Seeking Side Mirror Position Switch - 89 Excel SE

[snafu]

I wondered why my side mirrors were not working and I found no volts coming out of the switch assembly. On opening the switch, the entire inside parts are missing.

Unfortunately Lotus Bits can only supply a new one at a high cost in South African money and I just cannot believe that with so few cars left out of the 2000 odd that were made that someone hasn't got a box of the various switches.

My car is a 1989 Excel SE and the switch is the combined unit that has one that selects right or left mirror and also has the four position rocker for up, down, left and right.

Any kind soul out there who can help me?

Roger

[amarshall]

It's a Citroen switch - used on CX Mk2 and XM - you might be able to find one at a breaker's yard if you have ever had any Citroens around.

They are quite fragile and the copper "dumbbells" inside which make the electrical contacts tend to go missing when they fall apart as they're prized out of the door card, hence the shortage of them.

[snafu]

Thanks Andy.

Unfortunately there were no Citroen CXs imported into South Africa but the one owner of my Excel, who imported the car into South Africa now lives in Hampshire and popped in to see me last week whilst on holiday, said that he could look out for bits for me. As soon as he gets back to UK I will send him an email and ask him to see if he can find a scrap yard with some CXs in. His name is Martin Henneberry and I believe that he still owns an Excel over in the UK. A very nice fellow, but aren't all Excel owners.

[amarshall]

While trawling ebay, I just noticed that the switch on the Peugeot 505 seems to be identical to the Citroen switch (not really that surprising). It's quite likely, I think, that other Peugeot switches will be compatible (406 looks promising to me) although some modification to the loom may be needed to connect them up.

Of course, it's even more likely that the internals of the Pug switches will be the same as the Citroen and the dumbells can be swapped over.

(no guarantees!)

[amarshall]

P.S. - Who's Andy ?


1234567890 (to get round posting limits)

[alanmoss]

Part no. is A082M6503F and SJ Sportscars list it, but under Esprit (1988-1992) at £22.00 +shipping +VAT.
Might be worth a try. Their service is normally excellent.

http://www.sjsportscars.co.uk/index.php ... section=12

South West Lotus also list it under Esprit, again normally excellent service.

http://www.thelotuscentreonline.co.uk/item757.htm

[ttedj]

The switches look slightly different but if you give SJ a ring, they are very helpful as I guess it will probably fit. In need of one myself as I have to jam the connectors to get the contacts to work.

Ted

[amarshall]

Citroen updated the styling a bit, but the internals and connectors didn't change. I have a later style switch installed and it works, although it's not quite as easy to operate by feel alone.

[ttedj]

Having bought a Peugeot 505 switch and it is exactly the same. Unfortunately when the seller said on working order, what he actually meant was "looks ok but may be missing brass internals". Managed to make one good switch from the 2 though.
Ted