Intermittent Unfolding Mirror Issue

Ravenkeeper · February 24, 2021

My driver's side mirror has intermittent issues with unfolding when I unlock my truck, and even if I try to get it to unfold with the interior button, it takes a few tries to get it to move.

Anyone else? Anyone know what's causing it?

JimCost2014 · February 24, 2021

25 minutes ago, Ravenkeeper said:

My driver's side mirror has intermittent issues with unfolding when I unlock my truck, and even if I try to get it to unfold with the interior button, it takes a few tries to get it to move.

Anyone else? Anyone know what's causing it?

Both of mine do the same thing all of the time, not sure why either, usually this time of year when it is cold.

Do you run them through 3 cycles afterwards to reset the gears?

beetle · February 24, 2021

Same here, I don't fold the mirrors anymore, I'm afraid they will hang up.

rav3 · February 25, 2021

Are you guys talking about the large towing mirrors or the smaller standard mirrors? Or does it matter. I have a 2017 Silverado Double Door with the MAX towing package, which comes with the large tow mirrors, with about 35k on it. I have on occasion a "miss" folding on mine when I push the inside door mounted button to close or open the mirrors. Occasionally I'll find that both didn't completely fold or when unfolding, one may not move all the way to the home position. If I pull out on the road & then notice it, the mirror will not respond to the button command when moving.

btj_z71 · February 25, 2021

3 hours ago, Ravenkeeper said:

My driver's side mirror has intermittent issues with unfolding when I unlock my truck, and even if I try to get it to unfold with the interior button, it takes a few tries to get it to move.

Anyone else? Anyone know what's causing it?

Never had any problems with mine. I have the larger tow mirrors, which I have to power fold in at least twice everyday when I'm pulling into the garage and then unfold once I've left the garage. Been doing this since I ordered the truck and never had any issues.

silveradosid · February 25, 2021

my driver side mirror was also haunted lol , i replaced the mirror and problem solved. i took the old mirror apart and could not find anything wrong with it

Lsgun1 · February 25, 2021

Sometimes I have to hit the button twice but not always.

DCazares · February 25, 2021

I have the same issue, it almost seams like the gears are not aligning as when it does it, the mirror is loose. Takes a couple of tries and folding it manually to get it to lock again and operate. It does open and close slower than my passenger side as well.

midwestdenaliguy · February 25, 2021

+1 on this. It's not often, but it has happened a handful of times to my passenger mirror only over the 3 years I've owned the truck. Not enough of a problem for me to pull it apart or buy a new one, but it was the same issue you describe. Didn't hear any gears catching/stripping or a motor making a weird noise. I would guess it's an intermittent electrical issue where the mirror doesn't receive the signal. Mine didn't move or make a sound the few times it's happened. I just hit the button two more times to sync up both mirrors and it's always corrected itself. Sorry, not sure what exactly is going on.

truckguy82 · February 25, 2021

Its lube

spray some lube in the mirror and you will find it working flawlessly for a few months.

i think it’s the rubber seal that gets dried out. Been looking for a long term lube for awhile but stuck using white lithium spray lube until I can figure out something more permanent.

i believe folding the mirrors going to the car wash removes most of the lube

Joe98 · February 25, 2021

I’ve never encouraged any problems on my 18 Denali Ultimate, except when lots of snow and ice has accumulated in the crevice where mirror is folded in for the night. Have to make sure I brush it out or mirrors won’t open fully. Other than that no problems....

JimCost2014 · February 26, 2021

8 hours ago, truckguy82 said:

Its lube

spray some lube in the mirror and you will find it working flawlessly for a few months.

i think it’s the rubber seal that gets dried out. Been looking for a long term lube for awhile but stuck using white lithium spray lube until I can figure out something more permanent.

i believe folding the mirrors going to the car wash removes most of the lube

May seem like a "dumb" question, but where are you spraying the lube? How about a picture showing exactly the spot you shoot it into?

Kind of sounds like this post should now air after 10:00 pm.....

truckguy82 · February 26, 2021

10 hours ago, JimCost2014 said:

May seem like a "dumb" question, but where are you spraying the lube? How about a picture showing exactly the spot you shoot it into?

Kind of sounds like this post should now air after 10:00 pm.....

Mirror is two parts, the part that stays fixed on the truck, and the part that folds in. I just spray in between them. Need a lube with a straw

Ravenkeeper · February 26, 2021

On 2/24/2021 at 3:10 PM, Ravenkeeper said:

My driver's side mirror has intermittent issues with unfolding when I unlock my truck, and even if I try to get it to unfold with the interior button, it takes a few tries to get it to move.

Anyone else? Anyone know what's causing it?

On 2/24/2021 at 3:37 PM, JimCost2014 said:

Both of mine do the same thing all of the time, not sure why either, usually this time of year when it is cold.

Do you run them through 3 cycles afterwards to reset the gears?

On 2/24/2021 at 4:20 PM, rav3 said:

Are you guys talking about the large towing mirrors or the smaller standard mirrors? Or does it matter. I have a 2017 Silverado Double Door with the MAX towing package, which comes with the large tow mirrors, with about 35k on it. I have on occasion a "miss" folding on mine when I push the inside door mounted button to close or open the mirrors. Occasionally I'll find that both didn't completely fold or when unfolding, one may not move all the way to the home position. If I pull out on the road & then notice it, the mirror will not respond to the button command when moving.

On 2/25/2021 at 6:50 AM, Lsgun1 said:

Sometimes I have to hit the button twice but not always.

I have the standard little mirrors, and it happens randomly year round. On the day that I made this write-up, I had tried with the remote 6 times, and the button on the door 4 times. I also tapped the mirror, and it worked the next try. I cycled them several times while I was driving to work. It did it again, yesterday, it worked on the second attempt with the remote. Cycled it a few times, while driving to work. I may find some WD40, or something like it, and spray both sets of gears (both mirrors), @truckguy82 thanks for the suggestion.

Ravenkeeper · June 28, 2022

On 2/24/2021 at 3:10 PM, Ravenkeeper said:

My driver's side mirror has intermittent issues with unfolding when I unlock my truck, and even if I try to get it to unfold with the interior button, it takes a few tries to get it to move.

Anyone else? Anyone know what's causing it?

Last weekend, the problem got worse, now the driver's side mirror will NOT fold. It moves about 1/64 of an inch and stops like it hit the extreme of the fold.

Any solutions that I can do at home? Not looking forward to replacing the mirror.