any idea?

[pug406glx]

i was washing my car today and i noticed that i have some kind of sensor thing on the center mirror facing towards the windscreen?

any ideas

[johnboy]

Auto dim mirror?

[highlander]

Rain sensor, for the auto wiper function.

[HimBigChief]

As above, works for the intermittent setting on the wipers hence the variable speed depending on heaviness of the rain.

[Welly]

Yes, sounds like the rain sensor. It works by the principle of 'total internal refraction? reflection?' kinda thing.

At night time, when you activate the auto wipers on the stalk then it will light up slightly orange when you look at it (the sensor that is).

Another piece of useless info whilst your in that area.....the little red dot thing at the bottom of the screen, in the middle, (on top of the dash) is the sunlight intensity sensor used by the Climate ECU.

Take this information, digest it, then forget it in 2/3 days........

[eoin27]

Another piece of useless info whilst your in that area.....the little red dot thing at the bottom of the screen, in the middle, (on top of the dash) is the sunlight intensity sensor used by the Climate ECU.

Interesting, I thought that took the temp reading inside the car

[Harshan]

Interesting, I thought that took the temp reading inside the car

that's being done by the sensor located on the front courtesy light console. Ever heard humming noice from that console? it has a fan sort of a thing as well which develops a small hum with aging.

[Welly]

Another interesting thing about the mono-chrome mirror is that it appears to take light readings from both front and back. I had to hang one of those Visitors cards (think: 'Do not Disturb' card) from my mirror once so it kinda blocked the windscreen-side (or back) of the mirror in bright daylight and the mirror dimmed right down - I thought it just measured bright headlights from behind

[mjb]

I thought it just measured bright headlights from behind

If it did that, it'd be stuck dimmed in the daytime. It needs to compare the light levels front and rear in order to decide whether to dim or not (dims if the rear is significantly brighter than the front!).

[eoin27]

I think it over-dims sometimes. So what I do is just flick it on manally if I feel there is a strong glare from behind

[pug406glx]

i have the auto function on the stalk but i have tried turning it and it does not move at all?

[eoin27]

Thats a blank for a rear wiper (for the estate)

What you do is push up and down the wiper stalk just like you would do normally

Position 4 - Insane mode
Postion 3 - Normal mode
Position 2 - Auto Mode ( Indicated by a single sweep when first turned on)
Position 1 - Wipers off

[Welly]

To add to eoin's post.....The Auto wipers turn off each time you switch off the engine so they have to be reset by turning the stalk down 1 and up 1 to the auto setting (confirmed by a single wipe) you can then run around the front and splosh some water over the sensor and they should wipe immediately.