[fe7565]

Auto-dimming Euro-style blind spot mirror search (or turning off error codes for "missing" auto-dimming side mirrors).

I retrofitted a while ago my car with auto-dimming rear view mirrors, and Lane Change Warning (LCW)...which came with the US specs auto-dimming/heated side mirrors. But only the passenger side is wide angle (Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear...blah blah). The driver side is just regular view, and has a huge blind spot. These have a black rim around the glass. I believe that also after about 2017 the passenger side OEM auto-dimming mirror went away(?).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16730726209...Bk9SR5iTwfmiZQ





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To get rid of the blind spot, I bought a pair of $15 "blue" Chinese Euro-style convex side mirrors that widen the view to get rid of the blind spot. For me these work prefect to eliminate all blind spots, although the driver side mirror does show "objects in the mirror are closer than they appear" which one has to keep in mind when moving lanes. These aftermarket Chinese mirrors do not have a black rim around the glass so larger than the OEM ones I mentioned previously. They do have a vertical line not far from the outside edge, same as the Euro-style convex where the mirror provides additional side view angle. I actually prefer the Chinese mirrors to the OEM ones, as they have some sort of a permanent dimming coating that works (for me) great.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14629796469...Bk9SR8601vaiZQ


But, these convex Chinee mirrors only have a heater, so I must leave the auto-dimming plugs disconnected. Therefore ISTA+ is complaining about open wire auto-dimming and missing LIN. Although these errors are not visible to the driver, my OCD won't let me rest until I make them go away. So far I was not able to turn off the auto-dimming function for the side mirrors by coding so ISTA would not look for it anymore, nor was I able to "trick" the mirror-modules in believing the auto-dimmers are actually there.



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So now come the OEM the Euro-market or Euro-style convex side mirrors, which look identical to the fake Chinese ones, but they are OEM and come with auto-dimming/heating. I could bottom feed one for about $100 on EBay. But wondering, if the driver side is wide angle and shows objects behind at a normal distance, or like the Chinese driver side mirror whereas "objects in the mirror are closer than they appear"?


https://www.ebay.com/itm/18692165057...Bk9SR6CTwfmiZQ



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Another option I noticed is that the Chinese are selling $10 convex Euro-style glass-only mirror that do not have a heater, only an adhesive backing that is supposed to lay over the OEM auto-dimming glass. The problem is that these are larger than the OEM mirrors that have the black rim around the glass. So they are designed to fit over the non-black rim glass if they are cracked, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...9H2HKEBV&psc=1



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And finally, there is a $15 Chinese side mirror that fits over/inside the black rim mirror glass, but this one is not convex Euro-style.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...9H2HKEBV&psc=1

[Billfitz]

Flat glass on the driver's side is SOP with all makes and models. If you want to get a wider view than even convex side mirrors provide, and a rear view hugely better than the windshield mirror, install one of these, which also does double duty as a front and rear dash cam. They're standard now on many high end cars and SUVs. That means BMW will start using them in maybe ten years.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0811Q28N6...A2KR0J0CK34VOC

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by fe7565

Auto-dimming Euro-style blind spot mirror search (or turning off error codes for "missing" auto-dimming side mirrors).

I retrofitted a while ago my car with auto-dimming rear view mirrors, and Lane Change Warning (LCW)...which came with the US specs auto-dimming/heated side mirrors. But only the passenger side is wide angle (Objects in the mirror are close than they appear...blah blah). The driver side is just regular view, and has a huge blind spot. These have a black rim around the glass. I believe that also after about 2017 the passenger side OEM auto-dimming mirror went away(?).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/167307262096?fits=Make%3ABMW&_skw=Left+Auto+DIM++M IRROR+GLASS+EURO+bmw++f30&epid=1323767963&itmmeta= 01JMBSG95ST2HGDS95W2Q0DS0C&hash=item26f44a3890:g:d 4EAAOSwifxnqpHZ&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu 0w3yXCmi1ev9%2FWxTN8eCvfh6Qj3gay4dj7gyT376UnpraHwZ %2FA1shxVDdNERwov12EYI1%2FS%2FRbfN3B3ZcTuu8Whit839 YOpckTp2Be4g%2BgN7l50zHZhlZDfll6WbWzyOPJVbtalyuj6F ci442fRSOKsP36Fbf3kmGPpQWi1BBQ21veIIOxR5surgoLOKMv %2B4magpAG1A%2B470htJxFWv1PyfL54snU%2B4vlIZ95wvLmy BEbYImrTMuj235zQZJjLx%2BUvP7Omw8CTJheMUNGl5wC%2Fqu hWQWEEcfrTpOC0eWcXKVlEShNheCQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5 iTwfmiZQ

Attachment 3669608
Attachment 3669609


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To get rid of the blind spot, I bought a pair of $15 "blue" Chinese Euro-style convex side mirrors that widen the view to get rid of the blind spot. For me these work prefect to eliminate all blind spots, although the driver side mirror does [...]

There's no blind spot when you properly adjust your side mirrors.

https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...d-blind-spots/

[fe7565]

Originally Posted by F32Fleet

There's no blind spot when you properly adjust your side mirrors.

https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...d-blind-spots/

Thank you, but I beg to disagree. I re-installed the OEM driver-side mirrors two days ago, and I am going back to the $15 Chinese convex mirror. I prefer to see out to two lanes left and right, as often other drivers in an outside lane may move into the same lane as I am planning to move into.

By the way, I always look left and right by physically turning by head before I make a lane change, because that's the only 100% way no matter how well the mirrors are ever adjusted.

[toxik]

these euro convex mirrors are one of the best additions I made to the car. i got lucky and found someone selling both driver and pass side mirrors for only $80. i needed both auto-dim and heated so the chinese ones were unfortunately not an option for me.

going back to OEM US mirrors is not even an option for me anymore, some people really underestimate how much theyre missing out on the euro spherical glass mirrors.

[fe7565]

Originally Posted by toxik

these euro convex mirrors are one of the best additions I made to the car. i got lucky and found someone selling both driver and pass side mirrors for only $80. i needed both auto-dim and heated so the chinese ones were unfortunately not an option for me.

going back to OEM US mirrors is not even an option for me anymore, some people really underestimate how much theyre missing out on the euro spherical glass mirrors.

Is your OEM convex driver side mirror showing objects in the same size as real life....or closer than they appear like the passenger side? That's my only "compliant" about the Chinese mirror, it is the same as the passenger side as far as object sizes appearing.

I was surprised how well the "blue" Chinese junk mirrors work passively dimming light. Couple of days ago when I had both the OEM driver side mirror and the "blue" Chinese driver side mirror out, I had them face up to the ceiling light side by side. The OEM mirror was reflecting the bright LED bulb into my eyes (of course the auto-dimming was off), but the Chinese junk mirror diffused/dimmed it well.

EDIT: $80 for both was a steal! One is about $100-120 if you are lucky. They seems to only have them in Europe as OEM.

[fe7565]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Flat glass on the driver's side is SOP with all makes and models. If you want to get a wider view than even convex side mirrors provide, and a rear view hugely better than the windshield mirror, install one of these, which also does double duty as a front and rear dash cam. They're standard now on many high end cars and SUVs. That means BMW will start using them in maybe ten years.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0811Q28N6...A2KR0J0CK34VOC

The price is very good. I was not aware that higher end cars have a similar concept. I will watch some YouTube videos to see how this gadget bridges blind spots, since that's the main reason I would consider it. Not necessarily for the cam front/rear cam etc. functions which I already have.

[montr]

I have the BMW OEM euro mirrors left and right sides for both my E90 and F36. For the E90, I bough them new from a BMW dealer in France. For the F36, I bough them used from Ebay in Poland, if I remember correctly.

They are not cheap but is is BMW OEM. No coding required.

To get the BWM part number for my car, I used https://www.realoem.com/bmw/
Enter your model, year of built but select EU region instead of the US.
For example, here is the one for my 2018 F36

[fe7565]

Originally Posted by montr

I have the BMW OEM euro mirrors left and right sides for both my E90 and F36. For the E90, I bough them new from a BMW dealer in France. For the F36, I bough them used from Ebay in Poland, if I remember correctly.

They are not cheap but is is BMW OEM. No coding required.

To get the BWM part number for my car, I used https://www.realoem.com/bmw/
Enter your model, year of built but select EU region instead of the US.
For example, here is the one for my 2018 F36

Thank you for the tip, appreciate it. So the Euro driver side is called: "wide-angle" view and the passenger side "convex" view. The wide-angle view driver side mirror then must be 1:1 ratio as far as objects appearing, except the mirror has a wider view angle in the side edge area past the dotted vertical line? So then the passenger side convex is the one where objects appear closer than they are.

[toxik]

Originally Posted by fe7565

Is your OEM convex driver side mirror showing objects in the same size as real life....or closer than they appear like the passenger side? That's my only "compliant" about the Chinese mirror, it is the same as the passenger side as far as object sizes appearing.

I was surprised how well the "blue" Chinese junk mirrors work passively dimming light. Couple of days ago when I had both the OEM driver side mirror and the "blue" Chinese driver side mirror out, I had them face up to the ceiling light side by side. The OEM mirror was reflecting the bright LED bulb into my eyes (of course the auto-dimming was off), but the Chinese junk mirror diffused/dimmed it well.

EDIT: $80 for both was a steal! One is about $100-120 if you are lucky. They seems to only have them in Europe as OEM.

honestly not sure, i believe it’s 1:1 for driver side, but i can’t say that passenger looks “zoomed” in. they both seem to be 1:1 but just aspherical. i could be wrong though from a lifetime of driving with US based mirrors, and just being used to how passenger side mirrors look now.

[visionaut]

Originally Posted by F32Fleet

There's no blind spot when you properly adjust your side mirrors.

+1

SAE 1995 mirror method all the way… Zero blind spots. TRY it!

It uses minimal view overlap (each mirror shows very little of what’s in another), and neither sideview mirror shows your own car. (When you do need to see yourself, you tilt your head over and can see your whole flank.)

With the panorama maximized across the three mirrors, you see two lanes left and right with the sideview mirrors… and no blind spots across the entire three-mirror rearward view as you pan left/right.

It DOES take some initial adjustment if you’re used to a lot of redundancy (view overlap) between mirrors, and you don’t currently tend to pan much.
.

[fe7565]

Originally Posted by visionaut

+1

SAE 1995 mirror method all the way… Zero blind spots. TRY it!

It uses minimal view overlap (each mirror shows very little of what’s in another), and neither sideview mirror shows your own car. (When you do need to see yourself, you tilt your head over and can see your whole flank.)

With the panorama maximized across the three mirrors, you see two lanes left and right with the sideview mirrors… and no blind spots across the entire three-mirror rearward view as you pan left/right.

It DOES take some initial adjustment if you’re used to a lot of redundancy (view overlap) between mirrors, and you don’t currently tend to pan much.
.

I am open to all options and will try one more time (as unbiased as I can) just to see if I can get used to what you also pointed out: "It DOES take some initial adjustment if you’re used to a lot of redundancy (view overlap) between mirrors, and you don’t currently tend to pan much."

But, I am quite set on using the Chinese glass or the OEM euro view glass, if I cannot adjust myself to the traditional segmented rear view setup after a reasonable time.

[montr]

Originally Posted by fe7565

Thank you for the tip, appreciate it. So the Euro driver side is called: "wide-angle" view and the passenger side "convex" view. The wide-angle view driver side mirror then must be 1:1 ratio as far as objects appearing, except the mirror has a wider view angle in the side edge area past the dotted vertical line? So then the passenger side convex is the one where objects appear closer than they are.

Here is a picture of my driver side mirror. To the right of the dotted line, it is relatively flat. The wide angle is mostly to the left of the dotted line, it is progressive. The passenger side is similar but in the opposite direction. The are no disclosure printed on the glass of the passenger side mirror except for the dotted lines

By EU regulation. it is the standard mirror type in Europe for most car. The US regulation is different.

[fe7565]

Originally Posted by montr

Here is a picture of my driver side mirror. To the right of the dotted line, it is relatively flat. The wide angle is mostly to the left of the dotted line, it is progressive. The passenger side is similar but in the opposite direction. The are no disclosure printed on the glass of the passenger side mirror except for the dotted lines

By EU regulation. it is the standard mirror type in Europe for most car. The US regulation is different.

Thank you. Much clearer for me now, seems to be safer vs the US OEM and vs the Chinese mirror, which is not progressive and everything is closer. At least the Chinee covers a wide view very well vs much less with the US OEM. With the Chinese there is a danger that I underestimate that distance to the car behind me and may cut them off. So I have to be extra careful.

The US is known to have archaic incomprehensive transportation safety rules contrasting with bold and innovative ones like self-driving. Setting up a commission and study the pros and cons of the Euro style mirrors would take decades and millions of dollars of tax payers money.

[fe7565]

Found this in one of the Euro mirror descriptions, but this is a Chinese seller of a driver side mirror that looks OEM based on the sticker in the back of it. The soldering points for the dimming seems suspect, as they do not look like the US/Canada OEM solder points I have. (the mirrors in the comparison photo do not looks like the 3,5,7 series mirrors, so probably for example only)






So the picture says that objects in the US/Canada version are closer then they appear. I would have thought that the US/Canada version is the real size of the objects, and the Euro version shows the objects closer. I think these descriptions on the photos are incorrect. Unless the US/Canada version makes objects smaller? Which I doubt.

[montr]

Note: If you want to save money, get the EU driver side mirror. For the passenger side, there are not much a difference in the field of view between the US and EU mirror.

[fe7565]

Originally Posted by montr

Note: If you want to save money, get the EU driver side mirror. For the passenger side, there are not much a difference in the field of view between the US and EU mirror.

Yes, I am only looking at the driver side, if over about $80 each. The OEM Euro passenger side is about the same as the OEM US mirror and the convex Chinese mirror.

[montr]

Originally Posted by fe7565

Found this in one of the Euro mirror descriptions, but this is a Chinese seller of a driver side mirror that looks OEM based on the sticker in the back of it. The soldering points for the dimming seems suspect, as they do not look like the US/Canada OEM solder points I have.

Attachment 3670130


Attachment 3670134

So the picture says that objects in the US/Canada version are closer then they appear. I would have thought that the US/Canada version is the real size of the objects, and the Euro version shows the objects closer. I think these descriptions on the photos are incorrect. Unless the US/Canada version makes objects smaller? Which I doubt.

Looking at the sample picture of field of view and the mirror below, it appears to me this is not the same mirror that is used above.

[fe7565]

Originally Posted by montr

Looking at the sample picture of field of view and the mirror below, it appears to me this is the same mirror that is used above.

It certainly looks like the lower mirror is not with the dotted lines and different shape. So probably not accurate to the 3, 5, 7 series and certainly not the Euro version.

More "illustration":

[fe7565]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Flat glass on the driver's side is SOP with all makes and models. If you want to get a wider view than even convex side mirrors provide, and a rear view hugely better than the windshield mirror, install one of these, which also does double duty as a front and rear dash cam. They're standard now on many high end cars and SUVs. That means BMW will start using them in maybe ten years.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0811Q28N6...A2KR0J0CK34VOC

Nighttime driving is a bit concerning.

[Billfitz]

My rear view camera works far better at night than my mirror did. The brightness of the image varies with the ambient light level, so as it gets darker outside the image gets brighter. There is a slight downside, as the side view mirrors don't dim. That's because the sensor that controls that is on the rear view mirror that's covered by the rear view screen. It's a minor niggle, especially as I seldom need to use the side view mirrors because the camera view is wider.

[fe7565]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

My rear view camera works far better at night than my mirror did. The brightness of the image varies with the ambient light level, so as it gets darker outside the image gets brighter. There is a slight downside, as the side view mirrors don't dim. That's because the sensor that controls that is on the rear view mirror that's covered by the rear view camera. It's a minor niggle, especially as I seldom need to use the side view mirrors because the camera view is wider.

Side dimming is not an issue for me. My side mirror dimming circuits have been disconnected for over a year on both sides, the junk Chinese mirrors work pretty good via (passive) dimming coating. But the first thing I did to my car years ago was to retrofit the basic manual dimming inside rearview mirror to auto dimming.

A sidenote: I was thinking that the older cars like mine had two auto dimming circuits, one on each side mirror. But the newer ones only have the driver side. So maybe if I code the car with Esys using the newer driver -side only dimming-year of manufacture FA for the FEM, it should not look for the passenger side circuit anymore.