Why would the previous owner do this?

[autoteleology]

I have been troubleshooting an issue with my 2010 MKS over the last week or so - the privacy screen does not come up when the button is pressed. I first replaced fuse 41 with fuse 2, no dice. Then, I took a look at the privacy screen itself to see if it was physically stuck or if I could detect some sort of damage when, lo and behold, I discovered that someone had zip tied it shut!



What in tarnation is this nonsense? Anyone have any idea why the previous owner might have done this before I cut it and find out? I'm figuring that it's either that they kept accidentally bumping the privacy screen button while trying to use the center console, or that the privacy screen fails open rather than failing closed. Thoughts?

 

[yaycandy]

Because they break easily. And when it goes up it may not come back down correctly. Pretty common now with age. I would see if it works correctly. If not you know why. To keep it from accidentally being activated. I use mine everyday. Never an issue. Helps block the headlights from behind me.

 

[autoteleology]

Because they break easily. And when it goes up it may not come back down correctly. Pretty common now with age. I would see if it works correctly. If not you know why. To keep it from accidentally being activated. I use mine everyday. Never an issue. Helps block the headlights from behind me.

Supposing I remove the zip tie and I can't get it to go back down, would you happen to know what it takes to retract it manually? I was watching something about how to disable it on YouTube and someone in the comments said the dealer wanted a grand to fix it, yeesh.

 

[yaycandy]

Supposing I remove the zip tie and I can't get it to go back down, would you happen to know what it takes to retract it manually? I was watching something about how to disable it on YouTube and someone in the comments said the dealer wanted a grand to fix it, yeesh.

Im not sure. Ive never had an issue with mine and i never really looked at it to see how it looks or even how it works. Maybe just remove it if its bad. Pull up the carpeted shelf and its only a couple bolts and a plug

 

[SHOrod]

They've also been known to rattle. Maybe you'll get lucky and the PO cable tied it to stop a rattle but it otherwise works fine. Although having a rattle wouldn't necessarily be "lucky."

-Rod

 

[jman1200]

^^^ That.

 

[Shadow351]

So the issue I had with mine was that it wouldn't stay down. I removed mine but you can just unplug the motor to disable it.

There are no limit switches, the screen works by running the motor forwards or backwards until it stalls out. On the 'up' end, the shade can't open any farther; on the 'down' end, there is a plastic stop on the motor housing that the motor cam hits. Every time you put the car in reverse, it tries to put the screen down regardless of the position of the shade. The problem is, over the years, the cam cuts into this plastic end stop and disforms the cam on the motor. Mine got so bad that the cam 'jumps' over the end stop and drives the shade most of the way back up until the shade jams.

 

[luigisho]

alot of complaints on this one item over the years. Might be best to keep it secured in place

 

[Tbird6]

One key is to use it regularly. I got that tip from this forum so every so often I make a couple of up and down runs on the shade. I think just usage keeps things working longer.
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[GHNorth]

One key is to use it regularly.

I have had my SHO since 2015 and can count the number of times I have raised the shade on one hand. I think I can add the number of times I have opened the moon roof on that same hand. Add the number of times I have opened the rear windows plus the number of times I have used the auto park feature, and you are up to TWO hands. There are a LOT of features on this car that I never use. Paddle shifters? No. Power tilt steering wheel on exit? Nope. Ambient lighting? No. Gas pedal? Oh, h-e-l-l- YES!!

 

[Tbird6]

Very true but mechanical items do need to be used or they just stop working. Electrical and electronics not so much.
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[Devin]

Disuse isn't good for anything. Married men, raise your hands

 

[Kevin Curley]

Mine was also zip tied down when I got the car. I removed the zip ties and it popped up and stayed up, when I tried to lower it the motor makes a noise but nothing happens. So I can either zip tie it back down or leave it up. I like it so it just stays up, been that way for almost 2 years.