Galco

Last night I discovered a feature I didn't know about and don't recall a reference in the manual and thought I would share(it may be in the manual, if so, no flames please).

The rear view and side view mirrors have an electronic dimming function for night driving that is activated by the cabin accent lighting button. Many of you may be familiar with the cabin accent light button at the forward end of the overhead console, just above the rear view mirror. What I wasn't aware of is when you deactivate the interior cabin lights, it activates the auto dimming function of the mirrors. I turned off the cabin lights the other night as it was creating a bit of eye strain. After a few moments I looked up at the review mirror and noticed the view of the headlights behind me were MUCH dimmer than before, as was the view from the side mirrors. I turn the cabin accent lighting back on and the view from the mirrors got brighter.

Nice feature and further demonstrates the strides Audi has taken to make the A8 a refined drivers car.

Brozee

Yeap, it dims them, also adds a blueish tint to your rearview and side mirrors to dull the brightness of car's headlights from behind. Although I swore that it is automatically always on, maybe just a little more effective when the cabin lights are turned off. I usually turn them off when I drive alone at night.

MP4.2+6.0

Had this in my 2000 A6 too--electrochromic mirrors. Can put your finger over it in the right place and get them to undim, say if you just want that warm feeling the helpful officer is behind you keeping things safe. Some other brands have a switch for this.

kastockton

My light sensor must be kaput then as my inside rear view mirror does not dim at all no matter if the light switch is on or off. I drive 95% of the time without cabin background lighting and have been using the rear sun screen as a dimmer which bugs me. Any idea on cost of replacement for the light sensor?

MP4.2+6.0

which in turn you should be able to find on ebay/at wrecking yards on line (for your interior trim color that is).

Make sure the feature does not work on ALL mirrors, both inside and out. If so, it is indeed probably the sensor. If not, may be the mirror glass/specific mirror(s) at issue. In the case of the inside one, one and the same of course.

Also, look for something dumb like a sensor that has been covered up w/ a sticker, got a bug or lint stuck in it or whatever.

tjf

I'm not positive, but I think the mirror dimming is also enabled / disabled by the cabin lighting mode. I think if you have it set for city, it disables it.

Brozee

I actually have mine set in city mode all the time so that all the lights are on the brightest setting for all passengers inside the car for ambient lighting, and I know for sure that the auto dim/ blue tint works in this setting.

Galco

Interesting as mine doesn't work in City but does in Highway. What do you suppose you're doing to activate dimming while in the City mode? Also what year is your car, as it may be the difference?

darry_99

Try changing interior lighting to highway mode. When I put it in City mode for my 06 A8, footwell lights also come on, but autodimming feature seems to be off. I thought my autodimming didn't work when i first got the car, but it turned out that it was the City setting according to the dealer. Highway mode works fine.

MikeNSX

Tonight, for the first time I noticed an interior light strip which lights up the inside door arm rest. WAY COOL. I've never noticed it before. The bright overhead cabin lights overpower it most times.

Where else is this interior LED ambient light hidden?