Hello! I have a 2004 Subaru Forrester and I'm having difficulty with the rear view mirror. Although it is set to auto-dim lights from the rear, it doesn't seem to do it. Anyone else having this problem? If so, what have you done about it. Thank you!
AUSTRALIA
Auto dim..... what do you mean exactly??? Is it electronic? Here in Australia, I have never heard of that function.
Don't mean to be rude... but FFS.... why not just move the dimming lever manually? Or does this mirror NOT have the lever, being an automatic thing???
Sp> Hello! I have a 2004 Subaru Forrester and I'm having difficulty with the
here in USA, automakers sell electro-chromic autodimming rear view mirrors. these mirrors have sensors on them to detect bright lights coming from a vehicle behind. then they do some polarization or other trick to effectively reduce glare in your face from the bright lights. Since they are electro-chromic, they have no lever.
The only time I've noticed my Acura auto-dimmer not working is when there is also lots light coming at me from the front. Then i think the mirror system assumes it is daylight and does not dim the mirror.
try blocking the forward-sensing port with your finger and see if that doesn't improve the operation.
mikey
Sp> AUSTRALIA
One of the first things I did on my LLBean was to swap the auto-dimming mirror for a standard one. The auto-dim function rarely worked well enough to prevent an annoying glair, and it just hung down too far preventing me from seeing out the windshield properly when I looked out and to the left.
GOOD GOD !!!
Sounds like an innovative idea...... but not entirely successful, going by some of the responses.
Wonder why we haven't heard of them here in Oz???
Maybe our standards boards would not pass them for use due to their design or function???
Sp>
We do have these auto dimming mirriors in australia.
Just havnt seen any on any subies yet.. the bmw ones are very good and in my expeirence when i get a chance to grab mum's X5 after dark, i find that they are as good as a manual one. Even better because you dont have to click the lever which usually moves the mirror from where you last set it anyways.
just thaught id let yas know. James '98 Impreza GX
Agreed, the one on our Acura does very well.
My subie ('03 Forester) doesn't have one, but I was thinking of getting it added...maybe now I won't.
mikey.
Grug! wrote:
The Subie auto dimming mirror on my '05 WRX is fantastic. It is a slightly different design than that offered in previous years. It works flawlessly. See a pics here.
First, test the thing:
During the daytime, block the photocell on the windshield side of the mirror with your finger. If the mirror is working, it should dim very obviously within a few seconds.
IIRC, one of the buttons on the lower rim of the mirror will disable the autodim function. See if tapping those buttons makes a difference.
On my 2001 Forester, I found that the rear seat headrests cast a shadow on the "headlight" sensor (the photocell facing the back of the car), which often prevented the mirror from dimming when I needed it. Try removing at least the middle rear seat headrest.
Frankly, I was never very happy with mine. It didn't dim enough for my tastes; nor was the dimming response rapid enough. When it failed completely, I replaced it with a conventional manual day/night mirror.
Joe snipped-for-privacy@mindZZspring.com remove double-z's to reply
Haven't had any problem with the auto dimmer in our xt. I miss having it when we drive in the other subies.
EARTH
The auto-dimming mirror in my Forester also works just fine. In fact, I've come to like the fact that the amount that it "dims" the mirror is proportional to how much glare is coming from behind. A car right behind you will put the mirror to full dark, but one a mile or two back will only result in a partial "dimming" of the mirror, so that you can see other stuff behind you better than with the mirror set to complete dark. I was uncomfortable with it at first (this is my first car with an auto-dimming mirror), but now I've come to really like it. In fact, I'm wishing that they'd put auto-dimming mirrors on the doors, as well. (Some newer higher-end cars have auto-dimming outside mirrors -- Subaru just hasn't yet moved that far "upscale" apparently.)
- Greg Reed
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1983 Honda V45 Magna 2001 Chevy Astro AWD (wife's) 2004 Subaru Forester Turbo 5-Speed-----= Posted via Newsfeed.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
Greg,
This is my 2nd car with the autochromatic mirror. (The first was a 2003 Toyota Camry.) The one in the Forester XT isn't as good as the one that was in my Camry, but it is still better than not having it. I also agree that the technology needs to be applied to the side mirrors as well.
What about applying the autodimming technology to the windshield? Any thoughts? I see some dangerous minuses, but it would help with bright sunglare & oncoming head lights.
Niels
What about the Camry's mirror made it better than the Forester's in your opinion? Did it just react more quickly? (Asking because I have no frame of reference from which to judge the mirror in the Forester.)
It would take a *lot* of convincing to get me to buy a car with a windshield that has the capability of turning itself opaque (or nearly so). The ramifications of a malfunctioning autochromic rearview mirror aren't quite as severe as a malfunctioning autochromic windshield! I think I'll stick to polarized sunglasses.
- Greg Reed
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1983 Honda V45 Magna 2001 Chevy Astro AWD (wife's) 2004 Subaru Forester XT 5-Speed-----= Posted via Newsfeed.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
Yes, the Camry's mirror had a faster response time, and I think a wider sensor angle. (Yes, I removed the back headrests.)
One nice thing about autochromatic mirrors that is that you can turn the feature off. Put that feature on an actual window, and I agree, you could have a problem.
'05 Outback is amazingly good! It works very quick and completely cuts the glare
This is the best feature to my opinion.
flawlessly.
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