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Rear view mirror - s'posed to do something?

Skrappi69

Skrappi69

New member
I have a 99 Grand Prix. Bought the car a few weeks back. Fixing all kinds of stuff. One thing I noticed it the rear view mirror has a cable running into the headliner. The mirror itself has a slightly different plane of view right in the middle that is oval shaped. THere is a button on there labeled 'auto' When I press it a green LED comes on in the mirror plastic frame.

It here supposed to be a digital indicator there or something? I have seen posts about auto dimming but not sure how that works.

Any and all suggestions or help is appreciated.

Thanks!
 
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That's a smoked autodim mirror.

It shoudl autodim at night to keep you from getting blinded by lights behind you. however that odd looking oval in the middle means it's shot.

Sorry to pee in your wheaties.
 
BillBoost37 said:
That's a smoked autodim mirror.

However that odd looking oval in the middle means it's shot.
Click to expand...

Yup It's Dead Jim!

Mine has the same oval. I have replaced mine twice. It keeps leaking out the fluid and dieing. I've heard its from the high summer heat inside the cars that makes them brake the seal and leak. If you have a odd clear sticky substance near your console thats the Mirror gue that leaked out.
 
I thought it was the Donnelly made ones in the Regal. Seems that a few of the Gentex had the issue too.

Time to upgrade. Get one with a compass or homelink.
 
i had the same problem with mine, i took it off opened it up separated the glass from the mirror and cleaned the oil, put it back together, no more hazing, no auto dimmer but now i can see and pass inspection. its really hard to find a used one as it would seem, and new they want a arm and a leg for it, so i said f it.
 


I was wondering about this as well. As soon as I moved to FL, it got real hazy. I just never bothered to look up what it was as drive the car so seldom.

Guess I will take it apart and clean it up.
 
from what i understand, its the heat that makes them fail, the seal fails and usually it leaks the oil out all over the console, i got mine all hazed over, i just did what i had to do. its easy to do, just be careful when you pop it open, theres a few tabs around it you need to deal with. 2 small screw drivers should do the trick.
 
My 99 is SUPPOSE to have one, took me a month to realize (noticed while detailing the car) that the cable was just resting against the back of the mirror. The mirror is just a basic one that was glued to the windshield, no spot for the cable to plug in, dirty bastards replaced the nice mirror with some cheapo :th_shakinghead1: o well
 
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