Anyone have an auto-dimming rear view mirror that actually works?

[Al115]

Mine doesn't... auto-dim, that is. It works as a mirror of course :D

2001 V70 btw.

[p fandango]

Bonny's works fine, i didn't even notice at first but my old man pointed out it hasn't got the tab underneath to adjust it

[Liddo]

Mine Auto-Dims too, it great when thoughs kn*bs with HIDS pull behind you ;)

There's a lil sensor below the mirror, thats how you can to its an Auto Dim type

[princepugh]

Mine does work but not to the degree I would like it to. Don't think there's any debris on my sensor (fnarr fnarr) - perhaps the sensitivity gets redeuced with age (tee-hee)?

[Piles]

yes.

[crespo]

I dont have one you posh £££££££s. ;-) But i want one. ;-(

[PHIL V70R]

Mine does work but not to the degree I would like it to. Don't think there's any debris on my sensor (fnarr fnarr) - perhaps the sensitivity gets redeuced with age (tee-hee)?
lmao...my SENSITIVITY..gets redeuced all the time..when the wifes in..lol

[Jaseb77]

mines is fine too,

[S70T5Chris]

The one in my Renault Megane works fine, does that help?!

[Flash B]

Mine works really well. I didn't notice it a first...generally I look where I'm going!!

[siamblue]

Mine works fine as well,

Gary

[p fandango]

I dont have one you posh £££££££s. ;-) But i want one. ;-(
i thought all S60's came with the auto-dim mirror, you learn something new everyday lol

[straight5]

Mine works well. Really helps concentration at 150 mph if you arent distracted too much by those flashing blue lights behind you.

[Al115]

Mine works too now :-) !

[v70torslanda]

I saw one replaced in our workshop.

The bill was over half a bag! If mine goes wrong it WON'T be replaced.

[t5_monkey]

I got one... never driven a car in the dark without it ... so I don't really know how good it is.

I only realised my car has rain sensing wipers the other day (had it 3 years!)

[Al115]

I fixed mine for £25 so no need to pay dealership prices :)

I'll post up a How-To if anyone gives a toss... got photos...!

[Porcine_Aviator]

I dont have one you posh £££££££s. ;-) But i want one. ;-(

I must be Posh Bar Steward I've got one and it works quite well don't you know. Pip pip Old Chap :D

[rimmer100]

Yeah mine works a treat aswell :)

[cornclose]

Mine works too. The sensitivity of it can be adjusted by use of VADIS/VIDA.

[crespo]

anyone know if these can be retro fitted to an s model s60 with the normal manual type. my finger can no longer take the strain. ;-)

[Al115]

Maybe. But will involve dealer to code the computer in the mirror.

[Flash B]

It would probably be cheaper to buy a new car with one already fitted ;)

[Al115]

In case anyone cares, here's a photo showing the difference between early and late Phase 2 auto-dimming rear view mirrors... they have an amazing amount of electronics in them....

[S60-MBS]

IIRC you cant retro fit auto dim mirror to early phase 2 cars as the mirror also contains the CEM the main brain of the car.The newer cars post 2004/5 had CEM relocated to bulkhead.

[Al115]

My Phase 2 is an early one (2001) and doesn't have the CEM in the mirror...?

[S60-MBS]

My Phase 2 is an early one (2001) and doesn't have the CEM in the mirror...?

Possibly another Volvo randomness thingymagig,I was told by maindealer I cant have retro fit as I will need software worth more than the mirror itself.

[Al115]

LOL, I love it when they say that.

[crespo]

Surely all you need is to swap the mirror to a auto dim unit and possibly take power from the interior light as all it needs is a power source to make the thing dim. All the electrics etc are already in the mirror. All it needs is a power source. I cant think what software you would need to get it to work. Its not like you are adding Fogs which require a switch.
I did this mod to my old mk3 Mondeo and it was pretty much a straight swap. But then this is a Volvo.

[Al115]

You're logical, but Volvo ain't.

Look at my photos above to see how complex the damn thing is - it's more than two LDRs and an electro-chromic mirror... :(

[Al115]

That said... you could probably hack one together on the basis you described, and just not "tell the car" about it!

If you want the electronics out of my one to try, you're welcome. They were just about to go in the bin... er... recycling centre. Just pay the postage and it's yours.

Mirror glass is intact but has a huge air bubble in it which is why I replaced it, you can have that too if you want to play around.

[crespo]

That said... you could probably hack one together on the basis you described, and just not "tell the car" about it!

If you want the electronics out of my one to try, you're welcome. They were just about to go in the bin... er... recycling centre. Just pay the postage and it's yours.

Mirror glass is intact but has a huge air bubble in it which is why I replaced it, you can have that too if you want to play around.

Thanks for the offer but i think it would be easier to source a second hand mirror with the interior light unit still attached because at least that way if it goes tits up i can still put my old mirror back on.
You should be able to do it as all it needs is power which the constant live from the interior light would supply. The only reason i can think you would need a software update is to turn it off when you select reverse. And the mirror would be permanently on but unless you park the car on a motorway overnight it should be ok as it wont be dimming in your drive and will not use any power.
I shall persevere and report back my findings.

[Al115]

It detaches from the interior light fitting! But whatever's easiest. Good luck!

[mexybhouy]

mines is fine too,

Another Posh Git!!!!! lol!
Can they be retro fitted to a 1998 v70? if so what model from?
Sorry Jase, could'nt resist that one!!!

[abdul]

how do u check if its auto dimming

[Al115]

It will be a deep mirror (about 2" or so) and have a sensor in the back and a sensor in the front (above the mirror, to the right of the red flashing warning light that you get when you haven't got your seatbelt on). And it will go dim when someone drives up behind you at night!

[siamblue]

Also it has a green light on the front to tell you it is on, well mine does..


Gary.

[LeeT5]

Possibly another Volvo randomness thingymagig,I was told by maindealer I cant have retro fit as I will need software worth more than the mirror itself.

Yeah, and we always believe what the dealer tells you!

BTW, my auto dim mirror works very bloody well i'll have you know. When you look in it at night everyone behind you looks as thou they have very dim HIDS. Then you look in the side mirror and they haven't...just crappy halogens.

[p fandango]

Surely all you need is to swap the mirror to a auto dim unit and possibly take power from the interior light as all it needs is a power source to make the thing dim. All the electrics etc are already in the mirror. All it needs is a power source. I cant think what software you would need to get it to work. Its not like you are adding Fogs which require a switch.
I did this mod to my old mk3 Mondeo and it was pretty much a straight swap. But then this is a Volvo.
i have read a write-up on an internet site about a race team who brought an S60R, stripped the interior in preperation but couldn't get the car to start after. Turned out the ECU wouldn't let the engine start because they hadn't put the mirror back in

[p fandango]

Also it has a green light on the front to tell you it is on, well mine does..
haven't noticed it on Bonny

[LeeT5]

i have read a write-up on an internet site about a race team who brought an S60R, stripped the interior in preperation but couldn't get the car to start after. Turned out the ECU wouldn't let the engine start because they hadn't put the mirror back in

LOL....what a stupid place to put an ecu anyway!

[Missing Lincs]

From memory, the unit in the mirror isn't the ECU, that lives under the bonnet. Inside the car there are three 'computers': the CEM - central electronic module, the REM - rear electronic module and the UEM - upper electronic module (names may be a bit out). The one in the mirror looks after interior lighting, alarm, sunroof and mirror dimming (assuming your posh like wot I am and have those options fitted). It could be that taking the mirror out does something to the alarm/immobiliser system, this is a more likely cause for the car not running without the mirror. The other thing to be aware of with the early Volvo CAN systems, many of the modules, like the instrument panel and the climate module are 'nodes' - they pass on data through the data network, as an example take out the instrument panel and geartronics won't let you out of park!
BTW, me mirror works fine.

[Al115]

Removed my mirror, plugged in another one not coded to the car, and the car still started and ran normally but I had no interior lights and the alarm fob didn't work any more...!

Maybe unplugging the mirror entirely would prevent the car from running - didn't try.

[Missing Lincs]

Removed my mirror, plugged in another one not coded to the car, and the car still started and ran normally but I had no interior lights and the alarm fob didn't work any more...!

The receiver for the alarm fobs is in the mirror.

The interior light thing is a bit strange, what model year is your car and the car the replacement mirror is from?

[Al115]

My car is a 2001 - don't know what year the mirror came from but was clearly not the same! :D

In any case, all works now - just swapped the glass and put the original electronics back... :)

[Tip]

Mine dims too much !

I have a rear tinted window which already takes away a lot of the glare from bright headlights. So coupled with the rear view mirror dimming as well its very dark.

I will have a word with my Indy next time i am there. Or is it a main dealer only job ?

[cornclose]

Indies can change this setting with AutoLogic diagnostics too. It's not just VADIS/VIDA.

[LeeT5]

Indies can change this setting with AutoLogic diagnostics too. It's not just VADIS/VIDA.

What's 'Indies'????

[Spee]

Mine doesn't... auto-dim, that is. It works as a mirror of course :D

2001 V70 btw.

Mines fine, I've read on the "other" forum that they are troublesome but every SE I tried had one and they seemed fine on al the ones I drove in the dark, which was most of them! (I didn't buy mine in the dark obviously!)

G

[MacXC60T5]

I got one... never driven a car in the dark without it ... so I don't really know how good it is.

I only realised my car has rain sensing wipers the other day (had it 3 years!)

Don't worry I had the Jag for 3 years before I realised what auto lights were. Never had them set on auto. Just think what there is to do on my 2005 T5 all my other T5.s were pre P2.

[SKIDMARKS]

I fixed mine for £25 so no need to pay dealership prices :)

I'll post up a How-To if anyone gives a toss... got photos...!


Aha... so how did you fix ?

[SKIDMARKS]

Aha... so how did you fix ?

So, if I'd had bothered to read further on the answer was there !

[Al115]

lol :)