I took apart a power mirror to see what inside and how it works:

The mirror and switch assembly is out of an Infiniti G35:

On the back of the mirror plate is one central ball joint that the mirror panel pivots about. The two smaller links attach to the actuators to move it up and down, and side to side.

Here's what the motor/actuator assembly looks like. The links thread in. As the motor spins, they thread up or down, tilting the mirror accordingly.

Inside there are two 12V DC motors with spiral gear reductions to the actuator. Pretty simple.

The mirror controls are a direct link to the mechanical switch. There are no micro controllers or connection to the body control unit. Here's a look inside the joystick at the contacts.


Enjoy!