8 cylinder front engine iconic vehicle
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By ChrisZ
#113380
As fall approaches I really find the ability to adjust the mirrors to be helpful. And my mirrors have been having issues over the past few years. The joystick switch has required several presses to get the mirrors moving, and after an annoying evening I decided it was time to just man up and repair it.

The switch comes out of the car pretty easily, gently pry around it with a flat blade screwdriver to lift it out. Take pictures of the three wires to the left/right switch, then disconnect the switch and joystick from the harness.

Then take it inside and start working. The bottom of the switch is held on by two blind studs. These studs are threaded and pressed into the plastic holes at the factory, and as they do they twist in because they are sort of threaded. This is the secret to getting them out: Pry up with a jeweler's screw driver and as you pry up, twist slightly as if you were trying to get the stud to turn in a "loosen" direction. It will start to come up, turning, and you can take them out.

Then remove the bottom cover, then with the joystick facing down gently pull up on the 6 pin bottom. As it comes up watch for three little metal cones to maybe come out or some springs (remove slowly). I do this inside of a cigar box so I can catch any parts.

Then it's a matter of cleaning up the three metal cones and the contacts on the bottom of the switch. Porsche used grease in there, and it has arced, burned, and just gone bad over 35 years. Use a small jeweler's screwdriver to scoop out the old grease, then clean it out. I used a shot of brake cleaner, isopropyl alcohol, Q tips, and a small round jeweler's file to clean up the contact points at the bottom and on the sides. Then clean up the three metal cones, the tips of them press against the brass buttons at the bottom of the switch, then they rock to the side to close the circuits depending on which way the joystick is pressed. Clever. You don't have to sand them down, just scrape off the black gunk and smooth them out.

When putting them together I put a bit of dielectric grease in first, then the cone, then some more grease in the cone's back side. Make sure the joystick side has the three plungers with springs behind them all assembled, the grease will be on the cones. Put the assembly together and hold the bottom in place while working the joystick to make sure everything moves.

Then assemble: Put the back on, then press back in the two studs, and they will turn as they go down. Then try it out, you will be amazed at how well the mirrors now work.
SeanR, worf, milrad and 3 others liked this
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By linderpat
#113539
Thanks. Nice write up. This is one of the annoying things on my car too.
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