210 driver's door mirror dimming

[welland99]

I'd like to know some more about the dimming capabilities of my driver's door mirror. I know there's some dark fluid between the front pane and the back panel. So:
1) How does the dimming work? Is the current tint permanent and fixed, or does it vary according to who is in the car.

 

[StevenN]

If its working its connected to the rear view mirror and its light sensor.
I would say it's one of those things you see when they are not working rather than when they do.
A lot of the time the electrolyte leaks out just leaving a pool in the bottom of the mirror.

 

[Major774]

How to tell if its broken? Once the seal is broken and leaking, your mirror should have a yellow colour to it.

How to test? It's quite easy to test out, when you are stuck in traffic at night. Look for the small light sensor in the rear view mirror. Just hold your hand over the sensor, and you will see your rear view mirror and driver's side door mirror change back to day mode. You should notice the headlights behind will be much brighter.

Final note... Try not to break it, the mirror alone costs £300+ (that's for a W211 version, not sure about W210).

 

[ringway]

I personally find the dimming mirrors on the 210 a damn nuisance, I'd go as far as to say they are dangerous.
Driving in the dark on some unlit roads (M42 is a prime example) I can barely see a thing. This has been the case on both the 210's I have owned.

I know that Halfords offer a custom-cut mirror glass replacement service for the 210 at around £29 per side (there may well be a less expensive option, elsewhere) and because the fluid is leaking in my O/S mirror, I think I'll get an non-tint glass replacement. If it's too bright (I doubt it) I'll apply a slightly tinted window film to the mirror glass.