P38 mirrors with auto dip on reverse go a little silly...
Discussion
I have an aged P38 and it has developed an annoying trait of late - the auto dip mirrors do the correct thing when engaging reverse, but then return to an arbitrary position when drive is selected. I gather this is usually due to the potentiometers in the mirror motor assemblies breaking down. I like this feature and find it useful so would like to reinstate it.
It so happens that one of the "whiskers" was knocked off said vehicle last week, so I got a chance to see how the potentiometers and motors were arranged (and an excuse to repair one mirror). They are fairly simple but of course are bespoke parts made by IKU in Holland (Now part of Eaton) so no chance of getting something from RS to repair it, and I'm guessing IKU themselves won't be too helpful unless I were buying 100,000 of them. The motor assembly itself looks to be pretty standard across most cars I've looked at - even my TVR seems to share some parts, although it doesn't have the memory feature.
Does anyone know a source of repair parts for these mirrors? I'd prefer to not replace the entire mirror assembly (for a significant cost) over what ought to be a cheap part. It looks like the BMW E34 mirrors might share a very similar motor assembly, so this would be a reasonable starting point except that the one source I found for new parts (no sense in using 2nd hand pots) has no stock. Any other cars to consider? Jaguar is a maybe - the motors look different on mine but other models might work. Thanks.
It so happens that one of the "whiskers" was knocked off said vehicle last week, so I got a chance to see how the potentiometers and motors were arranged (and an excuse to repair one mirror). They are fairly simple but of course are bespoke parts made by IKU in Holland (Now part of Eaton) so no chance of getting something from RS to repair it, and I'm guessing IKU themselves won't be too helpful unless I were buying 100,000 of them. The motor assembly itself looks to be pretty standard across most cars I've looked at - even my TVR seems to share some parts, although it doesn't have the memory feature.
Does anyone know a source of repair parts for these mirrors? I'd prefer to not replace the entire mirror assembly (for a significant cost) over what ought to be a cheap part. It looks like the BMW E34 mirrors might share a very similar motor assembly, so this would be a reasonable starting point except that the one source I found for new parts (no sense in using 2nd hand pots) has no stock. Any other cars to consider? Jaguar is a maybe - the motors look different on mine but other models might work. Thanks.
I take it you missed the bit in my post where I said that only new potentiometers would be suitable?
I am aware that there are loads of NON MEMORY mirrors on ebay but very few with memory and all of these will be older than mine and will probably have non functional potentiometers because these break first.
I am aware that there are loads of NON MEMORY mirrors on ebay but very few with memory and all of these will be older than mine and will probably have non functional potentiometers because these break first.
They haven't replied to an email after 4 days, so I'm guessing I fall below the radar and have been consigned to a spam filter. They seem to make and supply nearly all the electric mirror internals in the world, so I'm not exactly important to them.
Something like this new part: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-S-type-electric-m...
would almost work. From reading the part numbers from the plastic parts, the motors are different, but the pots should be the same. I would prefer something with correct motors that I didn't need to modify (other than cutting the 4 lugs off for the RR mirror attachment). These things are a pain to take apart! (The BMW part fits perfectly since BMW and Land Rover shared a parts bin at the time my P38 was made)
This is the closest matching BMW part I have found. But no availability.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Memory-Mirror-Drive-Motor-...
Something like this new part: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-S-type-electric-m...
would almost work. From reading the part numbers from the plastic parts, the motors are different, but the pots should be the same. I would prefer something with correct motors that I didn't need to modify (other than cutting the 4 lugs off for the RR mirror attachment). These things are a pain to take apart! (The BMW part fits perfectly since BMW and Land Rover shared a parts bin at the time my P38 was made)
This is the closest matching BMW part I have found. But no availability.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Memory-Mirror-Drive-Motor-...
Edited by dnb on Wednesday 11th March 20:14
dnb said:
I take it you missed the bit in my post where I said that only new potentiometers would be suitable?
I am aware that there are loads of NON MEMORY mirrors on ebay but very few with memory and all of these will be older than mine and will probably have non functional potentiometers because these break first.
If an Ebay supplied secondhand mirror doesn't work, send it back for a refund. I am aware that there are loads of NON MEMORY mirrors on ebay but very few with memory and all of these will be older than mine and will probably have non functional potentiometers because these break first.
I would not expect a 2nd hand memory mirror for a P38 to have working memory pots simply because mine is one of the last to be built and has done comparatively few miles and has issues. Therefore almost anything I buy would be older and have been more used so there's a good chance that the memory would either not work, or would only work for a very short time. It's a shame L322 mirror parts don't fit since these are easy to get. But maybe they have the right pots in?
To dnb,
Although it has a been a few years since your thread about the Range Rover P38 power mirror tilting gremlins, I was hoping you may have been able to follow up with Eaton on which product they still produce that could have the famous "ceramic pontentiometer" which RR enthusiasts could then pilfer to fit and replace the broken or cracked discs we currently have in our units. Mine is a 1998 HSE P38 and the passenger (right side) has a mind of its own. Only solutions I can find on the internet are:
- Replace with a new one or a used from an auto wrecker
- Program the passenger mirror to tilt on reverse in the same location as non reference ( tricking the system)
- Turn the power tilt down mode off on the unit.
Hoping you did find a solution as I cannot find a replacement part anywhere. Am considering trying to get a replacement made out of 3D plastic but not sure the face would work nor the price?
Although it has a been a few years since your thread about the Range Rover P38 power mirror tilting gremlins, I was hoping you may have been able to follow up with Eaton on which product they still produce that could have the famous "ceramic pontentiometer" which RR enthusiasts could then pilfer to fit and replace the broken or cracked discs we currently have in our units. Mine is a 1998 HSE P38 and the passenger (right side) has a mind of its own. Only solutions I can find on the internet are:
- Replace with a new one or a used from an auto wrecker
- Program the passenger mirror to tilt on reverse in the same location as non reference ( tricking the system)
- Turn the power tilt down mode off on the unit.
Hoping you did find a solution as I cannot find a replacement part anywhere. Am considering trying to get a replacement made out of 3D plastic but not sure the face would work nor the price?
I'd have a try here: https://rangerovers.pub/
There's some very, very knowledgeable folk there for these cars!
There's some very, very knowledgeable folk there for these cars!
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