Homelink Mirror Auto Dimming (or not?)

The few times I've experienced it, I wondered if the dimming was working. I was just thinking about this this morning, and while the hatch does limit rear visibility, that plastic strip across the back does serve to sometimes block headlights, which I like.

But yes, I do think the mirror could/should darken quicker.

 

Same here. I thought it was broken and tried turning on and off few times. What to do? I find it worthless.

 

I picked my 2010 up last night and noticed that it wasn't dimming very quick.. the dude with the bright headlights behind me was getting on my nerves

 

Do you have a tinted film on top of the factory tinted glass?

 

I think mine is broke. It does not make a difference if it’s on or off. I do not have tinted windows.

 

After I spent the last 8 weeks getting used to the Homelink button in a new place, I'm reluctant to try that "fix."

 

I use the middle button too, but if my finger slips I don't mash a big old greasy print into the mirror glass.

 

Another trick that I learned on John 1701A's website:

Put a piece of translucent material over the sensor. John used a piece of colored plastic like you might find on a report cover ( he used blue color). I used a piece of Kapton tape (yellow in color) because I had it handy at work. This helps to kick in the dimming at higher light levels.

 

I think my mirror works great -- better than any regular rear-view mirror I've dealt with while driving at night.

Why would some work well and some not?

 

I know that mine does not work as well as those on my BMW and Mazda CX9 (also from Gentex). The difference is quite obvious. I just never bother to track it down. The autodimming works by comparing the two sensors (front and back). Put a tape on the front-facing sensor certainly will enhance the difference, therefore, work well.

 

This might also be a function of where you drive at night - in my case, the street lighting and oncoming traffic headlights (I think) fool the mirror into thinking it is daytime instead of nighttime.

 

I was wondering if it was only me. My auto dim doesn't work when a semi is directly behind me with its lights blinding me, but yet works as soon as I open the garage door to the bright sunlight. Like you, the system is on, so that shouldn't be a factor.

I would have never thought to turn the mirror upside down. I have suspected that the center bar may have had something to do with the problem, but it sounded too simple for a car that is so technical.

 

I had the same problem with our 05 and I firmly believe it is due to the spoiler bar blocking the light the sensor would normally "see". I haven't driven the 2010 at night yet, but will try to do this in the next few days (my wife's car). My 07 Camry Hybrid has the auto-dim mirror and it works fine.

 

I tried moving the mirror upside down, but it would not adjust high enough to see out the back window.

 

It is _definitely_ the bar on hatch blocking the sensor. I can see a "shadow" of the bar right on the sensor.

I did figure out that it compares the diff in light of the two sensors - one on back and one on front. This is stupid since the one facing front will be illuminated by oncoming car headlights.

I also tried rotating the mirror... It DOES NOT fit "upside down"... The case is too thick... It would only work if I was abut 5 feet tall.

Can I just TAKE IT OUT and replace it with the old school manual "flip" mirror?

Whoever engineered this mirror really blew it. probably not an engineer but someone in marketing trying to be clever ! (I cannot beleive how much I paid for something that doesn't work.)

really. Driving at night with this setup really sux

Toyota should do a recall on this mirror and replace it with one that has a sensor near the top... Like the USA-built GENERAL MOTORS cars!