Ron10346

2005 LS430 – My power mirror adjustment switch is working intermittently on both the left and right mirrors. It started on the right only but within a few months, it is now affecting both mirrors. Anyone have this problem?... What was the fix? Any switch repair / replacement wizards out there?

Slvr surfr

iTrader: (1)

My 05 just started a similar problem. The pass.side mirror will move side to side but not up and down occasionally. Not sure if its a motor problem or switch. need help also.

Ron10346

Don't think it's the motor, when using the preset buttons on the door everything moves fine. I suspect it's the switch... Was hoping someone had this problem and could confirm if this is something the dealer has for deal with or is the switch replacement an easy owner fix for those mechanically inclined?

JimsGX

Here's a message thread that shows how to disassemble the switch and clean the contacts. I new switch is $250 plus I think, but this appears to do the trick... Read the whole thread because page two of the thread has additional details / Pic's...

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...r-adjujst.html

Dirtyd210

My left side mirror wont adjust fully either.. it clicks and clicks as if it wants to fully extend but wont.. Is there a way to fix that also???

JimsGX

Use the switch to move the mirror all the way in as far as it will go, then push the outside of the mirror for about 6 or so clicks. You'll hear a ratcheting sound when you do this. The mirror should angle out further via the switch after you do this.

Ron10346

JimsGX... Thanks for the switch repair information, worked like a charm!! Very easy process and yes, under 15 minutes start to finish! Thanks again...

Slvr surfr

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the link JimsGX. Gonna try and clean it tomorrow. Will let you know how it works.

DDLexus

Wondering if this repair would fix my problem. When i put the car in reverse, the driver's side mirror tilts down about 40 degrees. The passenger sometimes tilts a little and sometimes not at all.

Would the contract cleaner tips posted here address that issue? Cleaning the switch inside the car? Thoughts?

StanVanDam

I think it would fix your issue. My switch is starting to work intermittently too. I used to keep the switch on the left side, but the auto-tilt did not always work. Jiggling the switch fixes it.

I found that the contacts on the right are more reliable, so I just leave it there all the time. Rarely the auto-tilt doesn't work, so I just jiggle the switch without moving it to the center or left positions.

Both mirrors auto-tilt equally, all or nothing. Once the switch becomes an annoyance or if I get bored some day, I'll clean the contacts.

Slvr surfr

iTrader: (1)

Just when i attempt to try and fix/clean the contacts on the switch today, the mirrors starts working fine before i even touch the thing. Nevertheless, i took the switch out and inspected all of the wires, contacts, and points on the assembly. The thing looks brand spanking new with no obvious corrosion or wear. There was hardly any dust neither. Anyway, i just went thru the motions of wiping/cleaning everything that could have been the culprit. Hopefully i jolted something back into play by doing this where as the mirror operates normally for now. Will keep you posted.

RodM

Hi all!
1st time posting - the threads a bit old, but it helped me so I decided to join to pass on my mirror switch repair experience after reading this forum. (Thanks to JimsGX for the link to the switch removal thread - gave me the extra prod to do it myself - well, that and the Lexus repair estimate of $424.17 ><).

I have a 2001 LS430 LHD and like many of you the automatic system works fine, but the mirrors cannot be adjusted at all using the manual controls. So here's my experience.

First, the removal:
Using a simple dull kitchen knife, even with the bottom 1/2 of the mirror switch, I slid it in along side the switch panel and it popped right out. Pressing on the release clip and wiggling gently, I removed each of the 3 plugs from their modules and took the panel with the 3 switch modules inside.

Using the knife again, pressing on the front of the mirror switch with my thumb and working the knife under the housing to release the switch catches in the back, the switch popped right out. I then unscrewed the 2 retaining screws on the back of the switch with a #1 phillips screwdriver, then used the knife as before to pop off the back of the switch. The only suspicious looking contacts were on the center L/neutral/R switch.

Apparently, it uses 2 contact bars with nipples on them that slide across the solder contact patches on a simple circuit board, a design with “FAIL” written all over it. Contact patches are paper thin and don't take too long to wear through - and they knew it too, since they put on some lube to lengthen the life of of this under-engineered component. Even after a thorough cleaning with electronic contact cleaner, a quick test showed that it did not solve the problem. The nipples wore thin lines across the circuit board which were still black, even after the cleaning, so I decided to resurface them next.

Using a small strip of super-fine wet/dry 600 grit sandpaper wrapped around my finger, I lightly polished the circuit board contacts until the black lines were gone, and then sanded the nipple contacts on the slider bar until they were shiny.

Reassembly was a snap (well, a series of snaps) and IT WORKED FLAWLESSLY after the resurfacing. I Haven't decided whether to re-lube the slides since my center switch won't get much use...

Thanks for all the tips! (And the help replacing my O2 sensor a couple months back!).

Rod M.

kymblair

Thank you RodM - your steps for cleaning the mirror switch contacts were very easy to follow and worked perfectly. My passenger mirror went up/down but not left/right and my driver mirror only went down, not the other 3 directions. I suspected that the motors were okay. Followed Rod's instructions and cleaned the contacts in less than 10 minutes without any tools except a tiny phillips screwdriver and a butter knife. Kym B.

swiftls460

just get electircal cleaner spray and spray both switch connection and harness connector. Mines did the same thing and it now works. Atleast try that first.

FLexus03

As a new owner of a used 2003 LS430, I used this forum and thread related to mirror switch repair, and success!! I had to go to the point of taking the switch apart to clean contacts.
Thank you for sharing!