Power Seat Switch and Power Mirror Motor Lube?

Morning Gang,

As mentioned earlier I lost another window roller/slider on my '96 this past weekend. The FUN front-lower one in my driver's-side-rear door. Zero fun to replace that one. I'd replaced the easier-to-reach back roller over the Christmas holiday and SHOULD have done the other original one while I had the panel off, but it wasn't broken then, so I lubed it well and hoped it would last. Stupid. Door panel has to come off again. Been there, done this.

ANYWAY while I'm getting my hands dirty, I wanted to attack the seat and mirror issues that have been bugging me too.

FIRST, the tilt on the driver's seat, for the front of the seat, often does not work when you press the thin chrome button, even though the button clicks fine. However if I press the larger round chrome button to raise the entire seat up or down, both the front and rear power up and down fine, so this tells me it's a switch issue. Has anyone had any luck cleaning/lubricating the door panel switch? Can the switch be taken apart to clean the contacts? I'm guessing after 130K miles, and frankly I haven't moved the power seat much in years, something is gummed-up. I ONLY noticed this issue because my son Eddie is now driving and ALWAYS moves the seat (I wish I had seat memory!).

SECOND, Eddie also moves both my mirrors, and we've discovered that the driver's-side mirror will move in-and-out, but not up-and-down. Again I bet it's just stuck from lack of use... The actual switch is fine, since the passenger-side mirror works fine in all directions.

Any help/advice is always appreciated! Thanks Folks!

-Mike

After having tried and failed at the disassembly, cleaning schtick on the switch, paying the price of a weekend in Acapulco for a new one was a permanent fix.

Sometimes, GENTLY tapping on the top or bottom of the mirror glass while working the switch will get it to break free and start working again, especially if it was driven to the travel extreme.

You can check the mirror by applying power directly to the wires. You can also check the switch with a VOM. Either check for power, or check resistance.

If the motors for the seat are good, and the wire to it is good, then it is the switch. The switch can be taken apart, but cleaning it may not fix the problem. There is a black "cap" on top of the switch that can be pried off with a screw driver. If the contacts are burned, you will have to replace the switch module. In the meantime, use the square button to put the seat up or down, then use the rear button to adjust the rear of the seat until it is comfortable.

Has anyone had any luck lubricating the actual door mirrors? I have a feeling the thing that pivots the mirror is just gummed-up since until my kiddo started driving I'd never really moved the mirrors in years.

You can push the mirror up and down with your hand. The threaded posts that move the mirror will slip in the nylon gears that move them. It takes a bit of effort, and they will sound like they are ratcheting. If it will move up and down with your hand, the hinge is free. The threads could be gummed up, but I have not had any donor mirrors with that issue. The pivot itself is a stamped steel cross that is held by molded clip channels in the mirror backing plate, and motor unit.

Did you try running the motors by directly applying power to them?

Fred Kiehl wrote:

You can push the mirror up and down with your hand. The threaded posts that move the mirror will slip in the nylon gears that move them. It takes a bit of effort, and they will sound like they are ratcheting. If it will move up and down with your hand, the hinge is free. The threads could be gummed up, but I have not had any donor mirrors with that issue. The pivot itself is a stamped steel cross that is held by molded clip channels in the mirror backing plate, and motor unit.

Did you try running the motors by directly applying power to them?

I've not removed the mirrors to try and fix these yet. Was hoping it could just be lubed somehow to brake the up/down motor free, since the in/out motor works fine.

Thanks for the reply. Projects!

The motor runs the gear that goes around the screw post with a worm gear. It is not attached directly to the post that moves the mirror.

If you apply voltage to the motors, they should run. If not the motor may be burned out. The motors are inexpensive Japanese or Chinese "can" motors.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

The motor runs the gear that goes around the screw post with a worm gear. It is not attached directly to the post that moves the mirror.

If you apply voltage to the motors, they should run. If not the motor may be burned out. The motors are inexpensive Japanese or Chinese "can" motors.  

Good to know. Thanks Again!

I had this same problem about a week ago on my passenger side mirror. I manually moved the mirror up and down a bunch of times and also worked the switch numerous times. I used a fair amount of pressure when pushing the switch. It eventually starting working fine. I've been making it a point to work the mirrors every time I get in the car in hopes that it doesn't freeze up again.
If you keep sharing the car you should have no problem with working them periodically.