Auto Dimming Driver Mirror?

TheGrove · Oct 14, 2012

VeeDubTDI said:
Passat doesn't have a center headrest in the back.

Mine does, but it is very low to the top of the seat, not like the ones on the outside positions.

VeeDubTDI · Oct 14, 2012

Well right you are! There is a short one for the middle seat.

Genesis · Oct 14, 2012

It doesn't take much to block a headlight from the sensor.

Remember that the auto-dim sensor is typically on the lower margin of the mirror and thus just because you can see the headlight in the mirror does not mean the light shines on the sensor and thus causes it to dim (or dim fully.) IMHO they should put multiple sensors on the mirrors (e.g. top and bottom, etc) and if any are impacted while the front ambient sensor is dark it should dim down, but they don't.

IXLR8 · Oct 14, 2012

The only passenger I have in the rear seat of my Passat is an 80 lb Chesapeake Bay Retriever, so I have removed all of the rear head restraints. That really improves the view out the rear, but I still find that the auto dimming does not work as well as I would like. The auto dimming mirror on my 05 GMC Sierra works MUCH better than the one in my Passat. In the Passat dusk and dawn are the worst for dimming as much as I would like.

Genesis · Oct 14, 2012

Is the daylight sensor on the back of the mirror or in the mount?

Are you getting too much or too little dimming? If too little try partially covering the ambient light sensor (if it's on the mirror).

Softrockrenegade · Oct 14, 2012

Mine works great

VeeDubTDI · Oct 15, 2012

Genesis, the issue is not the headrests.

I suspect that some people want the mirror to dim more than what is it capable of.

In my experiments on the highway, the mirror reacts very quickly to a relatively little amount of light. Even with 20% tint on the rear window, the mirror will still dim rapidly and completely when a vehicle approaches from behind.

Genesis · Oct 15, 2012

Ah, well, there's no help if that's the case... I retrofit an auto-dim mirror on my MkIV and it gets plenty dark.

passatti · Oct 16, 2012

It would seem the "auto-dimming" rear-view mirror is junk in 2012+ Passats, or there is lot of bad ones (i.e. VW sourced really poor quality/cheap mirror from some vendor).
I thought for a while the mirror was just broken, but I've now actually noticed it few times to dim rather randomly. Never had such problem with Toyota or Lexus mirrors, those mirror just work, unlike the one in Passat...

Have to see at 10k service if dealer will replace it or will they give some BS that it works as its supposed to... If that is the case, then its probably time to find a Gentex mirror that would fit on the mount.

Mr. Furious · Oct 16, 2012

This is purely anecdotal, but the auto-dimming mirror in my Passat works every bit as well as the ones that I've had in my previous vehicles (multiple Accords and one Camry), and the ones my wife has had in hers (one Camry and one RAV4).

r11 · Oct 9, 2014

- what does it take to have auto dimming exterior mirror on the driver side ('12 SE) ? I guess you'd need to buy the whole assy and may be do some rosstech bit flipping ?

- for internal rear-view mirror, I am thinking about buying a clip-on panoramic auto dimmer - it comes with built-in cam, so you get 2 birds wid 1 stone, STS. for less than $200.

I do great deal of darktime driving in very bz areas (always trux/SUVs behind you) and those lights are so blinding, I dread getting on the road.

compu_85 · Oct 9, 2014

To get the outside mirror to be auto dimming you'd need to find the right glass - not sure if this exists, perhaps only for the "CC" style mirrors. Then it simply gets wired to the internal mirror.

-J

r11 · Oct 9, 2014

But aren't these auto-dimming in '12 SEL models ? I was hoping I could score the entire assy, one that is native to Passat, to make it simple. Must get rid of that glare.

tdiatlast · Oct 9, 2014

AFAIK, no NMS Passat was ever built with auto-dimming outside mirror, although I understand early brochures, and even owner's manuals, were written in a misleading manner, implying that auto-dimming was an option.

VeeDubTDI · Oct 9, 2014

tdiatlast said:
AFAIK, no NMS Passat was ever built with auto-dimming outside mirror, although I understand early brochures, and even owner's manuals, were written in a misleading manner, implying that auto-dimming was an option.

Correct!

r11 · Oct 9, 2014

Ouch ! Didn't know that.

I did order the auto-dimming clip-on panoramic mirror with built-in dashcam. Will let folx know how it works out. If it doesn't back to Amazon it goes, free try-buy deal.

As for outside mirror, it appears there's nothing one can do.

I love auto-dimming mirrors on my Cherokee. Works 100%. Alas, 15Mpg vs 50Mpg means Cherokee sees very lil driving

BPofMD · Oct 9, 2014

If I get hi-beamed from the rear I just re-adjust my side view to reflect right back at 'em. Doesn't take long for them to dim their lights. Kinda move it around so it hit them - off and hits again.

r11 · Oct 13, 2014

What a great "right back @ ya" idea. I wont play with the mirror angle while driving (requires a contortionist with how our control knobs are placed). But may be we can place a mechanized mirror behind the rear row head rests and when u get annoyed enough, the mirror raises and blinds em right back. Just kiddin.

Lincoln · Oct 21, 2014

I noticed that my center mirror didn't dim quite enough before getting my windows tinted (20%). Now it seems just right. Like everyone else, the side mirror has never dimmed, and I had wondered why not since I had read the same part of the owner's manual. The good news though is that with tint on the windows, light from the side mirrors isn't too bad either.

tc1uscg · Oct 21, 2014

physicshogon said:
"manuals are written very general so not everything in there applies".

Oh, in that case, when I roll in at 50k for a repair and they say my warranty is expired, I can tell them my manual is wrong, it's not expired.

pcastellano28 · Dec 16, 2014

Have found dimming to be spotty - sometimes great, other times "Is this working?". After seeing this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LjwblVtIME
by myturbodiesesl just wondering if the daylight sensor on the front of the mirror catches enough light from oncoming headlights to affect the dimming. Thinking about putting piece of window tint over front sensor to reduce any light at night.

IXLR8 · Jan 20, 2015

Resurrecting an old thread. I found if I put a piece of black tape over the light sensor, on the front side of the mirror, that I could modify when the mirror starts to dim and how dim it gets. I presently have an opening of about 1/16", now mirror works like I think it should have from the factory. If you block it totally, it seems to darken the mirror all the time.

eats1963 · Jan 22, 2015

Just got a 2015 Passat TDI SEL Premium, and when I asked the dealer about the auto dimming drivers side view mirror, they told me that the manual was written for both the European Market as well as the US Market, and that the auto-dimming drivers side mirror is only for the European Market.

jhinsc · Jan 22, 2015

pcastellano28 said:
Have found dimming to be spotty - sometimes great, other times "Is this working?". After seeing this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LjwblVtIME
by myturbodiesesl just wondering if the daylight sensor on the front of the mirror catches enough light from oncoming headlights to affect the dimming. Thinking about putting piece of window tint over front sensor to reduce any light at night.

When reading my manual for my 2014, the instructions weren't as simply explained as shown on the youtube video. I recall having to go thru gyrations of starting car, setting the mirror to "R", then adjust it down to how I want it, then pressing the set button once and then pressing one of the memory buttons within a few seconds. Seems like it shouldn't be that complicated and have found it only worked for a short time. I'll check my Convenience menu to see if I have that option and try it the way it's shown on the video. If not, why would VW complicate even more than that?

mickyTDI · Jan 22, 2015

eats1963 said:
Just got a 2015 Passat TDI SEL Premium, and when I asked the dealer about the auto dimming drivers side view mirror, they told me that the manual was written for both the European Market as well as the US Market, and that the auto-dimming drivers side mirror is only for the European Market.

Yep mine came as standard on my irish Passat. It really works great. If you turn the centre mirror off it also disables the door mirror. They are connected someway, they use the same sensor.

Wonder if it's an easy mod to fit one for those who don't have? Get the glass and bring a wire(s) from the centre mirror?

compu_85 · Jan 22, 2015

That's all that would be required, the USA interior mirror has the output on it already.

The problem is getting the exterior glass in the correct shape. Most likely the mirror housings would have to be changed to the "pointy" style.

-J

eats1963 · Jan 25, 2015

compu_85 said:
That's all that would be required, the USA interior mirror has the output on it already.

The problem is getting the exterior glass in the correct shape. Most likely the mirror housings would have to be changed to the "pointy" style.

-J

It would be great if the mirrors were the same. I have auto dimming outside mirror on my Chrysler van, and I love it.

Auto Dimming Driver Mirror?

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast

Top Post Dawg

Veteran Member

Top Post Dawg

Veteran Member

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast

Top Post Dawg

Well-known member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Gadget Guy

Veteran Member

Top Post Dawg

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Gadget Guy

Veteran Member