i have the same problem, no matter if the switch is off or not, whenever the ignition is on, my driverside mirror would flip 90 degrees facing outside, then i have to manually turn it back to where it suppose to be. i guess no one has a cure besides replacing the mirror hah?

 

Before dropping a bunch of $ on a new mirror and the trouble of replacing it, I would try removing the switch panel to see if I could unplug the wire or something. I've heard of a few cases where the mirror remote switch went bad (that is the only thing that ever happened to my '03 in >80K miles to date), so perhaps that switch that cuts the fold function off is defective.

 

This is a defect in the design of the mirrors and they should have been recalled years ago. There is a breakaway design that allows the mirror to be pushed past the normal position. This is a typical spring/ramp breakaway clutch. However, the ramps on the diecasting wear over time and reduce the breakaway torque below the gearmotor torque.

Since Lexus is not interested in fixing the problem, I have filed a complaint with the NHTSA and encourage others to do the same.

To make matter worse, the mirror control provides a 'fold out' signal every time you start the car (even with the mirror in manual mode), so you have to reposition the mirror manually every time.

You can disable the mirrors by removing one of the fold wires from the mirror connector. The mirror plugs into the door controller at the front of the door about half way up. You need to remove the door panel, unplug the connector, and remove either the dark blue or dark green wire. The plug just snaps together, so this is fairly easy to do. You should tape the removed wire to the harness.

Another method is to unplug the folding motor inside the mirror. Pop the mirror out (bottom first). Remove the four screws that hold the bezel and the screw and spring in the center of the mirror mounting plate to allow the bezel to be removed. There are now three plastic clips that you can access that hold the mirror housing to the frame. Once the housing is removed, unplug and tape the connector near the pivot point that has a dark green and dark blue wire and reassemble.

One good thing is that the mirrors are servicable from the standpoint of being able to completely disassemble and reassemble them. For example, if you have custom paint, you can pull the inner parts from a good mirror and use them in your existing housing. This take a couple of hours to do the first time, so get the right color mirror if possible.

 

Thanks for the great post! I can confirm, on my later model 2004, it's the dark green wire that needs snipped. I snipped mine, and have never been happier!

 

I know this is an old thread but does anyone know if the internal parts of LS430 mirrors are shared by any other models? If it does then there will be wider selection of available mirrors.

 

I used the tip to unplug the folding motor inside the mirror. I am happy for the time being but I would really like to know where the "detent" is located that makes the mirror stop at the right position.
Found some more info here https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...ly-photos.html but not sure where the detent is.

Mirror used to fold in ok, but when folded out, my left mirror didn't stop in the right position and went all the way forward and stopped facing out.
I usually rolled down windows, stopped it by hand midway so it can be used but when i lock the car or unlock it, it moved forward again.Having to do this every time was killing me.

By the way, I am not buying a new or used mirror.

 

My driver's side mirror folds all the way out (toward the hood) when I start the car. I had the same thought - I would just fold it back every time - but it stinks to be doing it in the pouring rain. I am looking for a disconnect.

 

Did you see this post? https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ml#post5472786

 

I filed a complaint with the NHTSA as you suggested. My driver's side mirror is affected. It folds all the way out - regardless of the switch position - and I must lower the window and pull it back to its proper position. That is a huge pain when it is raining and shouldn't be ever be necessary on a "Luxury" vehicle.

Also, my vehicle is not level - unless it's gas tank is full - then it is close to level. Apparently this is also a problem well known to Lexus. My vehicle tilts and is noticeably lower on the right side. The staff (Service Advisor and Service Manager) working at the Lexus dealership near me tell me that it is common to see that and that if I walked out on the lot they could "show me more vehicles than not" that have that problem. I was told that my vehicle was not unlevel enough to warrant a repair at dealership expense. It sure is.

I've consecutively owned two Cadillac Escalades - a regular and a Hybrid - prior to owning this Lexus and never had the first problem. I'm not sure why I'd want to spend the dollars buying a Lexus again.

 

04 passenger side mirror I probed the ones mentioned like green and dark green wasn’t the right one, dark blue was the right one for me everything else works like normal

 

I had a "grinding for a full minute every time ignition turned on" folding mirror issue. I disabled the folding mirror using the "unplug the motor" method above...a little more detail...once the housing is removed...move to the front of the mirror and peel back the longest foam strip starting closest to the car. After about an inch is peeled back you'll see the connector you want at the top of the folding motor assembly...my 2004 ls430 driver side had a green and blue wire. Use a tiny flathead to release the tab on top of the connector (flashlight helps to see it) and pull the connector towards front of the car. There will be two exposed terminals...wrap the terminals with electrical tape then cram the unused connector into one of the frame holes.