Motorists left baffled by mystery button on rear view mirror… so do you know what it’s for?
Motorists left baffled by mysterious button on rear-view mirror… so do you know what it’s for?
- People take to social media to ask what the little button does
Drivers confused about the function of a ‘mystery button’ on their rear-view mirror have found that it dims the mirror to reduce glare from headlights.
Some, but not all, vehicles have the button which is very useful when driving at night and would make night drives safer.
It looks like an on/off button and is located on the underside of the rearview mirror on several models.
Motorists ask via social media what the small button does.
“I’ve had my Jeep for almost four years now and I still have no idea what this button does,” someone wrote on Reddit.
Not all cars have the button, but it is said to make driving at night safer (stock image)
Another asked, “What’s this button on my rearview mirror for?”
One of them commented, ‘Just a guess – auto dimming? When a car’s headlights shine and hit a sensor, your mirror automatically tints so you don’t get blinded by it?’
The SEAT website explained: ‘The auto-dimming rear-view mirror offers greater safety when driving at night, as you are not dazzled by traffic behind you.
‘It consists of a mirror element and an electronic system that detects light from the front and from behind by means of photo sensors.
“If the amount of light from behind is greater than that from the front, the mirror will be darkened.”
Some models have two buttons, an ‘on’ and an ‘off’ switch.
Mazda said on their website, “If auto-dimming is on, your rear view mirror will automatically darken to reduce glare from headlights.
“There’s a taillight sensor that can detect when a vehicle behind you is shining its headlights at your mirrors.
“The auto dimming function is activated every time the vehicle is started.”