Aftermarket rear-view mirror?

[CliffG]

So my idea of replacing the interior rearview would render the exterior mirrors' dimming inoperable. So much for that thought.

Interesting to know about the central mirror controlling the outboard mirrors - it might highlight where problems originate. For example, my outboard mirrors dim reliably and well, the inboard mirror not at all.

It's looking like I'm just stuck. I can hardly believe that Tesla requires me to suffer with a review mirror that couldn't have passed muster in 1985.
I'll call service on the off chance that the function could be adjustable, and post results here. Failing that I'll try those yellow-tinted clip-on glasses that they say enhance vision for night driving

Good luck with that - I've been complaining about the lack of dimming on my mirror for nearly 4 years now. The Service Center has been ignoring it for most of that time, and this last time they've stooped to simply reneging ("we ordering a new mirror - we'll call and set an appointment when it comes it" then "no, we didn't order any parts").

Ordinarily, I've been treated extraordinarily well by Tesla when it comes to maintenance and warranty work on my S. This seemingly trivial problem just seems to be beyond them. For comparison, Acura simply replaced a non-dimming mirror with a new one after a casual remark.

<sigh />

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

back in my day a man could grab the review, and with nothing but a little lever make it darker.

I'm not mocking, i'd rather have that in this car. I left it dark 24/7 and could see just fine.

 

[arcus]

A bit off, but I was thinking that maybe the anti-glare coating was once adequate for incandescent or halogen type light bulbs, but might not be as sufficient for LED types? To me this is especially evident in the new generation of trucks since they have their headlights and DRLs mounted significantly higher than sedans.

 

[Buook]

+1 for Broadway mirrors. Once you get used to the wide-angle and glare reduction you'll never want to drive on a shitty OEM mirror ever again

 

[David.85D]

I tried a forced dimming... it's easy to do.. Put your finger over the hole on the back of the mirror to cover it so no light hits that sensor. All three mirrors go very dark within about 30 seconds... in the middle of the day! Let go and whoosh they come back to full brightness in about the same amount of time.

This is the answer to everyone that wants to make it dim more. Test some scraps of 30%, 50%, 70% tint (working as a filter) taped over this hole - you should be able to dial in whatever extra darkening you want.

 

[alcion]

I use the back camera instead the bad rear view mirror at night. Problem almost solved

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

wait, so I can put electrical tape over the hole in the 'front' of the rear view mirror and they all tint? OMG You're a genius. I'm doing that soon as I get home!

 

[GaryREM]

That sounds backwards... should dim when there is light and be clear when no light.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

I think we need to clear up front / back.
I plan to put electrical tape on the BOW of the rearview mirror, making it think it's dark, and thus dimming all the mirrors, and making me happy.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Good news everyone.
Tape on the front of the mirror darkened both side mirrors.
The rear mirror only seems to get darker when light appears behind the car...
Annoying, but I'll take it.

 

[scottm]

When you say front of mirror, you mean the side facing the windshield. Not the face of the mirror.

Yes. That one sensor controls all three mirrors for "ambient" light level sensing (brightness all around the car).

But it's only half of the equation that causes mirrors to dim. There's actually another sensor inside the mirror you can't see because it's behind the mirror face glass. Mirrors dim based on the difference of the amount light hitting the the front and back sensors.

In the middle of the day, there's enough "face" light hitting all mirrors that they all dim when you cover the backside sensor. (When face is bright and backside is dark, they dim.) But as night sets in and darkness all around... even when the backside sensor is fully covered, all the mirrors will lighten up. (When face is equal to backside, no dimming.) It then takes headlights or something else hitting the face to create a difference in light levels, to cause them to dim. As you'd expect. (When face is bright and read is dark, they dim.)

From what you've said about the interior not being synchronized with the exterior mirrors, it makes me think each mirror has its own face sensor. (But for a fact only the interior mirror has the ambient sensor.) Still, this will allow each mirror "to make up its own mind" about dimming.

This is something I'm going to test, by blacking out the ambient, and wrapping one wing mirror in dark cloth for a minute or so... then pulling the wraps off! If the mirror is light when the other has darkened... then each mirror has its own face sensor. And then we'll know more about mirrors than we care too!

 

[CliffG]

The Service Center has been ignoring it for most of that time, and this last time they've stooped to simply reneging ("we ordering a new mirror - we'll call and set an appointment when it comes it" then "no, we didn't order any parts").

Ordinarily, I've been treated extraordinarily well by Tesla when it comes to maintenance and warranty work on my S. This seemingly trivial problem just seems to be beyond them.

update: So, the SC did order a new mirror - it was installed and now functions as expected. Count me as happy again. Hopefully, it was just that one device(mirror).