Date:         Sun, 24 Dec 2006 14:14:42 -0900
Reply-To:     Troy <colorworks@GCI.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Troy <colorworks@GCI.NET>
Subject:      89 vanagon pwr mirror troubleshooting question
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=Windows-1252

Hi folks:

Have a question about troubleshooting the power mirrors is in my 89 vanagon. I bought a couple of used mirrors off the Samba list, and check the wires (continuity tested)  before installing them on the vehicle-- everything checked out fine. I then made the connections inside the door with solderless connections. Nothing. Later discovered the previous owner cut all five or six wires inside the boot at the driver side door. Got all those hooked back together. I checked the continuity between those wires and the switch, and everything looked fine.

I could get the driver side mirror only to work in vertical direction, but nothing to the passenger-side mirror. I then took the switch apart, gave it a good cleaning with some Brasso, and also polished up the little "barbell" shaped things/connectors via some needle nose pliers and a lot of patience. Got that installed, and now have horizontal and vertical movement of the driver side mirror. When I switch over to the passenger-side mirror, I just get a click, but it's coming from the driver side mirror. I don't hear anything from the passenger-side mirror.

So, where to go from here? I have the dash out of the vehicle (for another unrelated project)  as well as the door panels, so access is no problem.  From what I have read, most of the time breaks occur in the wiring where it bends through the boot in the door. I can certainly run some continuity test between the wires above the fuse box and at the connectors above the glove box. To run continuity test to the actual mirror, I would think I would have to remove the mirror itself, and the motor mechanism to get access to the back where I can hook up a volt meter. Either that, or scrape away part of the insulation of the wire, and then recover it with some vinyl tape. I'm trying to avoid having to cut all the wires. As I mentioned previously, the wires inside the mirror are fine.I checked those before installing.

Second part of this question is which colored wires are the power? There seems to be two connectors that go to these mirrors. One connector has I think five wires, and the other has two. I'm assuming that the one with two wires is probably the power, but I'm not sure. I will  have to dig out the Bentley and see if I can find the wiring schematic, although I find those things difficult to understand.

Could anyone please provide some direction to take here? I've got tons of hours wrapped up in this project and I've become obsessed with trying to make it work!!

Happy holidays to everyone!

Troy