Help! Can't find on/off switch for self dimming mirrors

[335eye]

Manual doesn't say. Anyone know how to toggle dim feature on and off?

On the Boxster there's a simple button on the mirror to do this. Can't figure it out on the 335i coupe.

[mryakan]

If you are talking about the rear view mirror, there is no way. I am not sure about the side mirrors. I actually like it the way it works, what is your complaint, just curious?

[Takashi]

HEY Mryakan, does your car have tinted windows? The self dimming mirrors and side mirrors work better together if the rear windows are not tinted.

I wish the side mirrors and rear mirror dim individually though. Sometimes when a car is passing me they have super bright headlights and the side mirrors don't auto-dim.

[The HACK]

Look in the glove box. Find the fuse box. One of those fuse control the auto-dimming function (but it also controls the Park Distance Control if you have it). Pull the fuse.

I can't exactly tell you which fuse it is. On the E46 it was fuse number 24. If you have access to BMW's TIS system you can probably find it.

[mryakan]

HEY Mryakan, does your car have tinted windows? The self dimming mirrors and side mirrors work better together if the rear windows are not tinted.

I wish the side mirrors and rear mirror dim individually though. Sometimes when a car is passing me they have super bright headlights and the side mirrors don't auto-dim.
No, no tint, but I think understand what you mean. However I wanted to understand why someone wants the autodim feature off. It seems to me you'd like them to be more sensitive to compensate for your tint, but 335eye wants to me able to turn them off. Only thing I can think off is backing into a well lit garage or something.
However, there is a manual way to do it, just block the sensor on the front of the mirror. I sometimes block it with my thumb if I needed the dimming off for a bit. If you want it off all the time, just stick something that blocks light on top of the sensor.

[oreoboreo]

No, no tint, but I think understand what you mean. However I wanted to understand why someone wants the autodim feature off. It seems to me you'd like them to be more sensitive to compensate for your tint, but 335eye wants to me able to turn them off. Only thing I can think off is backing into a well lit garage or something.
However, there is a manual way to do it, just block the sensor on the front of the mirror. I sometimes block it with my thumb if I needed the dimming off for a bit. If you want it off all the time, just stick something that blocks light on top of the sensor.

Great idea

Oreo

[335eye]

If you are talking about the rear view mirror, there is no way. I am not sure about the side mirrors. I actually like it the way it works, what is your complaint, just curious?

There's a time of day, at dusk, when it's nicer to shut off auto-dimming, because the sunset darkens them, but 50% of the cars have their lights off. It would be nice to have this control.

It sucks that you can't toggle it on and off easily. Porsche gets a :) BMW a :(

[mryakan]

There's a time of day, at dusk, when it's nicer to shut off auto-dimming, because the sunset darkens them, but 50% of the cars have their lights off. It would be nice to have this control.

It sucks that you can't toggle it on and off easily. Porsche gets a :) BMW a :(
I have a feeling it may be available on the 5 or 7 series. The 3 series is the entry level car for BMW (until the 1 series hits shore that is) so although the 335 performance approaches Porsche's, I wouldn't start comparing them directly from a feature set perspective. The 3 series is loaded with features and compared to other brands/models similarly priced or lower, and it does hold its own on standard feature list, but will not have all the bells and whistles of a car double its price. Everything adds to cost when you make hundreds of thousands of car, even a small switch.
So yeah, I would sure hope any Porsche is better than 3 series in terms of features, although that may or may not hold true :).

Use a small bandaid, should be easy to apply remove ;).

P.S. This is the time when you appreciate DRLs.

[Kernel Kurtz]

Look in the glove box. Find the fuse box. One of those fuse control the auto-dimming function (but it also controls the Park Distance Control if you have it). Pull the fuse.

IF that is all it controls, that would be a good idea. Somehow I doubt that those are the only functions on a single fuse, though.

However, there is a manual way to do it, just block the sensor on the front of the mirror. I sometimes block it with my thumb if I needed the dimming off for a bit. If you want it off all the time, just stick something that blocks light on top of the sensor.

I think that is what I am going to do. I find them too dark in normal night driving, and the most annoying thing is they do not "un-dim" when you shift into reverse (when you actually want good visibility behind you). Also, not much good that the passenger mirror tilts down if you can't see anything in it anyway.

[mryakan]

However, there is a manual way to do it, just block the sensor on the front of the mirror. I sometimes block it with my thumb if I needed the dimming off for a bit. If you want it off all the time, just stick something that blocks light on top of the sensor.

I think that is what I am going to do. I find them too dark in normal night driving, and the most annoying thing is they do not "un-dim" when you shift into reverse (when you actually want good visibility behind you). Also, not much good that the passenger mirror tilts down if you can't see anything in it anyway.
Hmmm, most of the time if you are backing up, unless there is bright light behind you, they don't dim. I always back up into my garage and although the garage light is on (100 watt bulb) and the one in front of the garage is on too, I have yet to have it dim. If I am not mistaken, I noticed it somehow detects contrast between the light from the back and that in the front (maybe using the sensors in front of the rearview mirror?), and uses that to turn dimming on and the level of dimming. I believe I noticed some instances where even if you have a bright light behind you, if there is also good lighting in front it won't dim. Or I could be crazy, whichever!

[Kernel Kurtz]

Hmmm, most of the time if you are backing up, unless there is bright light behind you, they don't dim.

Hmmm, not how mine work at all. If it's dark out, they are dim. Always.

I guess I should ask the dealer about it.

[harold57]

It's harder to see cops behind you at night because of the dark mirrors. Can't see the top of their cars.

[mryakan]

It's harder to see cops behind you at night because of the dark mirrors. Can't see the top of their cars.
don't speed :D. No seriously now, I understand what you are saying, I find that a bit of an inconvenience too, but most times they use unmarked cars, so same difference with or without auto dim.