove the glass mirror by standing in front of it, and pull towards you from the bottom of the mirror. It will separate, then gently lift up to slide away from the top of the mirror. There are two heater wires in back that need to be unplugged. The these come up from the board (if you were looking at an assembled mirror, the connectors have to be pull toward the front of the car, not up or down). I used a flat screwdriver and was very careful. The wires are short.
2) Remove the screw / spring assembly in the center of the mirror. It has grease on it, and I used a paper towel to collect these parts.
3) The plastic rectangular plate has to be removed. It has 2 plastic gears that pivot behind the plate. To avoid stripping those 2 worm gears, I turned the ignition to on, and carefully pressed the mirror buttons to extend those gears as far as possible, tuned the key off, then pulled them forward and away from the motors.
4) There are 3 screws that hold the front half of the mirror body, and a hidden 4th screw which can not be accessed until the back of the assembly is removed. I undid the 3 screws and set them aside.
5) The back half of the mirror has two clips and a plastic guide. I had to pinch the clips from the inside of the mirror while carefully pulling the back half of the mirror away from the car. It splits in half, but I tore up my fingers getting it out.
6) Locate the 4th screw holding the front half of the mirror, and undo. The front comes out easily.
7) There are 3 plastic fasteners holding the motor assembly in place. I used a hex head screwdriver with a face small enough to push the plastic dowel out (from the front of the car to the back). The motor assembly comes out easily.
8) Open the 3 tabs on the motor casing, and inside you'll find 2 motors, two wheel gears, and two worm gears.
Thats it. To replace, reverse the procedure.
Each paragraph has a photo illustration. I hope the photos do well. My only snags were figuring out the back of the mirror had to come out first, and the plastic dowels that pressed the motor assembly into the frame.
1) Remove the glass mirror by standing in front of it, and pull towards you from the bottom of the mirror. It will separate, then gently lift up to slide away from the top of the mirror. There are two heater wires in back that need to be unplugged. The these come up from the board (if you were looking at an assembled mirror, the connectors have to be pull toward the front of the car, not up or down). I used a flat screwdriver and was very careful. The wires are short.
2) Remove the screw / spring assembly in the center of the mirror. It has grease on it, and I used a paper towel to collect these parts.
3) The plastic rectangular plate has to be removed. It has 2 plastic gears that pivot behind the plate. To avoid stripping those 2 worm gears, I turned the ignition to on, and carefully pressed the mirror buttons to extend those gears as far as possible, tuned the key off, then pulled them forward and away from the motors.
4) There are 3 screws that hold the front half of the mirror body, and a hidden 4th screw which can not be accessed until the back of the assembly is removed. I undid the 3 screws and set them aside.
5) The back half of the mirror has two clips and a plastic guide. I had to pinch the clips from the inside of the mirror while carefully pulling the back half of the mirror away from the car. It splits in half, but I tore up my fingers getting it out.
6) Locate the 4th screw holding the front half of the mirror, and undo. The front comes out easily.
7) There are 3 plastic fasteners holding the motor assembly in place. I used a hex head screwdriver with a face small enough to push the plastic dowel out (from the front of the car to the back). The motor assembly comes out easily.
8) Open the 3 tabs on the motor casing, and inside you'll find 2 motors, two wheel gears, and two worm gears.
Thats it. To replace, reverse the procedure.
Well done sir !!
10-01-18, 05:25 PM
#13
Mirror repair
I know this is an older thread, but I just got around to looking into my mirror problem and thought this was very helpful.
My driver and passenger outside mirror will not tilt up or down-only side to side. I purchased a used mirror on ebay to practice how to take the mirror apart. This was very helpful and I referred to it several times while working on the driver side mirror today. The used mirror I received was in good shape and both motors worked. When I took apart my driver mirror, both motors were good. I ran each on an external 12 volt source for about 30 seconds, cleaned the worm gears as best I could-put it back together and it works fine. Next I am going to try the passenger side.
Taking apart the mirror is a little tricky-especially when you try to separate the front and back halves. There is a clip on the inside that you just can't see well.
Anyway, after trying to fix the passenger side-and it might take me a week or so to get to it-I would be happy to pass on my donor mirror. Kept the box and packaging it came in. Just message me if you want it-free of charge.
My driver and passenger outside mirror will not tilt up or down-only side to side. I purchased a used mirror on ebay to practice how to take the mirror apart. This was very helpful and I referred to it several times while working on the driver side mirror today. The used mirror I received was in good shape and both motors worked. When I took apart my driver mirror, both motors were good. I ran each on an external 12 volt source for about 30 seconds, cleaned the worm gears as best I could-put it back together and it works fine. Next I am going to try the passenger side.
Taking apart the mirror is a little tricky-especially when you try to separate the front and back halves. There is a clip on the inside that you just can't see well.
Anyway, after trying to fix the passenger side-and it might take me a week or so to get to it-I would be happy to pass on my donor mirror. Kept the box and packaging it came in. Just message me if you want it-free of charge.
10-01-18, 06:56 PM
#14
Lexus Test Driver
I know this is an older thread, but I just got around to looking into my mirror problem and thought this was very helpful.
My driver and passenger outside mirror will not tilt up or down-only side to side. I purchased a used mirror on ebay to practice how to take the mirror apart. This was very helpful and I referred to it several times while working on the driver side mirror today. The used mirror I received was in good shape and both motors worked. When I took apart my driver mirror, both motors were good. I ran each on an external 12 volt source for about 30 seconds, cleaned the worm gears as best I could-put it back together and it works fine. Next I am going to try the passenger side.
Taking apart the mirror is a little tricky-especially when you try to separate the front and back halves. There is a clip on the inside that you just can't see well.
Anyway, after trying to fix the passenger side-and it might take me a week or so to get to it-I would be happy to pass on my donor mirror. Kept the box and packaging it came in. Just message me if you want it-free of charge.
My driver and passenger outside mirror will not tilt up or down-only side to side. I purchased a used mirror on ebay to practice how to take the mirror apart. This was very helpful and I referred to it several times while working on the driver side mirror today. The used mirror I received was in good shape and both motors worked. When I took apart my driver mirror, both motors were good. I ran each on an external 12 volt source for about 30 seconds, cleaned the worm gears as best I could-put it back together and it works fine. Next I am going to try the passenger side.
Taking apart the mirror is a little tricky-especially when you try to separate the front and back halves. There is a clip on the inside that you just can't see well.
Anyway, after trying to fix the passenger side-and it might take me a week or so to get to it-I would be happy to pass on my donor mirror. Kept the box and packaging it came in. Just message me if you want it-free of charge.
let me say this, the motors may be working now but they could be weak and may begin to display problems again.
my door lock actuator motors worked just fine until they would get hot from the car sitting in the sun...then they would not lock the door.
when I installed the new motor, all was good again.
you may want to hold on to the mirror a little while.
10-01-18, 08:00 PM
#15
^^ I have the same problem on the driver's side, so will do some searching here for how to replace this specifically. This will be added to my list of winter projects which includes replacing the door stop (driver's side only, bought new part) and replacing surrounds on all five speakers (bought the SS-ML kit). I've subscribed to many threads which include these items but might need to post up some questions along the way...