Sunvisor

[ScottyWM]

Okay, I know that if this is my biggest problem I shouldn't complain. My passenger side sun visor sliding cover (over the mirror) is VERY sticky. I can barely open it, and the wifey can't. What in the world causes that, and is there any way to fix it? I've sprayed some silicone spray along the edges, but that doesn't seem to help. There doesn't seem to be any way to open it up and look in there to see what's going on either.

Yeah, I know I could just leave it open all the time, but I like to have things work as intended. Any ideas?

[632 Regal]

replace it, just looked at mine and you are right no way of disassembling and cleaning. Can't imagine what would get in there to make it stick.

What color interior?

[ScottyWM]

It's tan interior. I've looked at two others that were being parted out, they both were sticking too, though not as bad as mine... yet.

[myles]

I have exactly the same problem with mine. I don't know how to fix it, but I know what the sticky crap is. They use some sort of paper on the back of the mirror when it is made. The paper is glued onto the glass. In the heat the glue breaks down and oozes around the edge of the glass and then gets caught in the track for the mirror cover. Cars with the older types of interior rearview mirror get the same crap appearing around the edges of the rearview mirror.

I haven't had a lot of time to experiment with what could clean it up but I would like to hear from anyone who has.

[Herb]

Scott, where are you located? I have one sitting in my garage, just can't remember if it is ds/ps - I will check tomorrow when I get home. You can have it for the cost of packing and shipping.
Herbert

[ScottyWM]

Herb, Apex, NC - just outside Raleigh. Let me know (PM) if it's the right side. Not sure the problem is even worth the shipping! Since it's such a common problem, I am hoping to find a fix we could all benefit from. If I had one to experiment with that would be a help.

[Kibokojoe]

This worked on my sticky mirror doors, but I could still open them, I don't know what to do if you can't get them open. Remove the visor, slide the mirror door open. I used tar remover on the glue, very sparingly. I think tar remover is just turpentine,,, some one corrected me if I am wrong. I used an old credit card and cut it off square on the end for scraping. Then using a q-tip I applied the tar remover into the track and used the credit card to scrape the gunk out of the channel. Try guiding the gunk to the mirror and not shoving it back into the visor. Removed the gunk with a clean q-tip. I don't know the effect tar remover has on the plastic so make sure you use as little as possible. I kept cleaning the tracks until the door began to move easier. Open and close the door several time keep applying tar remover and continue cleaning until all traces of glue are gone. Once I felt that the track was clean then I cleaned off the credit card and used it to push silicone spray in between the glass, visor and the plastic door. If you hold the visor up right you can get the silicone to flow down the channel. I kept spraying and working it in with the card. You don't want to spray so much that is starts flowing out of the visor :)

On another matter the hinge on the visor was squeaking too so I shot silicone along the shaft with a hypodermic needle and worked the visor back and forth until the squeaking stopped. Once again hold the visor on the end and let it now down onto the shaft.

I did both of these last summer and both are working just fine. I just went out to the car and tested both of them and they work fine. But then again it is cold out and the biggest problem is when it is hot.

Let me know if this works for anyone else.

[ScottyWM]

This sounds like a reasonable approach. I have some adhesive remover that I'll try now that I know it's glue and not warpage or something.

[Kibokojoe]

I wonder what goo-gone would do? Says its safe on plastics

Here is a write up
We've given this product top-billing when it comes to removing almost any old residue. Although we use it exclusively for the removal of old decal residue like those from old labels and bumper stickers, it also takes quick care of crayon marks, bubble gum, asphalt, tapes and glues, grease and oils- even waxes. The citrus power here is unmatched.

[ScottyWM]

Wow, wish I'd complained about this long time ago. I used the stuff below. Remove the sunvisor so that you can get the stuff to flow down the channels. Drop about 2-3 drops down the channels and let it flow down. As a bonus, this stuff actually turned the adhesive a yellow color that made it show up. I simply wiped it away with a paper towel, but a Q-tip probably would've been better. That was it! The cover now slides absolutely freely. I sprayed some silicone spray on the channels, but it didn't really need it and it didn't seem to make any improvement. I was trying to be careful not to use too much, so that it wouldn't loosen the mirror. It seriously worked like magic...

http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/371/371092/folders/282967/2384047GooGone.JPG

[Kibokojoe]

Ha another cure found :). I will have to look for this stuff around here. Its probably the same goo-gone stuff but with an applicator