2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Agreed. Dash sensor does Nav screen, gauge cluster and headlights. At least on the 2013.

In the dark this AM in traffic I blocked the forward sensor from the mirror with my hand and it gets plenty dark the problem is it sees so much ambient light it doesn't do it without assistance. Now what to do???

And thanks for your input everyone!

jr4div2

Slightly off-topic, but still about these rear view mirrors in our cars. So all this talk about compass and auto-dimming got me feeling around my mirror for any buttons or switches that weren't visible. I felt around the back on the left...nothing. I felt around the back on the right and there's a hole about, I dunno, in the middle about an inch or so from the tight-hand side of the mirror. What's that for?

mcomer

The auto dimming mirrors have two light sensors, one is shown in jr4div2's photo above and
the other is on the glass side. When the rear is hit by the lights coming from behind and the
front one is registering darkness then the glass goes dark green!

Quick tip for checking the function...cover the front side sensor with a finger before you start
the car. When you start her up the mirror(s) will go fully dark immediately.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Any thoughts on how to get this down flush like it belongs?

mjeds

is your rear window tinted? even lightly.. that will affect how the mirror dims.

mcomer

What do you consider "normal"?

bazzle01

ASFAIK the inside mirror has a sensor facing the rear. It then dims if bright lights shine thru the rear window.
When I put tint on my rear window it made it slower to respond.

mjeds

if it responds at all, it actually has 2 sensors, one on the front (white plastic) and the one on the rear in the glass, the 2 sensors work together to determine the diming, if the front senses dark and the rear senses light, it dims, if the front senses any light, then it doesn't dim.

in my case with 5% limo tint all the way around (except front windshield) my auto-dim never responded.. I don't care about the inside mirror so much as I do the outer mirrors.. and both sets work off the inner mirror sensors, the door mirrors are not independent, with the tint; the inside mirror reflection isn't an issue, but if I am driving with my windows down (which I do like 90% of the time) the outside glare from idiots with aftermarket HID bulbs and lifted trucks (or a combo of both) has a devastating effect on my vision, sometimes to the point of seeing spots because of the eye burning light coming from other cars.

I ended up taking a dry erase marker (didn't use a sharpie because I didn't want it to be permanent) and darkening the light sensor on the front of the mirror (the aforementioned white plastic piece), this resulted in the mirror working as designed even with my dark tint, and the side mirrors darkening to a point that the light glare is minimized..

The only draw back is that occasionally the inner mirror dims in overcast weather during daytime hours, I combat this by turning the auto dim off (button on bottom of mirror) the mirror turns back on automatically at the next restart so it is there when I need it, I don't have to remember to reengage it after turning it off.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

My IS is different than this. On mine the defrost vent has the sensor integrated into it and the end has popped free of whatever secures it. You can press down nearly 5/8" whereby the defrost vent becomes flat from one side to the other.

As for darkening via trickery I placed two layers of Kapton tape over the forward sensor on the mirror. It has improved its function...

But ya, lifted trucks with illegal lighting is blinding.

mjeds

"Kapton tape" didn't' know what that was had to look it up. nice solution.. dry erase marker works too.