Power Mirrors - Operation

OPERATION

POWER OPERATED OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS





The power operated outside rear view mirrors are connected to battery current at all times. Each mirror head contains two electric motors, two drive mechanisms, an electric heating element and the mirror glass. First, a mirror selector switch button (2) is depressed in the driver door power switch module (1) to determine whether the mirror adjuster switch (3) will have control over the right or left mirror. If the vehicle is equipped with the high current door power switch module configuration, hard wired ground and battery current outputs to each power mirror motor determine whether the horizontal or the vertical motor will be operated and the polarity of those outputs control the direction in which the motor will move the drive unit and mirror glass.

Power mirror and mirror switch functionality is the same with the low current configuration; however, the driver door power switch module sends power mirror switch status messages over the Local Interface Network (LIN) data bus to the driver front door control module. The driver front door control module then controls the high current outputs to the driver door mirror motors or sends electronic request messages over the Controller Area Network (CAN) Interior High Speed (IHS) data bus to the passenger front door control module to control high current outputs to the passenger door mirror motors.

The power mirror switch is diagnosed using a scan tool, Testing and Inspection for the appropriate information.

AUTOMATIC DIMMING REAR VIEW MIRRORS





An automatic dimming inside rear view mirror (1) is an available option. The automatic lighted dimming mirror switch (3) allows the driver a manual control of whether the automatic dimming feature is operational. This switch is a momentary push button switch located on the lower rearward-facing surface of the mirror housing. When ON is selected, the switch illuminates to indicate that the automatic dimming mirror is turned ON. When OFF is selected, the LED is extinguished. If the vehicle is equipped with an optional driver side automatic dimming outside rear view mirror, the operation of that mirror is controlled by the same switch and inputs as the inside rear view mirror.

The automatic dimming mirrors are able to automatically change their reflectance level. A thin layer of electrochromic material between two pieces of conductive glass make up the face of the mirror. Two photocell sensors are used to monitor light levels and adjust the reflectance of both the inside and driver side outside mirrors. This change in reflectance helps to reduce the glare of headlamps approaching the vehicle from the rear.

The ambient photocell light sensor faces forward, to detect the outside light levels. The headlamp photocell light sensor (2) is located on the mirror face to one side of the switch and facing rearward, to detect the light level received at the rear window side of the mirror. When the difference between the two light levels becomes too great (the light level received at the rear of the mirror is much higher than that at the front of the mirror), the mirror begins to darken. The mirror also monitors the backup lamp circuit, and will automatically disable its self-dimming feature whenever the transmission gear selector is in the REVERSE position.