My 2003 Expedition has these mirrors that tilt down automatically when backing up, 3 degrees for the left, 6 degrees for the right. Pretty slick, eh? Had the Ford service manager jealous because his Navigator didn't have them.

They seem to go nuts every once in a while and tilt all the down, or up. It's completely random as to when it occurs.

I took it in to the dealer and reported the problem. You should have seen the action. All the techs gathered round because they didn't even know such an option existed. Of course the book had to come out, and adjustments were made. And of course it failed again on the way home.

I figure the computer logic in the control module is faulty and will need replacing. I'm hoping that maybe a service bulletin will come out soon on the problem.

Has anybody heard of a problem like this?

Regards,

Rod

 

Ihave the same problem. It is a known issue for Ford. I have not had mine fixed, but there has been discussion on flatratetech.com about it. It's a software problem. Here's some of what I learned on that site:

16314 2003 EXPEDITION/NAVIGATOR - REVERSE TILT-DOWN MIRROR FUNCTION
SOME 2003 EXPEDITION/NAVIGATOR WITH REVERSE TILT-DOWN MIRROR FEATURE MAY
EXHIBIT SIDE MIRRORS THAT DO NOT TO RETURN TO SET POSITION, AFTER SHIFTING
TO REVERSE AND RETURNING TO DRIVE, AT TIMES. THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE SOFTWARE
IN GLOBAL DRIVER SEAT MODULE (GDSM), ACTIVATED WHEN MIRROR IS DRIVEN INTO AN
OVERTRAVEL CONDITION (EVIDENCED BY RATCHETING AT END OF TRAVEL). SET MIRROR
TO ACTUAL CUSTOMER POSITION. SHIFT TO REVERSE, OBSERVE IF MIRRORS RATCHET AT
END OF TRAVEL. IF MIRRORS RATCHET, ASK CUSTOMER IF IT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO
USE DIFFERENT MIRROR SETTING THAT DOES NOT CREATE OVERTRAVEL, OR TO
DEACTIVATE FEATURE UNTIL A REVISED MODULE IS AVAILABLE (SCHEDULED FOR 1ST
QUARTER 2003). DO NOT REPLACE MIRROR OR GDSM FOR THIS CONDITION. MIRROR MAY
ALWAYS BE REPOSITIONED MANUALLY OR W/MEMORY PRE-SET BUTTONS WHEN THIS
CONDITION OCCURS.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

16198 2003 EXPEDITION/NAVIGATOR - FUNCTIONAL CONDITIONS WITH POWER SEATS,
POWER MIRRORS, POWER PEDALS AND/OR AIR BAG INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED
SOME 2003 EXPEDITION/NAVIGATOR VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT FUNCTIONAL CONDITIONS
WITH POWER SEATS, POWER MIRRORS, POWER PEDALS AND/OR AIR BAG INDICATOR LAMP
CAUSED BY POORLY SEATED WIRING CONNECTIONS BELOW THE FRONT SEATS. CONDITIONS
MAY INCLUDE PEDALS, MIRRORS OR SEATS THAT MOVE ONLY IN ONE DIRECTION. PRIOR
TO PERFORMING DIAGNOSTICS, VERIFY THAT THE HARD SHELL CONNECTORS BELOW THE
FRONT SEATS ARE FULLY SEATED.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

16135 2003 EXPEDITION/NAVIGATOR EXTERIOR MIRROR REVERSE TILT FUNCTION
ON 2003 EXPEDITION/NAVIGATOR EQUIPPED WITH THE EXTERIOR MIRROR REVERSE TILT
FUNCTION, THE POSITION TO WHICH THE MIRROR RETURNS 'AFTER' THE VEHICLE IS
TAKEN OUT OF REVERSE IS DETERMINED BY THE ''PRE-REVERSE'' POSITION OF THE
MIRROR. IF THE MIRROR IS MANUALLY ADJUSTED BY THE DRIVER AND THE KEY FOB IS
SUBSEQUENTLY USED TO OPEN THE VEHICLE, THEREAFTER WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED
BACK IN DRIVE, THE MIRROR WILL RETURN TO THE POSITION DICTATED BY THE MEMORY
SETTINGS OF THAT FOB. SOME DRIVERS MAY NOT REALIZE THAT THIS IS NORMAL MAY
BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE. THE POSITION TO WHICH THE MIRROR RETURNS
IS ALWAYS THE POSITION THAT THE MIRROR WAS IN IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE VEHICLE
WAS PUT INTO REVERSE, WHETHER THAT WAS A MANUALLY OR AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTED
POSITION. THIS FEATURE MAY BE TURNED OFF USING THE MESSAGE CENTER.

 

>Ihave the same problem. It is a known issue for Ford. I
>have not had mine fixed, but there has been discussion on
>flatratetech.com about it. It's a software problem. Here's
>some of what I learned on that site:
>
>DEACTIVATE FEATURE UNTIL A REVISED MODULE IS AVAILABLE
>(SCHEDULED FOR 1ST
>QUARTER 2003). DO NOT REPLACE MIRROR OR GDSM FOR THIS
>CONDITION. MIRROR MAY
>ALWAYS BE REPOSITIONED MANUALLY OR W/MEMORY PRE-SET BUTTONS
>WHEN THIS
>CONDITION OCCURS.
>

Thank you very much for you rresponse. I really felt like it was a software problem in the control system for the mirrors, I used to build custom control modules with single-chip CPUs and little timing issues could cause them to go beserk, much like this. In our situation, the mirror, or both mirrors, may go all the way and ratchet as described, which or when is totally random. Manual repositioning then clears the situation, then pressing the memory preset will bring it back. Most of the time it works OK, but failure rate is about 5-10% of the time, and you generally don't notice it until you need the mirror. In the case of a critical situation while driving it could be pretty dangerous.

I can set the function to off through the information computer setup on the dash. Now that I know this problem is known with a replacement module soon to be available helps. Now all I need to do is communicate this to my dealer.

Regards,

Rod

 

I have the same problem with my 03 EB passenger side rear view mirror. I took it to my dealer who didn't even know about the feature. I thought is was just a customer education issue, but the dealer replaced the motor and told me to try using the memory feature to set the mirror back to the correct position and manually correct the mirror. The motor replacement made no difference in operation.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 04-Jan-03 AT 04:20 PM (EST)]Same here with my 2003 EB. I got so disgusted with it I finally disabled the feature. I think some of these gadgets were pushed into production before they should have been. I would rather have it do less things well, than do lots of things poorly.

 

I have a 2003 Navigator with the same problem and a passanger seat that wont go foward or backward and a driver seat that wont heat up. They seam to say its all 1 modual having it replaced next week will tell you then.

 

They never have had a lot of luck with these. They have been discontinued in the 04 since December.

 

Mine has the same problem. Had the truck a little over a year. Took it in for warranty work about 2 months after I had it and it was a pretty hot topic then, both here and at the dealer. Supposedly there was some module that needed to be replaced. They acted like no big deal and replaced it. It was just as bad when I got it back and I de-activated the reverse tilt and have lived with it till now. Fixing to take it in again and get warranty work again, this one is on my list. I also recall (within the last month or so) someone posted a reploy talking about this issue and stated that if it's been doing it a while you should replace the entire mirror assembly. The gear for the mirror is in it and is most likely stripped from trying to reset to original position. I'm sure mine is so I will be going with that approach! I'll let you know what the they do/say/BS when work is completed. Got Kleen Wheels for the dust (and love them) so thats off my list, but they will be working on the mirrors, AC, interior work (Minor)... other than those, I love this thing, guess I was lucky. I don't have a lot of the prob's that are posted and re-posted. By the way, can anyone tell me how to figure by VIN when the truck was built?
Thanks
Jorg

 

The label on the drivers door will give a production date.

Initially the problem was identified as two fold. Updated Driver seat module with newer firmware. Also some were coming in with losely connected power leads at the driver seat module and some customers were adjusting thier mirrors too far and causing the mirror to bounce because it couldnt adjust far enough in reverse tilt. That was on the early production 03. After that period, some time passed and then a problem was identified with water contamination getting into the motors themselves which would result in faulty reverse function and faulty memory function. I must say that with the ones that I have replaced with the updated motors with the grease sealant on the connectors, I have not have a recurring problem with those mirrors.

 

HomerWinzlow so you are saying the 04 models won't have this tilting mirror feature anymore because they can't fix the problem?

 

I said they have discontinued the feature. They never give a reason, but you can figure it out when you see the repair rate compared to net reciepts. If you sold lawn mowers and they cost more to do warranty work on than you made in profit, you arent going to keep selling them. All accessories are one way or another someone elses product that you include in your vehicle lineup. If the manufacturing source cant give you an updated part that works reliably you have no choice but to drop the feature. Remember the source of the part does not have to pay for all the labor of the repairs. The vehicle manufacturer does.

 

Just for the record, I took delivery of an '04 Expy EB that came off the line in Dec. of '03. It has the tilt mirrors. Hopefully the problem has been rectified by now.......

 

Yes, some of them that were produced thru December have it. I dont have the service message in front of me but the cut off was some time in December.

 

Great...another 'gizmo' to go wrong. Glad I don't have that option.
My mirrors only move when I want them to...pretty slick eh?