G9Max

Just Curious my passenger side mirror doesnt auto dim, is this the norm. If so why didnt nissan incoporate this for the passenger side

lightonthehill

You nailed it. Nissan may have felt dimming the passenger side was less important than dimming the driver side, and that is probably true. With mirrors that turn down when we put the car in reverse, mirrors that have flashing turn signal lights, and mirrors that heat up to dissipate fogging, Nissan probably decided they had to hold down expenses somewhere. Another feature I miss is power folding outside mirrors. But I still love the 100,000 features we DID get with this beautiful baby.

G9Max

I totally agree this car is full of goodies!

Compusmurf

They have to have something to add for the 2010 model don't they?????

lightonthehill

In this economy, I think you need to change that 2010 to 2011. I will be very surprised if Nissan does much more than fix the rocking seat problem with the 2010s. We may not even get that. The Sunday paper in Atlanta showed a country club home that sold for $480,900 in late '07 that was just bought at auction for $138,900. I think that may be 'below invoice.'

duvaughn

Does anyone know how to de-activate the auto dim mirror? I'm getting 35% tints and the left drivers side mirror is too dark at night

09Maxima_Sam

To turn it off, you press the button with the Big O on it, that is on the rear view mirror. I think that it turns off both mirrors with that one switch.

duvaughn

yes, I know how to turn it off. But I have to do that every-time I start the car! That won't cut it. I need i off permanently. Does anyone know how?

If anything, is there a wire or something in the side mirror that will stop the auto dim feature

VTenge

I found the information you need. Its connector D4 and I found the pin connection descriptions, the dim connections where listed separately with the rear view dimming connections for some reason, but they are the EC+, EC- signals. If you disconnect these wires the auto-dimming should stop. Here are all the diagrams.

09Maxima_Sam

Remember if you disconnect it, connector D4 that is, then all functions of the mirror, including the ability to adjust it and turn signal will no longer work. If you disconnect the motor wires, then you will lose only adjustment.

VTenge

Yeah, that is why I found the pin labels, pins 15 and 16 control the auto-dimming. Only disconnect 15 and 16 and you will have all other functions but auto-dimming will stop. This may require you to cut the wires, I don't think either needs to be run to ground, but I would wrap them with electrical tape after cutting to avoid any shorting between the two. Also if you do have to cut them make sure you leave enough extra wire on the connector side in case you ever want to hook them up again.

duvaughn

You guys are the bomb. I called my dealership service department and they didn't know this!!! I don't know who I can get to do this and I know I don't have the ability to do so.

Does anyone know if covering the photolithic/light sensor cell on the rearview mirror or a light sensor anywhere else in the car would work?

If I don't do this then I can't use tints

Thanks a million


DuVaughn

VTenge

I think covering up the sensor would make the mirrors dim, it would make them think its dark. I found a component called the "sunload sensor" that connects to the main harness so disconnecting this may stop them from dimming, but would mess up the auto headlight on/off if you use that, I would ask the dealer to unplug that for you if want to try that. You could try unplugging the connector on the back of the rearview mirror and see if that works, unless you use the garage door opener stuff then that would stop working. It seems like just pushing the button everytime you get into the car would be the best option for a while. Maybe theres a trick like holding it down for 5 seconds or something that will turn it off but no one knows yet.

Compusmurf

covering the sensor with black elec tape might actually work. The mirrors will "know" its dark and watch for "light flashes" but it'll not dim as it won't see any light.

Might be a solution that is far safer than cutting wires and can be easily undone.

Besides, you can test that out tonight.

VTenge

I'm not sure on how the dimming works or where the sensors to tell the mirrors to dim are located. If the sensor for the rear view mirror is inside then the light it sees would go through the tint also, so it might not be bright enough to cause the mirror to dim. If the outside mirror sensor was outside then it would still be a problem. If they just dim based on any change in light, not a set amount of light, tape would definitely work. They might also just be constantly dimmed when it is dark outside, as far as I know. Is looking for flashes how they work? Are the sensors separate and in each mirror? I am curious about these mirrors now.

I agree that some testing with the tape would be the best way to see if it works and it would be much safer than most things I said haha.

duvaughn

THANKS EVEYONE FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS!!!

SIMPLE FIX, COVER THE PHOTO CELL WITH BLACK ELECTRICAL TAP ON THE REARVIEW MIRROR. THE PHO CELL CONTROLS THE AUTODIM. IT SENSES LIGHT COMING FROM THE REAR OF TE VEHICLE. THE PHOTO CELL IS ABOUT THE SIX OF A PENCIL ERASER.

I FIGURED IT OUT CAUSE I WENT FOR A DRIVE TONIGHT AND JUST COVERED IT WITH MY FINGER THEN THE AUTO DIM WENT BACK TO NORMAL.

THE OTHER THINGS SUCH AS THE AUTO HEADLIGHTS USE A DIFFERENT SENSOR.

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE FOR YOUR INPUT.

TINT, HERE I COME!!!
D

lightonthehill

Makes perfect sense. The auto-dimming sensor is located on the inside rear view mirror on every 'auto-dimming' car I have owned. As Compusmurf suggested, if the lights of cars behind you can't reach the sensor, then the mirrors will never be dimmed.

boone

iTrader: (1)

I'm curious about something. I have 20% tint on my rear window and 35% on my side windows. Does the fact that I do have the darker tint on the rear window pretty much negate the issue brought up by the original poster? I ask because I've never had an issue with the autodim mirrors on my 6th gen being too dark at night and I want to be sure a 7th gen with the same setup will not have any problems.

lightonthehill

The darker tint on your rear glass may indeed be enough to keep the headkights of cars behind you from tripping the auto-dim sensor and dimming your mirrors. Even if that didn't work, then, as duvaughn showed above, simply sticking an unnoticable tiny little dot of black tape over the sensor hole of the auto-dimmer (located on the frame of the inside rear view mirror) will prevent it from dimming the mirrors. One way or the other, you are guaranteed of success.