Auto dim mirrors

[Mikey_Boy]

Hi folks - had a quick search on here with no joy hence the new topic... :roll:

I have an M coupe with auto dim mirrors - the interior and passenger side (mine is RHD) dim just fine, but the drivers side appears not to - is this normal and if not, any ideas on what the issue could be??

Thanks all for your help!!

 

[pvr]

A previous owner may have replaced the mirror with a non dimming one when the glass fell out?

 

[Terryvision]

The mirror glass should have a nice thick surround (kinda trim boarder) and should have a blueish tint!

The glass is only £170 from a stealer!! Look on German eBay they go for much much less!

Mate of mine had to replace his and decided to fit an normal halfords glass

Love my dimming folding mirrors! Personally if mine went wrong id be replacing like for like!

Generally I think dimming units don't fall out as much as normal mirrors!

 

[Terryvision]

Normal mirror:

Dimming mirror (thicker surround):

 

[srhutch]

A previous owner may have replaced the mirror with a non dimming one when the glass fell out?

I'm not sure and hoping the auto dimming can't fall out. I've never heard of them doing so. I think the bezel prevents it.

 

[Mikey_Boy]

Thanks folks - just checked and the glass is definitely an auto dimming one. Do they have a habit of failing??

 

[pvr]

Seems that the normal ones are subject to the falling out problem and not these ones.

I assume the mirror is not yellow (this normally means the liquid is escaping). Also, I trust you have tested this one with a torch right on it to see if anything changes at all, normally the diachromatic mirrors change very quickly.

 

[Mikey_Boy]

You are correct - the mirror is not yellow - all nice and clear, just not dimming at all. Is there anything electrical to check before I start changing mirror glasses out? Or, any peculiar BMW logic that meant that the drivers side glass doesn't dim for any reason (e.g. Safety grounds so you can judge distance better at night?)