How does the side mirror control switch work?
Older vehicles and vehicles with basic equipment may have manual mirror adjustment. The simplest method is to adjust the mirror glass directly on the mirror assembly, or it can be adjusted using a manual cable switch. Although manual mirrors have not completely disappeared, they are becoming extremely rare.
Almost all new cars are equipped with electric mirror adjustment. The operation of the power mirror system includes:
- Electric motors for adjusting the side mirrors
- Electrical connectors
- Mirror switch with direction control
- Fuse Mirror Circuit
If any part of the system is faulty, the whole system will not work.
How does the mirror control switch work?
Only the side mirrors are controlled by the power mirror switch. The interior rearview mirror is manually adjustable. The power mirror switch has three positions: left, off and right. When the switch is in the center position, none of the mirrors will be adjusted when the button is pressed. This is to prevent the mirrors from moving when the direction control button is accidentally pressed.
The direction control button has four directions in which the mirror motor can move: up, down, right and left. When the switch is moved to the left or right, the side mirror motor circuit is powered by the switch. When you press the direction control button on the switch, the mirror motor inside the mirror housing turns the mirror glass in the selected direction. When you release the button, the mirror stops moving.
The mirror motor has a limited stroke to prevent damage to the mirror glass. Once the travel limit is reached, the motor will continue to click and hover until the direction control button is released. If you continue to press the button to the limit, the mirror motor will eventually burn out and it will stop working until it is replaced.
Making sure your mirrors are adjusted for proper rear and side vision is essential to the safe operation of your vehicle. You must be able to see traffic near and behind you in order to make informed driving decisions. Check your mirrors every time you start your car to make sure they are in the correct position for you.
