Auto-dimming Homelink® Mirror

I haven't checked my factory mirror yet, but knowing how both mirrors hook up, I doubt it is a fat finger. There are two power leads on both mirrors: B+ and Ig. B+ is for the homelink, and Ig is for the dimming function. This way, you can operate the homelink door opener with the car off, yet the dimming function won't be stealing power where it wouldn't be needed. It isn't likely you will be blinded by reflections while not driving.

On the other hand, the B+ could be used to memorize the state the dimmer was set to: off or on. Much of the car's electronics gets their main power from constant B+, but use the ACC or IG pwer lines as remote signals to activate the electronics appropriately.
So, does the homelink work with the car off? If so, seems everything is normal. If not, then they may have connected B+ to the wrong place.

 

8) jeepien,

If I may ask you, why are you turning off your mirror when you shut down your car?

Ben

 

Can someone explain to me what exactly an auto-dimming mirror is? I've never heard of them until now.

 

The mirror can sense when a bright light is behind you, that can reflect into your eyes at night. The mirror itself has an LCD that dims the reflectivity of the mirror so you don't get as much glare.

The mirror also senses the amount of light in front of you, so that it doesn't do any dimming during the day.

The second feature the factory dimming mirrors have is a built-in universal three way garage door opener. Has a longer range than my original garage door remote.

 

Oh, that sounds really useful. There is nothing I hate more than cars with bright headlights blinding me at night.

 

I love auto-dimming mirrors. Perhaps too much. I'm embarassed to admit that every time I'm in a rental car, I usually endure about 15 minutes of being blinded by the car behind me before I remember that I have to throw the toggle.

The stories of my SKS conditioning are even more saddening. Suffice it to say that the co-workers with whom I travel are now trained to remind me that I must remove the keys from my pocket in order to operate the door locks.

Now, if only I could drive my Prius from the comfort of my living room...

 

With drive by wire for brake, accelerator, and Power Steering, that is not far fetched, as Japan proved in their auto-parking system.

Throw in a perimeter sensor, turn output from NAV, and a way to detect traffic signals and signs, and the car could drive itself!

 

I checked my homelink mirror, which I had installed. The green light is not on when the car is not on, but it turns on automatically when I power up the car. The garage door opener DOES work with the car power off.

 

Dan:

I'll bet you a mortgage payment that the Prius right now could drive itself a *lot* better than most of the idiot drivers out there. Had a close call this morning, the moron tried to beat a red, hit some ice, and just about clipped me.

 

Why would I bet? I agree!

 

I like the Homelink, but not the dimming. It is hard enough seeing out the rear of a Prius. I always turn off the dimming. I wish the default was off. Anyone know of a fix?

 

However, as I have noted on another thread elsewhere on the forum, the Homelink Mirror, in my opinion suffers from the fact that the rear deck has a bar (which separates the angle and two pieces of glass on the rear hatch), and 50% of the time this causes a shadow to fall across my mirror, (or at least the rearward facing light sensor) which in turns means that for me, 1/2 the time the mirror does not dim when I really wish it would.

Personally, while we have the ability currently to turn off the dimming, I wish that in addition to Off and Auto, there was also an On setting, which would allow me to see behind me when blinded by lights which do not hit that sensor.

Alternately, it would be nice is the 'light sensor' could be tied in with the rear camera to detect lights, as it would sample from a wider area. (Heck while were at it, let's add a washer squirter for the camera lens, so I can see in reverse when backing in inclement wea)ther.

 

I'd love for "off" to be the default setting for Homelink too. It literally gives me a headache when it is on, and I often forget to turn it off soon enough!