bizurk

So, I just got the call from my dealer.... after about a three week wait, my tC is on the west coast. I'm taking that on faith because he hasn't given me a vin# yet, and about half of my accessories won't be ready when the car makes it to me......


One weird thing that he mentioned: he said that the side impact airbag models could not have the auto-dimming mirror installed.... I would guess that if they do indeed conflict, it would be a case of too many wires, not enough juice. Does anyone have any hard evidence contradicting this? Please dealers or people who have actually installed the mirror with side airbags only....

(I already 'know' that they _should_ work together)

mikochu

smells like bull____...

Reno

technically they do "conflict" each other at the port. but, you can have an auto dimming mirror installed by an aftermarket company. there shouldn't be any problems with that. i have done that to two tC's here and there haven't been any problems.

bizurk

When you say 'an' auto-dimming mirror, do you mean the scion one or another make of auto-dimming mirror?

Also, do you have any idea why the two options contradict each other at port?

I'm happy to reach up to dim the mirror if it means that there's less of a chance of an excursion taking out my cervical spine; but I would like the garage door buttons.....

thanks for the responses!

Reno

i have only used aftermarket mirrors. i don't know about the "scion" mirror working. i don't know why they conflict each other. kinda seems stupid to me, but oh well.

erickjam

I think it has t odo with the wires that need to be run down the drivers side A pillar.

My dealer expressed concern about this as the Side curtain airbag takes up the complete pillar, and is installed as a complete unit thus limiting access to the A pillar, and where you need to run the wires.

Probably possible for aftermarket install, but I would rather not compromise the integrity of my side airbags for a garage door opener on the mirror.

Reno

good point. i really didn't think about the air bag wires in the pillar.

JasonH

There's nothing about it in the installation instructions for the mirror. You do have to remove the A-pillar, which is where the airbag is, but you put it back. I don't know how it's attached or anything, so maybe it's just too difficult to remove the airbag.

Now that I think about it, you could wire it to the overhead console, but there's no wire there that's hot when the car is in the ACC position and off when it's off. I think it all hot all the time. I guess you could wire a switch or something, since you probably wouldn't want the auto-dimming feature on all the time. Or maybe you can just turn it off. Aw, hell, I don't know.

mikochu

I saw the autodimming mirror at the dealership last week. It's nice, but I my Mikochu Über VIP High Beam Gate Remote is much cooler :D

2JZ

if your'e gonna tint your windows, the auto dimming mirror is useless

c_rowe

This whole conflict was new to me too until I tried to preference a tC with side airbags and the auto-dimming mirror. It didn't work, so I called the region. They said that there is a conflict between the wiring for the mirror and the wiring harness for the airbags, so they could not be combined. So now we all know that it's not an availability ploy :-). Hope this clears the air. That is interesting, though, that aftermarket ones still work... maybe they are just being cautious.

Casey

Mudd

It's not that hard to get past. Worst case scenario, you have to extend the wires on the mirror and go down the B-pillar instead of the A-pillar (or even the side panels in the rear if need be). It's a bit of a pain, and something that could've easily been avoided with a little foresight, but whatever. Where there's a will, there's a crazy car stereo installer with ADD willing to do it. It's how I stay in the job.

Dana278

Some tinted windows still let in bright headlights. I asked my brother his opinion on it before I bought it. His Camaro back window is tinted at 15% and he still gets bigger vehicles blasting him with their headlights.

I want the mirror more for the garage door opener features. Which makes me feel stupid, because I'm basically paying all that money for a garage door opener.

tcwannab

yea my dad just got a new jeep with tints in the back with an auto dimming mirror... which i love by the way cuz im not used to having one, great lil feature

Ranthese

Confirmation from the bay area that I also received a call from my sales rep letting me know that I couldn't get both side air bags and an auto dimming mirror. After thinking about it, it doesn't look like the auto dimming mirror is really worth the $310. I basically don't mind dimming my mirror manually using the switch, a garage opener costs $10 (which I don't even need), and a map light costs $5.

r0n1n

You'd think they'd be able to figure out a way to wire it in to all the electrical stuff on the sunroof panel -- i'd imagine that'd have plenty of power.

PDM72

Wow--this is the first I've heard of this. I'm getting an auto with side airbags, and I'd just assumed that I'd get the auto-dimming mirror--the dealer never mentioned that I couldn't get it. Wow, between concerns about getting to the spare tire with the sub, auto-dimming mirror and airbag incompatability, and McGeorge and Partznet, my accessories list has pretty much dwindled to just about nothing. Actually, considering I don't have a garage, the homelink feature, I guess, would be somewhat useless. I've gone from excessive accessories back to making this a bargain.

r0n1n

As it turns out, I bought my tC from McGeorge and they are the ones who advised me of the side airbags and auto-dimming mirror incompatibility. The last I heard from them was that they were going to call Scion and see if they could find a workaround.

Let me know if you hear anything new!

Dana278

If you don't need the Homelink feature, and you plan on tinting your windows, the auto dimming mirror is worthless. In my opinion, of course. I did get the auto dimming mirror, but my house has two garages and it's a gated community, so all three of my buttons are used. This is why I got the mirror, as an expensive garage door opener. I doubt I'll ever even need the auto dimming part of it.

PDM72

To be honest, before I looked into this car, I'd never even heard of an auto-dimming mirror. I'm not exactly a car nut, and the only car I had was quite old. I did, however regularly manually change the mirror when I drove at night, so it seemed like a good plan. I haven't decided if I will tint the windows yet--that's another one of those things it never occurred to me to do until I started reading the forums. I already have concerns about night driving, so if I did tint, it would be a very light one--I'm getting a black tc, and I don't like the whole solid black look. But there is definitely no driveway in my imminent future. I wasn't all that sure how much the cost of the mirror was for that feature or for the mirror itself.

I'm just glad to know about this in advance--I'm not sure I'd want my dealer trying to workaround it--especially if they haven't done it before--if there is any chance of compromising the airbags.