Getting to '97 940 wingmirror motor

[rhagg]

Hi all, first post here and happy to be with you - looking forward to learning lots and getting stuck in

I recently bought a 1997 940 estate with ~200k on the clock. It's been pretty well looked after, I've got a decent list of small fixes and cleans etc but overall it runs well and nothing major seems to be popping up so far!

I am having some trouble with the electronic adjustment of the passenger side mirror. The driver side moves well but the passenger side will only go up/down and not left/right. I can hear the motor trying to move when I try to move it L/R and occasionally it will make a small jump. I don't want to hold the control for too long incase I burn out the motor.

I feel that the internal mechanism is either dirty or damaged and I want to get into the mirror body to look.
The manual says that for my model I should be able to reach around the inside edge of the mirror and just pull the mirror out - I've given this a try but I'm having to apply quite a lot of force behind the mirror and I really don't want to stress it and break it!

Has anyone had any luck getting into the motor and mechanisms? Is it just a brute-force job or am I missing something? I've read some more forum posts about this but they weren't super enlightening and I couldn't find any further videos or info about the process!

Any help greatly appreciated - don't want to rush into this job and break the mirror so happily awaiting responses! Thanks!

[Steve 940]

Hi rhagg,

Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on your purchase.

As a relatively recent convert to the world of old Volvo 940’s, from your description it sounds as though it may hopefully be a simple fix.

Unfortunately I have not needed to delve into the intimate workings or the mirrors to be able to give you any pointers, but I’m pretty certain some of the fellow forum users will have in depth knowledge of how the adjustment mechanism actually works, and perhaps can suggest a course of action to check and mend your mirror.

Cheers
Steve

[Forrest]

On a later car the mirror glass has a plastic backing which attaches to the motor using four positioning pegs and eight barbed plastic clips (one each side of each of the pegs) which clip it into position very easily when you attach the glass to the motor but which require a lot of fiddling to release without damaging them.

It can be done by pushing the mirror manually into positions where you can get a small screwdriver in behind the glass and working your way around. It helps if you heat it up a bit first to make the plastic more flexible. However, be careful because at 20+ years old the glass has a tendency to come unglued from its plastic backing.

Pattern parts are available for the glass at under £20 on eBay. It’s worth having a spare available in case you break the original or just give up and destructively remove it. Make sure you get one with the heating element if yours is heated.

Be careful if you decide to buy a non-OEM motor. They are not always wired the same as the originals meaning that one or both of the adjustments will be reversed compared to the switch.

The problem with your mirror is likely to be the white plastic link in the motor is broken. A common issue usually caused by the mirror getting knocked.

[griston64]

Glass can be a bit of a b***er to get off as Forrest said

If you take your time it can be done but I've broken one trying to do it

[loki_the_glt]

Originally Posted by griston64

Glass can be a bit of a b***er to get off as Forrest said

If you take your time it can be done but I've broken one trying to do it

Tell me about it. I have a casing that someone "modified" with a VW Polo and destroyed the glass; despite what the manuals say it is well-nigh impossible to remove the later, barbed, mirror glass without damage.

And, because the casing halves are heat-welded you can't easily splt the case either. Earlier models had a slot that gave access to notches in the mirror glass for removal but Volvo applied Hutber's Law ("Improvement means deterioration") to the later version.

Overall, it might be easier to source a complete replacement assembly and fit that.

[Forrest]

Replacing the whole assembly is no walk in the park either. You have to remove a small triangular piece of plastic trim on the inside of the door in order to access the screws that hold the mirror onto the door. This trim is held on by two plastic pegs with over-sized round blobs which secure into rubber-lined holes in the metal. It needs quite a bit of force to remove the trim and its plastic pegs are likely to break if you don't ensure the force is evenly applied.

Solutions to breaking one or both plastic pegs are araldite (like the mirror glass they go in easier than they come out) or just stick it to the metal with some dumdum-like adhesive.

Oh, and I think the connector is inside the door card. Not too bad to remove, but it is important to follow the documented procedure to avoid breaking anything. For example, the speaker grill and the red warning lamp lens are both involved in holding the card onto the door.

[bob12]

I would strngly suspect that one of the tilt motor levers that connect the movement to the tilt ring has broken at its weakest point at the flexible connection (see two small white parts in the attached photo).

Also, if buying a cheap replacement off eBay you will almost certainly find that the mirror tilt mechanisms work in the opposite direction to Volvo ones!

Bob

[rhagg]

Originally Posted by Forrest

On a later car the mirror glass has a plastic backing which attaches to the motor using four positioning pegs and eight barbed plastic clips (one each side of each of the pegs) which clip it into position very easily when you attach the glass to the motor but which require a lot of fiddling to release without damaging them.

It can be done by pushing the mirror manually into positions where you can get a small screwdriver in behind the glass and working your way around. It helps if you heat it up a bit first to make the plastic more flexible. However, be careful because at 20+ years old the glass has a tendency to come unglued from its plastic backing.

Be careful if you decide to buy a non-OEM motor. They are not always wired the same as the originals meaning that one or both of the adjustments will be reversed compared to the switch.

Thanks Forrest, this is all very helpful. The manual told me to just pull but when I looked behind the plastic backing, I saw the barbs you're talking about and presumed they might have something to do with my troubles so good to know they have something to do with it!

Thanks for the interior images too, very helpful!

[rhagg]

Originally Posted by bob12

I would strngly suspect that one of the tilt motor levers that connect the movement to the tilt ring has broken at its weakest point at the flexible connection (see two small white parts in the attached photo).

Also, if buying a cheap replacement off eBay you will almost certainly find that the mirror tilt mechanisms work in the opposite direction to Volvo ones!

Bob

Thanks for the images Bob - helpful insight!

[rhagg]

Lots of interesting insight - thanks all!

I will be ordering some spare glass and working above a soft surface in case of a mishap!

It's not a major malfunction and I'm happy to shift it down my list of priorities due to the tricky nature of this one. I'll get the parts ordered and have another look at it once they arrive. I'll be back if I have any joy!