Auto dimming rear view mirror

quattrojames

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I have the option of one from a B7, but it looks like that is mounted to the roof not bonded to the screen like mine, can anyone confirm?

Anyone done this? Reading up it appears the auto mirror was only available as part of the pack with the auto lights, so I'm not sure if it would work as a standalone feature....
 
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It's bonded to the glass with a cover that hides the wiring. If it's a proper one it'll have wiring for the auto wipers/side mirror dimmer as well. If not, it's an aftermarket one.
 
James,

Just been down to the car park to get something out of the car so had a quick look how mine is fixed (it's a B7 with auto lights). It looks like its bonded to the screen but there is a slim bit that goes up the screen and into the headlining which I assume is just ducting for the wiring.

I can't load a picture at the moment as I have restricted internet access at work but if you want I can take a quick snap with my phone when I get home and upload it for you.
 
Thanks Stu that would be great. Mine is bonded to the screen but not an auto so I doubt that wiring will be present, but I will go and double check :thumbsup:
 
Thanks Stu that would be great. Mine is bonded to the screen but not an auto so I doubt that wiring will be present, but I will go and double check :thumbsup:
Careful James as I believe the B7 mirror mount is a different diameter (larger). If you know a friendly windscreen fitter he may be able to change it for you, but there is always a danger of cracking the screen getting the old one off. Apart from that you will have to have your screen changed to a later one. On a screen which is meant for an auto dim mirror there is an outline that hides the wiring.
You can fit just the mirror and not worry about coming home lights, auto wipers or auto lights. There are at least two different mirrors depending on what you want to fit. There is one without the other sensors built in, but if you are going to fit one you may as well have everything as we all know we are always looking to add more goodies.
If you fit just the auto dim mirror it is quite straight forward I believe. It depends if you want the mirror to 'un-dim' when you put the car in reverse.
I am looking at adding the mirror, I have already bought a pair of auto dimming door mirrors. These can be connected up so they all work together.
I don't think any of the wiring is already there.
Have a look at this link it is pretty good.;)
http://www.audiforum.us/c5-platform/5974-how-fit-auto-lights-coming-home-function.html
 
James,

Here are the photo's - I'm afraid the camera on my phone isn't very good (HTC Touch 3G) but hopefully they might help:



 
Thanks all, I will read those links tomorrow.

In all honesty it's looking like more trouble than it's worth! I drive with my rear blind up all the time anyway so I rarely if ever even dip the mirror. I had the chance to add a B7 mirror for not much money so thought it would be agood novelty - maybe that adapter will still allow me to do that.....?

I'm certainly not going to go the effort of changing my windscreen for it.
 
Careful James as I believe the B7 mirror mount is a different diameter (larger). If you know a friendly windscreen fitter he may be able to change it for you, but there is always a danger of cracking the screen getting the old one off. Apart from that you will have to have your screen changed to a later one. On a screen which is meant for an auto dim mirror there is an outline that hides the wiring.
You can fit just the mirror and not worry about coming home lights, auto wipers or auto lights. There are at least two different mirrors depending on what you want to fit. There is one without the other sensors built in, but if you are going to fit one you may as well have everything as we all know we are always looking to add more goodies.
If you fit just the auto dim mirror it is quite straight forward I believe. It depends if you want the mirror to 'un-dim' when you put the car in reverse.
I am looking at adding the mirror, I have already bought a pair of auto dimming door mirrors. These can be connected up so they all work together.
I don't think any of the wiring is already there.
Have a look at this link it is pretty good.;)
http://www.audiforum.us/c5-platform/5974-how-fit-auto-lights-coming-home-function.html

B7 mirrors will bolt straight on and so will the RS4 B7 mirrors.
 
I retro-fitted an auto-dimming rear view mirror to my B6 a couple of years ago. It's the easiest thing in the world to do. I bought one of these on Ebay. Gentex is the manufacturer of OEM units; this item is identical in operation, it just doesn't have the bulky plastic moulding attaching to the screen that you get with factory-fit.
 
I retro-fitted an auto-dimming rear view mirror to my B6 a couple of years ago. It's the easiest thing in the world to do. I bought one of these on Ebay. Gentex is the manufacturer of OEM units; this item is identical in operation, it just doesn't have the bulky plastic moulding attaching to the screen that you get with factory-fit.

Thanks for that, the link doesn't work but is it one of these?

product_thumb.php


How did you get on with the electric then? Is the wiring already in place?
 
Sorry about the broken link, Quattrojames, I'll try & re-post it in a minute. That is what I am referring to, but what I bought, and what is on sale in the (missing) link, was a mirror, with the adapter, and the wiring, all in one fell swoop.

The existing mirror twists off the button, then the new mirror screws to the button using the adapter. The wiring is simple. One end plugs into the mirror housing, then the wire (very slim) can be tucked out of sight behind the leading edge between the head-lining and the windscreen, and then down the driver's door pillar into fuse box area for connecting to a suitable live and earth.

Give me a minute or two to find those Ebay links
 
This is the thread from 2007 in which I posted details of my self-installed GENK2 auto-dimming mirror, including pics. Just page down and you'll find them eventually. There's even a link to the installation instructions in there somewhere
 
Door mirrors and I would see no reason why the inside one would not fit either.

Door mirrors yes definitely straight swap, but I am fairly sure the interior mirror fixing changed. I stand corrected if this is not the case.
 
I retro-fitted a B6 Auto-Dipping Mirror - purchased the mirror from the stealers ~£115 inc VAT (2 years ago). Made up my own wiring loom and plug - now know I could have got the plug too with a little bit more research. All works fine including the reverse signal which was the hardest signal to source!

I was going to purchase the "revised" mirror with the on/off switch which also has capability to feed the light sensor signal to your Power Control module to enable the "Auto lights" and "Coming Home lights" - but I decided against this as would have to purchase a new Power Control Module, Light Switch, Additional coming home switch, etc. and alot more changes to the wiring.

The mirror wiring is straight forward however the one signal I had trouble finding was the reverse signal. On a manual this can be picked up in the n/s passenger footwell a-pillar connectiion rack BUT with an Auto (Tiptronic) I eventually found it in the Plenum chamber under the ECU and Transmission CU. Tapped in a feed here.

Auto Dipping Wing mirrors would be nice to add but the glass is around £160 per side! The signals are there on the internal Auto Mirror to feed to the doors. Not sure if there is a cheaper source for this external glass?

Kufatec do a wiring harness for the B6 mirror B6 Link Here and the B7 mirror B7 Link Here - they are the same part numbers!

B6 Mirror Wires (no switch on mirror, no light sensor feed for additional features):
Pin 1 = White = +12v (from Fuse S231)
Pin 2 = Black = 0v
Pin 3 = Grey = Reverse Signal (Mirror goes clear if you engage reverse)
Pin 4 = Yellow = Wing Mirror Signal 1
Pin 5 = Brown = Wing Mirror Signal 2
Pin 6 = Interior Light (W1) will require addition of diode (Mirror goes clear if the interior light goes on - did not do this mod!)

On the later B6 mirror, with switch, and light sensor for other features,
Pin 1 = +12v from power control unit
Pin 3 = goes to power control unit (This is used for light sensor output)
 
Did the conversion, took the B6 and B7 mirrors apart and mounted the B7mirror housing onto the B6 mount. Not a quick job but all done and wired up to work properly and it also dims my wing mirror glass -

This is NOT a job for beginners, and in my B6 cab there was NO wiring in the headlining

Andy