The auto-dimmer on my '05 STR does not work, and I have decided to do something about it. Below is a pic of the mirror.

Read many of the forum posts on this subject. Sybesmas of Michigan says there is a 75% chance he can fix it for a total of $120, irrespective of parts and labor.
Radar-mirror of Texas says $99 to change the detector cell, more $$$ if more work and/or parts needed. Freight both ways and brokerage charges could add another $30-$40.

So I checked eBay. Loads of mirrors there, but the descriptions are really confusing. Some are described as suitable for S-types from 2003 - 2008, another for years 2006 - 2007 is not compatible with 2005, some have a compass option, some have a rain sensor option, and mirrors taken from 2003 STR's have 2 buttons, AUTO and OFF, in addition to the sensors.

So, my questions...
How do I know if I have the rain sensor option?
Do I need an exact physical and year match to be sure it will work?
Would the compass option work with my car?
Would a mirror from an '03 STR work on my car?
Any other questions I should be asking the Vendor?

Much appreciate any ideas and opinions.

 

What?

Has no one ever had a problem with the auto-dim rear-view mirror? My understanding is that the detector cells fail quite frequently.

Guess I'll take my chances with eBay and post results later on.

 

No they only fail rarely.

Just make sure it does not start leaking any fluid. I come from the Lincoln LS side and that fluid is known as Dragons Blood because it will mark/stain/eat up anything it comes in contact with.

So just look what's directly under your mirror and you don't want anything dripping!!

Most any mirror will work but it won't be correct. The STR should have auto-dimming, a compass and the wires for rain sensor wipers.
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Do you have an auto position on the w/s/w switch?

 

As has often been posted you can ask any jag franchise or jag themselves for your car's full spec. details.

 

Thanks Mikey, yes, I do. But I never did figure out just how it all worked. Is that the same thing as the AUTO button on the rear-view mirror of '03 STR's?

On other mirrors I have seen a compass shows up on the glass, but not on mine. Kinda glad about that.

 

The wipers should start, regulate their speed and stop all by themselves according to the intensity of the rain. 'Should' is the operative word.

No connection to the auto button on the mirror.

 

tbird6, my mirror just leaked (last night) the stuff you are talking about. I guess it is called electro-chromatic fluid? I cleaned it as best I could this morning but it did seam to leave a stain. Is there anything that will clean this off? I'm assuming it means my mirror is shot!

 

Not really. It's bad stuff and I don't know what it is. The Lincoln guys have never posted a cleaning solution that I have seen.

They only warn about letting it get on anything!

Yes that fluid is part of the auto-dimming feature and usually you will get shadows and dark spots on the mirror depending on how much leaks out.
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Mine doesn't work/auto-dim... No compass either... didn't know it even had that!

 

Was a compass available in 2003?

 

Mine is a 2002 and it has the compass. This mirror was changed in 2005 to an non fluid filled. I called the dealer and the want almost $500.00 for this mirror. The 2005 mirror is $110.00, but they say it will send all my warning lights into a panic...

And yes, it melted my ash tray door and left spots on the center console! Which sucks because my interior was perfect (my car only has just over 28,000 miles on it).

 

What is measuring the rain's intensity? From the way some eBay mirror ads are worded, e.g. "For S-types with no rain sensor", I assumed that there was some kind of optical detector built into the back of the mirror that sent a signal to the Auto setting on the w/s/w switch.

 

Yes, it's there. But the Auto button is for the electrochromatic feature of the mirror(s).

You could get the free JTIS and other things and read about this stuff if interested.

 

It's built into the windshield.

 

Here's why I was confused - below is an extract of the description given by an eBay vendor for an auto dim mirror that he was selling:

S TYPE 03 from VIN M45255, w/o compass display; w/rain sensing
S TYPE 04-08 w/o compass display; w/rain sensing
XJ8 03-05 w/o compass display

And there were several other vendors like that! If rain-sensing is built into the windshield, it can't possibly have anything to do with the auto dim mirror. Can it?

 

While the rain sensing wipers don't have anything to do with the mirror the wires for the rain sensor are run in the same bundle. If you do more reading you will find out about 7 wire and 3 wire mirrors. The extra wires are for the rain sensor/auto dimming and compass functions.

So you could install the rain sensor windshield but without the wires going up to the mirror the wipers would not work automatically.
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This has been an educational thread - thanks to all. A whole lot easier than reading JTIS, which I hate doing especially as it does not go beyond 2004.

 

To summarize - I got a used Gentex auto-dim mirror from a wrecker's yard for $75 and, on the advice of my Jag indie, went to Speedy Glass. They had the mirror replaced in 2 minutes, no charge!

Decided to do some reading, and for those who are interested...

In the beginning, there were 2 mirror manufacturers in North America, namely Gentex and Donnelly. Both were based in Michigan, but Donnelly was much larger than Gentex.

Research on the electrochromic mirror began in 1983 when Harlan Byker, a chemist, joined Gentex to head its research and development team.

When Gentex first announced the electrochromic mirror in 1986, it was hailed as a technological breakthrough. The mirrors contained a thin gel sandwiched between two pieces of glass. When the gel is electrically charged, it darkens, and when the charge is turned off, the gel clears.

Gentex took out patents covering its gel technology, which produced the mirror-dimming effect, and on its mirror system, which combined exterior and interior mirrors. The patents also summarized the research done by Gentex to seal in the corrosive gel, and thus prevent leaks.

Donnelly then announced that it would begin offering electrochromic mirrors. Gentex sued Donnelly in May 1990 for patent infringement. Gentex and Donnelly announced they would settle the patent dispute by becoming partners, but negotiations subsequently broke down.

Donnelly continued producing mirrors but, to avoid conflict with the Gentex patent, used a different process to seal in the gel between the glass. This process turned out to be a disaster, and it was never if, but when, a Donnelly mirror would leak. When that happened the gel would damage the dash and anything else it came into contact with. BMW in particular had many such problems, and eventually switched from Donnelly to Gentex.

If you have an auto-dimming mirror, check the brand name on the back. If it's Donnelly and you love your car, take steps to prevent an almost certain disaster. I have yet to hear of a Gentex auto-dim mirror that leaked.