Very cool mirror trick [sorta long]

1474 Views 15 Replies 12 Participants Last post by sbachmeier, Dec 6, 2001

bk3104

Discussion Starter · Nov 28, 2001

I stumbled across this on my way into work this morning. I'm driving along 495 heading up towards Hopkinton(Ma.) when I notice the passenger side mirror is aimed a bit too low. So, I move the mirror knob so I can adjust the right side mirror. As I'm paying more attention to the road and not what I'm doing, I rotated the knob past the "R" and continued rotating it past the setting for the right side mirror. So, now it's 180 degree's opposite of where I wanted it, in other words I turned the knob all the way around. Well, both mirrors start folding in towards the doors until they are flat against the door. So I rotated the knob back to the line in between the "L" & "R", which is basically the neutral setting and both mirrors folded themselves back out to where they were before. I tried it again, just in case this was some sort of strange VW quirk, and sure enough, they did the very same thing again.
So, I guess this would be good if you were driving it through a car wash, or if you were on a top speed run and wanted to make the car more aerodynamic ;-)
Sorry if I'm repeating something everyone already knew about, but it surprised me when it happened.

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

sameero

· #2 · Nov 28, 2001

2

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (bk3104)

DONT leave the knob in the center position. Thats the position if you want to heat the mirrors (there should be a heating symbol next to what you call as a neutral position). If you leave the knob in that position all the time the heating element will burn out

Leave the knob either on "L" or "R" . BTW all GLX models have folding mirrors!! I dont

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udurusu

· #3 · Nov 28, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (sameero)

I leave the knob always at the center position. I have checked the mirror if it is constatntly heating, but it is not hot during the sunny days but always hot when the outside temp. is low. So I think it is activated according to the outside temperature like the heated water spray nozzles.

AlphaPepper

· #4 · Nov 28, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (mmmmark)

Ditto what Mark said about the heaters being on all the time. A few Vortexers have had to replace their heating elements because of that.
If you leave the knob in the "R" position, the passenger mirror should tilt down every time you put the car in reverse. That's another cool feature.

..Alpha

ChicagoDave

· #5 · Nov 28, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (bk3104)

I guess my question is....how could you NOT know you already had folding mirrors?? RTFM, my friend.

Stargazer

· #6 · Nov 28, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (bk3104)

You can't fold the mirrors unless the car is at (or almost at) a full stop. Plus if you start to drive away while the mirrors are folded, they will automatically unfold over a certain speed (at least mine does). I use this feature all the time whenever I park.
As for the heating elements, I don't know about the new models, but on my 1999 Passat, the heat is always on if the switch is in the center position (with the heat icon).

bk3104

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 28, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (Stargazer)

On my previous '97 GTIVR6, the heated mirrors were always heated and in owning the car for nearly 4 years, they never burned out. Not sure if these are or not though.

WagonsEast

· #8 · Nov 28, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (bk3104)

Ahhhh, folding mirrors. If I'd only sprung for the GLX...

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Niall

· #9 · Nov 28, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (WagonsEast)

The Passat will heat continuously mirror heater if you leave the knob in the centre position. The temp dependent notion may comes from Audi. They seem to have a trait that they will only heat when the temp is below 4 degrees C.

ajchenmph

· #10 · Nov 28, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (AlphaPepper)

quote:[HR][/HR]If you leave the knob in the "R" position, the passenger mirror should tilt down every time you put the car in reverse. That's another cool feature.[HR][/HR]

Again, GLX models only...

bk3104

Discussion Starter · #11 · Nov 28, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (ajchenmph)

So, it sounds like the heated folding/reversing tilting mirror is a GLX "trick" then? Of course, as it's been pointed out to me, I should have RTFM too and I'm sure I'd have picked that up.

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LelloBeetle

· #12 · Dec 5, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (Stargazer)

Sorry to brudge up an old-ish topic but...
Stargazer wrote

quote:[HR][/HR]You can't fold the mirrors unless the car is at (or almost at) a full stop. Plus if you start to drive away while the mirrors are folded, they will automatically unfold over a certain speed (at least mine does). I use this feature all the time whenever I park.[HR][/HR]

I just want to clarify for new people here...am able to move my mirrors while driving, and this has worked at various speeds. Once when I was driving in a pouring rain on a freeway which was under construction, people were scared to drive next to the wall (because of no extra space). My husband was grumbling at me for going too fast (but darn the Passat just handles so well in wet weather conditions!), so to appease him I flipped the mirrors in (while driving about 80 mph) and took off in the fast lane (next to the wall/construction).
So, my mirrors DO work while driving.

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Stargazer

· #13 · Dec 5, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (LelloBeetle)

I guess it's one of the design changes with the facelifted models

.
And for additional clarification, my mirrors will only automatically unfold after a certain speed, when the knob is turned to L or R while the car is off.

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bk3104

Discussion Starter · #14 · Dec 5, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (LelloBeetle)

A woman after my own heart! Very cool story, and I can verify, as the starter of this thread, that when I accidentally folded mine in, I was cruising in the high speed lane at an indicated 80mph also.

thereds

· #15 · Dec 5, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (WagonsEast)

Is this for B5.5 only or B5 as well?

sbachmeier

· #16 · Dec 6, 2001

Re: Very cool mirror trick [sorta long] (thereds)

In a GLX, can you also talk on a wireless phone as you're folding your rear view mirrors inward whilst driving down the Interstate at legal (or hyper-legal) speeds? While you have a cheezeburger in your right hand (driving a manual transmission, of course)...

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