Okay, So I didn't actually find what I was looking for when I dismantled the driver's side wing mirror of my 406, but whatever it was that I did resolved the above issue of the mirror dancing and malfunctioning.
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> To get the mirror off and apart was simple… but I made a surprisingly convincing meal out of it.
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> Requirements:
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> - 35-45 minutes maximum
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> - A flat head screwdriver- big or small will do- small for minimum markages
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> - A torx t15 screwdriver/attachment
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> - Some rag/cloth (I used a hoody I wear when changing wheels
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Firstly- Open driver’s side door, window completely down and pry the interior panel off of the window corner by prying from the top- then from the bottom (using the padding as leverage- careful not to mark it with a screwdriver. Finally pop the 2 plastic plugs off- one of the padding one of the metal- exposing 3 torx screws which I seem to remember were T15s.
Secondly- drape a jumper/rag around the area on the door- where the mirror will fall down to after you pull it out so that you can hold the mirror against the door with your belly; I found that undoing the wiring clip required 2 hands- so this prevents any mishaps involving paint and the metal parts of the mirror!
Second-&-A-Half-ly- I did remove a plate from the bottom of the wingmirror- I don’t actually remember if it was necessary- removal and replacement is easy- just small screwdriver in the gaps and away she comes.
Thirdly- Once the mirror is off- “close” the mirror- as to expose the back panel completely- so it isn’t covered by the door’s half of the assembly. Get a flat-head prying tool and look carefully as you pop to 2 seat-belt-like hooks at the bottom- work your way round to the front and use a screwdriver tactfully to pry the case off towards what would be the front of the car
Fourthly- remove the 2 connectors from the back of the mirror- for what I assume is the heated wing-mirror element. Use a drill bit/flat headed screw drive to pull the metallic ring from around the mirror motor enclosure behind the mirror- as you pull these loops- you should hear a click as the slack reduces and the strip “pops” out of the retainer at the bottom. The mirror should come off with little to moderate effort and some slight knocking/twisting if it was anything like mine.
Fifthly- Dust/blow/wipe any residue, dust, fluff and crud from within any of the assembly; and wipe the seal/gasket around the motor enclosure of its accumulated gack.
Sixthly- pull back the seal around the motor and wipe the area it was shielding thorough (I didn’t use any chemicals of equipment for any of this job), take a firm grip on the back of the wing mirror and palm the motor enclosure up, down, left and right- Mine felt quite reluctant and stiff, but loosened up within a few reciprocations. Reposition the gasket.
Seventhly- I didn’t feel it necessary to remove the electric motors, housing or cables- as it didn’t look as if it would grant access to any of serviceable components electric motors themselves still looked part’s shelf clean and fresh along with the gears, I did how pull the connector out and give it a good blow to remove any dust. I then took the mirror clips- and pulled them in so that the strip was fastened and exposed on the inner corners- like it would have been before I pulled it off- after a lot of messing around trying to put it on un-fastened and pull it tight with a drill piece!- I realized that the housing was barbed/ratcheted/however you want to say it- so you just tighten it, line it up and push until it clicks!
Finally- put all the connector back within the mirror- reattach the case do the reverse of the 2 and a half steps.
The mirror stopped malfunctioning after I started the car up! (the battery was nearly K.O.ed- left the head lights on the whole time because I was working in dusk)
