Really weird problem with power folding mirrors....
 

So this just started in the past week.... I never fold in the mirrors on my GS, so every time I start the car, the mirrors are in their normal driving position. But now every time I start the car, there is this loud GRINDING/BUZZING sound from the driver side mirror. It sounds like slightly stripped plastic gears grinding, which I'm sure is what it is. It goes on for 10 or 15 seconds and then stops. I have messed around with the mirror while folding/unfolding with the button, and it is clearly related to that system. The mirror adjustment and tilt functions work as normal and appear unrelated. My question is, why the hell is the car even spinning those gears at startup when the mirror is already in the right position?? It sounds like crap. I would expect something like this from a German car, not a Lexus :mad:

I'd try manually retracting the mirror then cycling the power retract button. If someone whacked your mirror while in a parking lot, then it's possible that it could be damaged. Does the mirror work normally if you press the power retract button?

Regardless, the motor shouldn't be running for 15 secs. There's obviously something wrong in there. I'd get your hands dirty and pull apart the mirror to do some exploring. You have nothing to lose, because the dealer will simply replace it outright anyway.

the motor might be dieing?

Yes both mirrors retract normally, but the driver side does this grinding noise and needs "help" UNretracting (going to normal position). Which would be no big deal, because I never retract them, except it does the grinding noise upon starting the car EVERY time now, with the mirrors NOT retracted. That's what makes no sense - why is the retract motor even running at all at every startup? I'd like to just cut the frickin wire to the retract motor, but I have no idea how to get at it....

My guess is somebody bumped into your mirror causing it to retract and then pulled it back out so it wouldn't be obvious when you came out to your car. This likely stripped off or broke some of the teeth on the gears. The computer now thinks it's still retracted and is trying to open them back up but is struggling because of the missing teeth. I know there was a thread on here somewhere about replacing that plastic gear but I don't think it was a simple process.

Well the retracting feature is of no use to me, so how tough would it be to just disconnect the retract motor on the driver side? I wonder if that's a dealer job :(

My guess would be the mirror is either not at it home position fully due to some blockage, or, the power mirror system doesn't see the mirror housing at home position due to a failure on the sensing mechanism (could be something like a a simple travel switch) although it indeed sits at home position. When you turn on the car with the mirror not at home the power mirror system would try to bring the mirror back home until it sees a home signal from the travel switch. Of course in you case it never succeeded. The system would shut down the motor after 15 seconds of operation to prevent it from overheating or other mechanical damage.

I can send you the wiring diagram if you want to take the trim bezel off and cut the retract motor wires? It might throw CELs regarding the body computer though (last resort...). I'd head to a wrecker and grab a mirror, then transfer the guts over to your already painted mirror housing.

So if I got a mirror off ebay, the retract motor is within the mirror? It is all contained in the housing?

How did you resolve this issue please? Mine just started doing the same thing this afternoon! ANNOYING

Wow... I just had the exact same problem as the OP described on the driver's side window today. This thread is ancient but has anyone else experienced this weird gremlin? And more importantly, is there a simple solution?

If the noise is the mirror glass alignment adjustment after reversing (rather than the folding function) you can disable it by pressing the right (or left) mirror selection button twice (in the dash drawer).

Every time I came back to my 07 430 after reversing into a new car park the mirror glasses would be at strange alignments. Pressing the remote mirror selection rocker button twice solved that problem. Perhaps it's worth a try?

You're referring to the tilt feature. The problems I'm currently experiencing involves the folding feature which most owners use after the vehicle is parked. I may try disconnecting the battery for a few minutes in the hopes that it may reset the computer. From my limited understanding of this issue, the mirrors are sent codes everytime the engine push start button is pressed. Even if you never use the folding feature, the mirrors are still receiving instructions when the car's power is turned on.

Did anyone figure out how to fix the problem?? My 06 GS430 driver side mirror is doing the same problem and it's so annoying..

It was the Actuator-Sub Assembly in the mirror. I ordered the part and had my tech do the labor. The online part was nearly $100 cheaper than the quote I got from the local Lexus stealership. No more grinding noise when I start the vehicle. The part matched my OEM paint and it was new.

Part number: 8790930A30D0
https://www.lexuspartsnow.com/parts/...del=&Filter=()