Jump to content

Welcome to RennTech.org Community, Guest

There are many great features available to you once you register at RennTech.org
You are free to view posts here, but you must log in to reply to existing posts, or to start your own new topic. Like most online communities, there are costs involved to maintain a site like this - so we encourage our members to donate. All donations go to the costs operating and maintaining this site. We prefer that guests take part in our community and we offer a lot in return to those willing to join our corner of the Porsche world. This site is 99 percent member supported (less than 1 percent comes from advertising) - so please consider an annual donation to keep this site running.

Here are some of the features available - once you register at RennTech.org

  • View Classified Ads
  • DIY Tutorials
  • Porsche TSB Listings (limited)
  • VIN Decoder
  • Special Offers
  • OBD II P-Codes
  • Paint Codes
  • Registry
  • Videos System
  • View Reviews
  • and get rid of this welcome message

It takes just a few minutes to register, and it's FREE

Contributing Members also get these additional benefits:
(you become a Contributing Member by donating money to the operation of this site)

  • No ads - advertisements are removed
  • Access the Contributors Only Forum
  • Contributing Members Only Downloads
  • Send attachments with PMs
  • All image/file storage limits are substantially increased for all Contributing Members
  • Option Codes Lookup
  • VIN Option Lookups (limited)

Sun Visor -- Cheap Fix


Recommended Posts

If you have tried to repair the mirror door hinge mount on the sun visor only to have the little mount crack again you may wish to consider a relatively inexpensive fix.

The mirror insert itself is replaceable. You can choose the lighted ones (996-731-903-01-01C) for $48.00 each at Sunset or you can choose the unlighted mirror insert for $11.66 each also from Sunset (986-731-901-01-01C).

Simply remove the existing plastic insert and pop the new ones in. I choose this time to go with the unlighted ones. They are cheaper and if they break again, I'd rather pay $23.00 than $96.00.

If you go with the lighted ones you will have to splice into the existing wiring in the mirror assembly or solder the wires to the contact points in the mirror assembly.

The unlighted ones took 10 minutes to install and the lighted ones may take 30 minutes depending on how quickly you can solder.

Hope this is useful...

Jim :drive:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately for me, the passenger visor on my 1999 Boxster is flapping and the problem is the main hinge on the sun visor (not the mirror flap). There is no quick fix that I know of.

(If you know of one, please let me know. I can't even figure out how to disconnect the hinge from the flap; they seem to be connected)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately for me, the passenger visor on my 1999 Boxster is flapping and the problem is the main hinge on the sun visor (not the mirror flap).  There is no quick fix that I know of.

(If you know of one, please let me know.  I can't even figure out how to disconnect the hinge from the flap; they seem to be connected)

Just replace the mirror insert. Unlighted ones are about 12.00 at Sunset and lighted ones are about 50.00. Install is a snap for the unlighted ones about a minute and the lighted ones about 10 minutes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hope this is useful...

Jim :drive:

Only hugely, Jim.

I've had this as a fault on my 996 for about two years now and although it bugged me I grudged the cost of replacement sunvisors.

Recently, reading another thread I had a go at 'sorting' both my lit 996 ones and my unlit 986 ones. Only got one of the Boxster ones to repair. Both of the 996 ones stopped being 'flappy' when the visors were down but wouldn't click up enough to get the light to come on. Even though I've been fortunate to get a cheap lit pair on Ebay for around $55 I'll now be able to sort the remaining Boxster one.

Great tip, thanks a lot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately for me, the passenger visor on my 1999 Boxster is flapping and the problem is the main hinge on the sun visor (not the mirror flap).  There is no quick fix that I know of.

Stefan, I don't understand what part is broken. Can you describe it reference the picture below, please?

post-2280-1125746341_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The red arrow shows the part that I am concerned about. The entire visor flaps up and down when I go over bumps so the problem for me is not the mirror hinge but the visor hinge. There is some sort of spring mechanism in there but I don't know how to get at it. If I could separate the two parts circled in green I think I could figure out how to fix the spring mechanism.

de4rol.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

UK prices from the OPC are £19.31, £32.59 both plus VAT.

As $11.66 is about £6.58 and $48 is £26.67 at the current exchange rate it would probably be cheaper getting them from the USA... I'll let others comment on the fact it is three times the price for a non lit insert here.

Edited by Paul Fraser
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mmm... interesting. My copy of the PET also has the numbers you quote above but nonetheless that is not what is on the back of the hinges. I can post photos if you like.

One other thing that I've been wondering about is what is fitted in my 996 (a '97 car that was one of the first at the local OPC). From memory it doesn't have anything like those hinges, but the car is at my Dad's at the moment and I can't look at this/photograph it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which securing screws? The ones that hold the whole mechanism to the windshield frame? Yes, I've checked those. Are there other screws that might contribute to the stifness of that hinge?

So if I just pull hard I should be able to get it apart? I did pull before but I got to a "it might break if this isn't how it's supposed to be taken apart" point and I backed off. I can try pulling harder.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No other screws apart from the two that hold it to the frame. Pull it to the left or right depending on whether is is the right or left one. It should come off.

Perhaps you had best check the cost of a new hinge before doing anything you might regret -- if yours is wobbling it may be cracked and will fail if you do this. However, they do come apart as I have showed you in the pic above. If you do decide to try immobilise the hinge with one hand while pulling on the visor with the other. Good luck...

Edited by Paul Fraser
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Today I finally got off my fat backside and did some jobs on the car. Put the two twist-off-back tax-disc holders in the 996 and Boxster, and finally sorted the sunvisors on the 996. I removed the LH hinge from the 996 as the hinge cover was stuck on by velcro to the rest of the hinge, leaving it proud of the roof lining and generally unsightly.

It is on the right of the photo below beside a Boxster (and 996 Cab I suspect) hinge.

post-2280-1131663985_thumb.jpg

Here are the three parts of the 996 hinge: the hinge, the mounting screw and the cover.

post-2280-1131664372_thumb.jpg

post-2280-1131664387_thumb.jpg

My hinge was broken and I glued it together before reinstalling it.

post-2280-1131664563_thumb.jpg

I would have preferred to replace it but I could not obtain the hinge as a separate part from either the PET or my OPC. I wasn't going to buy a whole new sunvisor for this little part.

Has anyone any idea where Porsche have obtained this part from? I assume they have raided a major manufacturer parts bin for this -- the rest of the sunvisor has 'Made in France'. If anyone has seen a similar hinge on another car type I would be interested to know which one so I can try and obtain a replacement.

PS Both my sunvisors now stay up and the lights come on and go off -- that only took two and a half years to sort then!

Edited by Paul Fraser
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.