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Power Mirror - Folding Problem

07AWLBLKAVY

Full Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2010
Messages
22
I have been having problems with '07 Avalanche and getting the driver side mirror to fold in.  All I hear is a grinding noise coming from the assembly.  I'm sure it's the motor that needs to be replaced.  Question now is...is it pretty easy to do?  Would I have to replace the entire mirror assembly?  Any how-to's out there? 
 
check the owners manual, there is a reset procedure for when this happens, I would try that first..  

typically this happens when some dumbass ignorant retard walks by your truck and smacks the mirror with his shoulder and force closes it...

yeah I was about a heartbeat away from beating that nut to a pulp for doing it to my 2 day old truck..   How the phuck can someone not see those big ass mirrors sticking out, jeez 4 months later and it still pisses me off to think about it..


here I found the instructions for you:

Resetting the Power Foldaway Mirrors
Reset the power foldaway mirrors if:

. The mirrors are accidentally obstructed while
folding.
. They are accidentally manually folded/unfolded.
. The mirrors will not stay in the unfolded position.
. The mirrors vibrate at normal driving speeds.
Fold and unfold the mirrors one time using the mirror
controls to reset them to their normal position.
A popping noise may be heard during the resetting of
the power foldaway mirrors. This sound is normal after
a manual folding operation.
 
So I tried the reset procedure and no luck...should I try replacing the entire housing first or just the motor?  Keep in mind...the vibrating comes from the actual housing...it has a lot of play to it. 
 
I love the folding mirrors on my '07.  I used to fold them when going into the car wash but don't anymore.

The guys at the wash would just yank them back into position instead of using the switch and that finaly broke the right one.  :beating:  I got the grinding & snapping sound and then got nothing but the whirrr of the motor.  :E: $400 at the dealer fixed it.  And a talk with the car wash manager got me a "complimentary" clay wax job along with a little notice that they don't need them folded in to wash.

I had also wondered if they could be disassembled and then I could have done a little "brain surgery" on the motor/gear arrangement but after checking the service manual decided not to mess with it.

Good luck with this! :D

 
No it's definitely out of warranty at 66K. I'm going to try and disassemble first and see what I find.  Don't really feel like dishing out $400 to get it fixed.  The entire mirror housing assembly is about $260 on gmpartsdirect.com. 
 
Junk yard are good place for them, but any fullsize GM truck mirror will work. Or EBay
 
SmokeyJoe said:
I love the folding mirrors on my '07.  I used to fold them when going into the car wash but don't anymore.

The guys at the wash would just yank them back into position instead of using the switch and that finaly broke the right one.  :beating:  I got the grinding & snapping sound and then got nothing but the whirrr of the motor.   :E: $400 at the dealer fixed it.  And a talk with the car wash manager got me a "complimentary" clay wax job along with a little notice that they don't need them folded in to wash.

I had also wondered if they could be disassembled and then I could have done a little "brain surgery" on the motor/gear arrangement but after checking the service manual decided not to mess with it.

Good luck with this! :D
Really good point about car wash thingy. I've always folded the mirrors with out any problem and the guys always use the switch to unfold them. In retrospect, though, I have no idea why I was folding them in the first place.
 
some good pricing on ebay for them..

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=2007+avalanche+power+folding+mirror&_sacat=See-All-Categories


not sure which features you have (signal, heat, auto dim)..


but even @ $100 if it doesn't have the right glass, you can swap yours into it, and/or just part out the motor on it..  either way cheaper than dealer.
 
oh look this guy has the set for sale, signal, power fold, heat, auto dim:

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=129575&hl=


$225 for all the parts..  hey at least then you have a spare for the price of 1 at gmpartsdirect.
 
Also you may want to try    www.car-parts.com
 
some good pricing on ebay for them..



not sure which features you have (signal, heat, auto dim)..


but even @ $100 if it doesn't have the right glass, you can swap yours into it, and/or just part out the motor on it.. either way cheaper than dealer.
I have disassembled one of these mirrors with the auto dim, signal, puddle light, heat, pwr fold. For a mirror, they are a pain in the ass to replace, but its doable. Be prepared to remove the entire door panel, the foam weather liner, the power controls within the door, a few clips and other wiring harnesses as well as the mirror assembly itself. But as far as replacing or swapping out components within the assembly such as the glass, motor etc, unless you really know how to disassemble plastic and glass parts that have been molded together or adhered with industrial grade adhesive, forget it. You'll end up breaking the plastics within to get at the motor (which might be fine if your just selling the motor until the buyer realizes that is what they have to do and then you no longer have a buyer) and just the glass itself does not come off the plastic backing very easily and I can almost guarantee one would wind up breaking it. Really, in my opinion and from experience, this is one repair where you have to just absorb the cost of a replacement and get rid of the old one. There is little to no value in it if it has broken components within.
 
I have disassembled one of these mirrors with the auto dim, signal, puddle light, heat, pwr fold. For a mirror, they are a pain in the ass to replace, but its doable. Be prepared to remove the entire door panel, the foam weather liner, the power controls within the door, a few clips and other wiring harnesses as well as the mirror assembly itself. But as far as replacing or swapping out components within the assembly such as the glass, motor etc, unless you really know how to disassemble plastic and glass parts that have been molded together or adhered with industrial grade adhesive, forget it. You'll end up breaking the plastics within to get at the motor (which might be fine if your just selling the motor until the buyer realizes that is what they have to do and then you no longer have a buyer) and just the glass itself does not come off the plastic backing very easily and I can almost guarantee one would wind up breaking it. Really, in my opinion and from experience, this is one repair where you have to just absorb the cost of a replacement and get rid of the old one. There is little to no value in it if it has broken components within.
Thread necro 07AVY10AVY! This was more than 9 years ago. Anyway in case you or anyone else stumbles on this later, you can replace the gear/motor combo with a metal gear instead of the whole folding mirror assembly. It's still a pain the rear, but it works! I fixed my passenger side last year, haven't fixed the drivers side yet.. https://www.gruvenparts.com/gm-power-folding-mirror-gear-replacement-repair-instructions/
 
Thread necro 07AVY10AVY! This was more than 9 years ago. Anyway in case you or anyone else stumbles on this later, you can replace the gear/motor combo with a metal gear instead of the whole folding mirror assembly. It's still a pain the rear, but it works! I fixed my passenger side last year, haven't fixed the drivers side yet.. https://www.gruvenparts.com/gm-power-folding-mirror-gear-replacement-repair-instructions/
Wow, Thanks dude. I found that my passenger side mirror doesn't make any noise when I try to close it with the button. Hoping for a simple fix.
 
Thread necro 07AVY10AVY! This was more than 9 years ago. Anyway in case you or anyone else stumbles on this later, you can replace the gear/motor combo with a metal gear instead of the whole folding mirror assembly. It's still a pain the rear, but it works! I fixed my passenger side last year, haven't fixed the drivers side yet.. https://www.gruvenparts.com/gm-power-folding-mirror-gear-replacement-repair-instructions/
Hey, thanks for this! I have a question, could I buy a new motor instead of replacing the internal gear in the current one?
 
Hey, thanks for this! I have a question, could I buy a new motor instead of replacing the internal gear in the current one?
Yes, but many times it is the internal gear that breaks and the motor is fine. For some reason it is plastic, and snaps a few teeth. You'd have to take the mirror apart and check out what wrong with yours.

As far as I know GM doesn't sell any of the parts, you have to buy the whole mirror assembly. But there are aftermarket on Ebay and gruvenparts.com/
 
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