Plumkrazy

Hey guys, ive searched through this forum and the internet trying to find videos and discussions on how to disassemble mirrors (specifically the rectangular tow mirror, with no chamfered or rounded top corner), AND how to address the problem with the mirror not remembering its user position. Usually followed by a B2324 code on a good scanner. I will address the memory position fix for most trucks, f150 with standard and tow power/memory mirrors, and f250/350 with tow power/memory mirrors. I will aslo discuss how to fix the position sensor (for memory position problems) on all the trucks.

One hour of my time to fix this was worth it compared to Ford who will just replace the entire mirror for $1100 not including labor.

So the issue: you hit unlock, or jump in your truck and the mirror/s go all out of whack. And if you've got a good scanner that will give "B" codes, use it. My code was B2324 for both the horizontal and vertical position sensor fail on the driver mirror.

1st: check to see that the mirror moves up/down left/right when directed by the mirror adjustment switch on the door. If it fails to move in a certain direction, then you might have an issue with the mirror motors. If you can hear the motor running but nothing moving, then you may be able to just pop the post back into the motor and fix it right there (read further for instruction). If no little motor sound is heard then you may have a bad motor, or a short somewhere, or the DSM may need to be replaced. I will only discuss the motor and memory related stuff in this thread since someone else already posted the tech diagnostic and testing guide (or you can find on internet, search 'Ford rear view mirror 501-09-i').

Mirror motors that are a single unit also have the memory position sensor built in, so you can just replace the whole unit (motor) for around $70.
Mirrors that have two independent motors for horizontal and vertical, also have two separate position sensors, one for vertical sense and the other for horizontal sense. These motors do not have the memory sensor built in, therefore if the motors work you dont need to replace them. However the potentiometer (the position sensors) will likely be the issue for memory hold. They tell the DSM when the mirror has reached its user position and to stop sending the signal to move the mirror. So for my vehicle, I was able to take the simple poteniometers apart and fix them. Here's how.

To Disassemble mirror:

*For standard mirrors and late model trucks with chamfered tow mirror, you can readily find videos on internet on how to take apart. The motor assembly on those are just one unit and have the memory position sensor built-in, so just replace the motor with memory feature unit. Check 1A auto videos for teardown and motor replace, pretty simple and straight forward.

*For tow mirrors that have the two independent motors and two independent sensors (see relevant truck list below), follow these instructions to remove mirror glass and gain access to sensors.


Push the mirror up all the way and toward the outside some, there you will see on the backside of mirror looking in from the lower inside corner (closet to the truck but accessible from the bottom of mirror) a small light gray portion exposed from under the mirror's black backing. You will use a slender 6" flathead screwdriver to slide in and push the gray part away from mirror glass. You might get a small "pop" as it releases, then gently continue to pry and pull glass off from the gray plate, then disconnect the heater wire. The gray plate will now be exposed and you will notice four small holes around the perimeter and a screw in the middle of plate. Take note the plate orientation for reassembly (it will have an "L" or "R" stamped on it, so if you cant read it right, then turn it). First, before removing center screw, using a very small flat head screwdriver push the tip thru each of the little holes from the front of plate to pop out the ball from the socket on the back of plate. This will require some force, so support your mirror assy while doing this, and be gentle enough that you can stop pushing the screwdriver once the ball releases so as not to damage the mirror assy and parts. *I do not recommend attempting to pull them out from behind using needle nose pliers or similar, as you could easily deform/break the small plastic pins. Once all ball are popped out, remove center screw from gray plate and remove plate by pulling straight back toward you. Now you will see the motors and the sensors.Do not pull the white pins protruding from the motor out of the red boot seals. You will not have fun getting them back in. (If that does happen, you must pull the red boot seal out and put the pin back in from behind, go ahead and use white lithium grease to relube at this point. Then you will have to squeeze the forked back end of the pin together in order to reinsert into the motor. Its helpful not to push it in all the way, just a little... because now you will need to get the back of the boot sealed back in. Use a pick, tiny flathead screwdriver or whatever to get it back in nice and tight).

Cant figure out how to make pic smaller (sorry)

So I would do both sensors even if only one is reported to have problems. To remove the sensor from the housing, there are two retention clips on either side, squeeze both sides and pull the sensor out just like the upper one shown in pic. On either side of the sensor assembly is two small tabs that must be gently pried up, as well as a 3rd underneath towards the tip (See pic below).

Once you pull it apart you will see its really a simple potentiometer, using the pcb board and the contacts mounted to the sliding pin. I cleaned off the board and contacts on pin with alcohol. Then I bent out the little metal contacts on the base of the pin so that they would sure make better contact with the pcb board, Not too much just enough, they are delicate. Then I coated the board and contacts with a light smear of diyelectric grease, as well as cleaned and relubricated the pin and its base that slides inside the assembly with white lithium grease. Put it back together gently and ensured the red silicon gasket was properly in place for a good seal. Do this to both sensors, And replace back into mirror housing.

I then cleaned up the ball pins on the motors and lubed them with white lithium grease. Before I put the gray plate back on, I cleared the code B2324 from truck using scanner, and then played with the mirror controls to ensure operation of motors. Then rescanned the truck and NO CODES. So I learned the sensors are very simple yet very fragile. I actually took my mirror apart once before attempting to repair, and at that time I only had one sensor failed (vertical pos), but upon reassembly, I messed up the other one too, and then had both sensors failed when I scanned again. So moral is during the reassembly, BE CAREFUL AND GENTLE.

To reattach the gray plate you will need a pair of right-angle needle nose pliers especially helpful. Not sure how else I would have done it without them. Starting with the motor pin *****, notice they both have a small tab to prevent them from spinning once attached in the gray plate. Look at the back of your plate, and see how to orientate the ball tab so that it will fit into the groove on the back of plate while being pressed into the socket.
Start with the top motor pin and using the very tip of the needle nose pliers, grasp just under the base of the ball and press the ball into the socket. Again, this will take some force, but also take care while doing this. Having a head lamp or another person holding a flashlight is helpful so that you can look thru the socket hole on the plate to line up the ball pin to the socket on the plate.
Next do the horizontal motor pin (the motor on the side, not the top) the same way as the previous. Notice that the sensor ball pins do not have tabs to worry about aligning, so they just get pressed in. Start with the horizontal sensor (on the side) and press in just as before. And lastly press in the vertical sensor pin on the bottom. Now reinsert the white half-round washer thing and screw back into the center of the plate. The plate should be fully secured now. At this time, do a functions test of the movement using the door control for the mirror adjustment.

Once all is confirmed to move properly and another scan to ensure that the sensors had not been messed up again during installation of the gray plate, proceed to reattaching the mirror glass by first connecting the heater wire. Then align the back of glass with the gray plate and press on the CENTER of the glass to snap it back into position and secure to the plate. clean the glass and DONE!


*if one or more motors need to be replaced, you will need to remove the convex mirror on bottom of housing as well as disassemble everything else as described, then you will notice about 6 or so hex-head screws holding the housing together. Before removing the last screw be sure to support both the front and back of the mirror housing incase parts fall off and onto the ground. Might be a good idea to place a furniture blanket below you to help break the fall and protect finishes. You should then be able to gain access to the mirror motors.

Bill P

Do you know what the sensor part number is? One broke and I cant find a part number to see if one can even be bought?