Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror?

[DaveyBoyWonder]

Was/is this an option on any Octavia? Really miss the one in my old Mondeo ST TDCI and I know various other cars in the VAG range have them. Just wondering if anyone had retrofitted one (if possible) as I understand theres some wiring to be done. Any how-tos etc anywhere?

Cheers

Dave

[Eddie-NL]

Hi

You can fit one

If you want it, it requires:

New windscreen which is for RLS

Rain Light Sensor

Auto dip mirror

wiring loom

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/multi/rain-sensor-auto-wiper-retrofit-vw.htm

[Richard46]

Standard on Elegance and above.

[DaveyBoyWonder]

Crikey, thought it might be a relatively cheap/simple job! I'll give that a miss and just wear sunnies at night instead

[AJ7788]

Why do you need a new windscreen? I was going to do this on the A4 before I got the new motor - I bought a mirror from a golf with the wires etc. Then went to the dealers and ordered the bracket that needs to be applied to the windscreen - so then you just need the glue and to take the old bits off? Am I missing something?

[Chappers.]

The auto-dimming rear view mirror is probably one of the few things that I would have ordered as an extra on my Blackline if I could have done. I've had a couple of cars with them fitted and they really are a good bit of kit. That said, reaching up to flick the dip lever is not the hardest task in the world.

[JR RS]

auto-dimming rear view mirror come as standard on the aus spec vrs models

auto-dimming wing mirrors, on the otherhand, are not even an option. neither is the folding electric wing mirrors :(

[booke23]

Why do you need a new windscreen? I was going to do this on the A4 before I got the new motor - I bought a mirror from a golf with the wires etc. Then went to the dealers and ordered the bracket that needs to be applied to the windscreen - so then you just need the glue and to take the old bits off? Am I missing something?

I believe it has something to do with the tint applied to the windscreen, and the way this effects the rain light sensor.

I have a friend with a Mk5 Golf. His auto wipers work erraticly since having a new (non rain sensor compatable) windscreen installed.

Edited 13 December, 2012 by booke23

[AJ7788]

I believe it has something to do with the tint applied to the windscreen, and the way this effects the rain light sensor.

I have a friend with a Mk5 Golf. His auto wipers work erraticly since having a new (non rain sensor compatable) windscreen installed.

Do you need the rain sensor though? I was just going to install the mirror, wire it up to a switched 12V wire and that's it.

[gsp]

Yes the rain/light sensor has a cut-out in the very dark tint that exists where the rear view miror fixes. This is why the Auto-dim/auto wipers/auto-lights normally come together as a single option on the car and have some linkage such as lights staying on when it is raining.

On my last non VAG car although the light sensor was on the back of the actual mirror housing so was independent of other stuff.

[gsp]

Do you need the rain sensor though? I was just going to install the mirror, wire it up to a switched 12V wire and that's it.

I thought front facing light sensor was only ever built in with the rain sensor, so you would have to flick the switch to get it to dim which is essentially the same as moving the lever on a manual mirror?

They work by evaluating the difference between the front and rear facing light sensors.

The benefit of the auto is that it doesn't dim when there are no bright lights behind, but still a dark road ahead.

[AJ7788]

I was under the impression the sensor was on the mirror as below at the bottom on the front, so it just needs power;

I could be wrong, normally am

[trundlenut]

The sensor works by looking at the difference in light between the forward facing windscreen sensor and the rear facing one in the mirror, so you need both.

[AJ7788]

The sensor works by looking at the difference in light between the forward facing windscreen sensor and the rear facing one in the mirror, so you need both.

Ok thank you. Glad I haven't done it yet then :p

[eccleshill]

The auto-dim sensors are both in the mirror not in the windscreen. The sensors visible through the hole in the windscreen sunshade are the rain sensors.

One light sensor is next to the LED bottom middle of the mirror side, the other is at the windscreen side, bottom lefthand corner in a fairly deep recess presumably to shade it so it isn't affected by oncoming headlights. By covering the latter with your finger you can dim the mirror.

Minor differences between FL and pre-FL but I have had them both and they work the same way.

[Kansalis]

That said, reaching up to flick the dip lever is not the hardest task in the world.

It's not, but I find I get terrible glare & reflection from the interior lights when I use the manual dip in my car. So much so, that I can't actually see anything in the mirror other than the reflection of the interior... I was considering getting a retrofit mainly for this reason, but it seems it's pretty complicated & costly!

[Eddie-NL]

imho

only worth doing if you need a new screen due to a chip or crack

[trundlenut]

The auto-dim sensors are both in the mirror not in the windscreen. The sensors visible through the hole in the windscreen sunshade are the rain sensors.

One light sensor is next to the LED bottom middle of the mirror side, the other is at the windscreen side, bottom lefthand corner in a fairly deep recess presumably to shade it so it isn't affected by oncoming headlights. By covering the latter with your finger you can dim the mirror.

Minor differences between FL and pre-FL but I have had them both and they work the same way.

Just been out and looked at the car, I hadn't noticed the other sensor before - but I have had the car less than 2 weeks.

[SKODA OCTAVIA]

so the auto dimming rear view cannot be installed wth only 12 v wire ?

[Eddie-NL]

if you only want the auto dimming then all you need would be the 12v switched, ground and a feed from the interior light and reverse feed (so it doesn't dim when you put the light on or when you select reverse)

 

auto wipers and auto lights are worth doing

[SKODA OCTAVIA]

if you only want the auto dimming then all you need would be the 12v switched, ground and a feed from the interior light and reverse feed (so it doesn't dim when you put the light on or when you select reverse)

 

auto wipers and auto lights are worth doing

thanks