Side Mirror constantly adjusting to the right!

[XCman]

My side mirror has decided that it needs to run all the time when I am driving adjusting itself to the right. Joystick seems to work correctly, it will go up down and left. Hard to tell if right works because the mirror motor is always pushing itself to the right.

This is the Passenger side side mirror.

Conditions of issue:

1. Mirror turns to right constantly while driving non stop.
2. When putting car in Park and turning off car the mirror will run for 10sec then stop
3. I arm the alarm and mirror starts running again for 10 secs then stops
4. When alarm is not set and I open door mirror starts up again for 10 secs and stops
5. I shut door with alarm not set, and mirror runs for 10 secs and stops.

This may be a coincidence or a clue. But This happened shortly after jumping my car with a jump starter. I left my dash lights on and the car was completely run down. It only had enough juice to run the liscense plat lamps, but could not run anything else. The car was attempted to be started in this state, and all was experienced was some 4 clicks.


Fuses seem to be okay, Motor seems to be okay for mirror, It's almost like it's a short. Or dare I say it (refering to my computer/gaming experience here.) It's like the mirror thinks it is off center and it needs to auto correct itself. Like it, thinks it's center is all the way to the right, but it can't get to it. Is there a recalibration type thing that needs to be done? I'm kinda stumped. I would like to get this fixed before this poor motor mirror wears out by constantly running all the time while I am driving! (Oh and actually being able to see out of this mirror would be nice to!) lol

[antonym]

Did you jump it correctly ?

You are supposed to put the negative on a "metal part of the engine" NOT the negative of the battery.

New Beetles have been known to behave a little weird when this is not done. I know of no solutions off hand; it may clear up after a few days or a couple weeks of driving depending on driving frequency.

There may be a VAG-Com fix but "I have not such knowledge".

[XCman]

Hmmm... Well that sucks, because the manual with the jumpstart battery says to put both connections on the positive and negative terminals of the battery.

Buying the care used, I don't have the car manual for specific instructions for the car. Regardless, it's already done and over. Lesson learned.

BTW... being a beetle owner, where do you connect your jumpstarts? I don't recall very many places thats metal next to the battery, most of it's covered in plastic, paint, or AC lines. Which I would think those are all things you would NOT want to connect your Negative jumpstart cable to.

I am thinking about taking off the door panel and disconnecting the mirror. Starting the car without the mirror connecting and hope this will reset the mirror motor so it doesn't constantly run pushing itself to the right.

[mmgtl]

I have a 2003 beetle thats acting the same after a jump start. except my passanger mirror adjust down all the way but every thing else is the same!!!
Conditions of issue:

1. Mirror turns down constantly while driving non stop.
2. When putting car in Park and turning off car the mirror will run for 10sec then stop
3. I arm the alarm and mirror starts running again for 10 secs then stops
4. When alarm is not set and I open door mirror starts up again for 10 secs and stops
5. I shut door with alarm not set, and mirror runs for 10 secs and stops

any ideas anyone???

[SMG]

Replace mirror switch and motor. Switch is bad, motor is probably close to being fried.

[05yellowbeetle]

my '98 did something stupid after being jumped (I think it was with the speedometer?, it's been several years) anyway, the next morning it was fine.

[mmgtl]

Got it fixed wife came home and said fix it or else!!! So I disconnected the battery for 30 minutes just to see if it would make any difference and guess what everything works fine? Just needed to reboot the computer.