Side mirror
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 29
Likes: 2
From: El Dorado Hills, CA
1999 ML430
When you touch the mirror glass does it move freely? If so, that means that the white plastic piece that's attached to the motor, and "pushes" the mirror glass in the direction you want it to go, is broken. You can get that motor at a junk yard, and 96-98 C or E Class sedans have the same motor. It should be less than $10.
It's not tough to install, but I think you have to remove the outer casing of the mirror housing. It's too hard to describe here, but with the mirror housing folded in, there's a thin metal rod that you need to pop up to slide the outer housing off. Once it's off, you unhook the little piece of metal wire holding the mirror glass, then pry the glass off of the motor housing. There are then three screws holding the motor. You just unplug it then plug the new one in. Be sure to attach the mirror, with the metal wire, BEFORE attaching the housing, as it's extremely difficult to reattach with the housing already on it. You can probably find a video on the Internet showing how to do this. If not, perhaps I can shoot one. I've rebuilt dozens of these mirrors.
It's not tough to install, but I think you have to remove the outer casing of the mirror housing. It's too hard to describe here, but with the mirror housing folded in, there's a thin metal rod that you need to pop up to slide the outer housing off. Once it's off, you unhook the little piece of metal wire holding the mirror glass, then pry the glass off of the motor housing. There are then three screws holding the motor. You just unplug it then plug the new one in. Be sure to attach the mirror, with the metal wire, BEFORE attaching the housing, as it's extremely difficult to reattach with the housing already on it. You can probably find a video on the Internet showing how to do this. If not, perhaps I can shoot one. I've rebuilt dozens of these mirrors.
