Is there a way to fully disable the auto dimming feature? I keep having to press the off button (bottom right button) each time.

 

Do you use the HomeLink for your garage doors? If not, disconnect the wire(s)
to the mirror housing. Should eliminate the Electrochromatic Mirror feature.
There must be a snap connector so you can restore when you sell or turn in
the lease.

 

No, I don't use the homelink at all. I wish there was another way to disable the auto dimming besides physically disconnecting a wire.
In other cars it would default to being off and you would simply toggle it on when needed.

 

I personally don't see any reason to ever turn it off? It's great at night and at sunrise/sunset if the sun is at your rear. Auto dimming side mirrors are also tied to the auto dimming rear view mirror, and the dimmed side mirrors is one of my favorite little features on the GS

 

 

You can have mine, they are never up! lol. On a serious note, with the shade up and in addition to my tint, I don't think my rear view mirror ever auto-dims. There is just not enough light hitting it to trigger it.

 

same...I never manually drop my rear shade...would have loved to have gotten side shades but I don't know if it can be done aftermarket?

 

There’s a thread in the gsf forum. As far as we can tell you can add it, you just have to cut the door panel for the shade opening. The barrier is cost, it’s much cheaper to find the parts through the junk yard but not very many available to salvage from with the shade

 

It just occurred to me that the OP's 2013 GS has a visible sensor on both the front and back
of the mirror housing. (Later model "frameless" mirrors hide the sensor in the glass) Try a
simple piece of dark tape over the sensor on the bottom of the mirror side. One of the two
openings lights up red for HomeLink and green for the mirror...the sensor is the other one!
By blocking any light that would cause the dimmer to react you should be good to go.

 

Thanks, I'll try this out. I assume this same sensor triggers the side mirrors as well?
I'm more bothered by the dimming effect on the side mirrors, than the rear view mirror.

 

I'm curious why the dimming bothers you? I for one enjoy the feature. Do you have issues seeing at night?

 

Damn...that's the best part of the feature IMO!

 

I think it's the combination of the rather bright infotainment screen, dimming side mirrors and a dimly lit street and driveway.
Whenever I'm backing up looking at the rear view cam screen and then to the side mirrors, I literally can't see into side mirrors for a few seconds.

It's like that delay when your eyes refocuses after long stare at a light source (computer screen, smartphone) in a dark environment.
Maybe turning down brightness / contrast of the screen will alleviate this.

 

OK, that makes sense. Yeah I would try turning down the brightness of the screen.