Autochromatic Mirror Issue

[whdean]

Hi to everyone -

This is my first post - Can you say Noobie?

I have a 2005 Solara SLE convertible that I bought in November - Has all of 1,500 miles on it already.

The auto dimming rearview mirror works great. However, the driver's side outside mirror, which is also autochromatic, dims sometimes and not others. The manual states that the outside mirror dims when the inside mirror dims. The manual also says that sensors are on the front and the back of the inside mirror - They are obvious once you look for them.

I can't tell a real pattern yet, but after I've been driving for a while, the outside mirror starts dimming and then doesn't dim, at no particular interval. It does it in warm weather and cold weather, with or without the seat heaters on (which also activate the heated outside mirrors).

The dealer says they are happy to look at it. I'll likely take it in at about 3,000 miles for its first oil change and have them test the mirrors, also.

Any experience or advice on this issue?

Thanks in advance,

Bill

[slingshot]

The heated seats don't activate the heated side mirrors. Putting the rear window defroster on activates the heated side mirrors. I haven't noticed any dimming problems with my driver's mirror.

[whdean]

The heated seats don't activate the heated side mirrors. Putting the rear window defroster on activates the heated side mirrors. I haven't noticed any dimming problems with my driver's mirror.

Thanks ...

You're right, of course. I tried turning on and off the rear defrost - no diference. I did learn that if you put a piece of electrical tape over the mirror sensor on the windshield side of the center mirror and shine a light on the front side of it, the sensor will see "dark" in front of the car and "lights" behind and activate the mirrors. That makes the process repeatable when the car gets to the dealership. I figure that either the inside mirror is not talking to the outside mirror, or the outside mirror is hearing it but doesn't care. Either way, the dealership shpuld be able to swap out the inside and/or outside mirrors to see it that fixes the problem.