Rear view mirrors (BMW 5 Series E39)

Exterior rear view mirrors

By pressing the button, the mirrors are pressed against the body or moved apart, which is convenient when driving through a car wash, when driving along narrow streets, and also for returning the mirrors to their original position if they were accidentally moved forward.

You can press the mirrors against the body only when the car is stationary or at a speed of no more than 10 km/h.

The position of the mirrors can also be adjusted manually by turning them by the glass frame.

For information on the operation of the device that remembers the settings of the mirrors, as well as the steering wheel and seat, please refer to the materials below in this Section.

Attention, the aspherically curved part of the reflective surface provides, with some image distortion, a larger viewing sector compared to the inner, convex part. As a result, the rear viewing angle increases and the so-called "dead" zone is reduced.



The mirror farthest from the driver has a more convex reflective surface compared to the mirror on the driver's door. Objects visible in it seem further away than they actually are. Therefore, it is only conditionally suitable for assessing the distance to vehicles moving behind. The same applies to the outer aspherically curved part of the mirror.

Electric heating

Both mirrors are heated automatically depending on the air temperature when the ignition key is turned to position 2.

Rear view mirror in the cabin

To reduce the blinding effect of the headlights of cars driving behind you, you need to turn a small lever.

Cosmetic mirrors with lighting

To use the mirror, fold the sun visor down and, if the mirror is closed, slide its cover to the side.

The mirror illumination is switched on when the ignition key is set to position 1.

Sun visors

The visors can not only be folded down, but also moved to the side windows.

Anti-glare rear view mirror in the cabin

The reflectivity of the mirror is automatically and smoothly reduced depending on the brightness of the general lighting and the blinding effect of the headlights of cars behind.



When reverse gear is engaged or the AT control lever is moved to position R, the mirror automatically switches to full reflection mode without dimming.



For the mirror to function properly, it is important that its photocells are not obstructed and kept clean. A forward-facing light sensor in the mirror housing measures the light intensity in front of the vehicle. A second light sensor is located in the mirror itself. An electronic adjustment system compares the light intensity values in front and behind. The difference in values is the determining factor for changing the electrical voltage on the liquid crystal layer of the mirror. This layer reacts to voltage changes and ensures smooth darkening of the mirror. Thus, there is no need to adjust the degree of darkening of the mirror yourself, which allows the driver to fully concentrate on the road.

Anti-glare mirror set

Both exterior rear-view mirrors are also designed with the ability to automatically reduce the reflective effect. In addition, using the 3 key (illustration), they can be folded and opened again to the sides.

(This publication was borrowed from an online resource: BMWMAN.ru)