# Red lights under rearview mirror?



## joshieca (May 23, 2005)

I just noticed that there are two red lights on the underside of the rearview mirror that point down toward the center radio/dvd nav/air-con/heating stack....anyone know what these are for? They are not really bright enough to be used as "reading" or map lights.


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## mml7 (Dec 3, 1999)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (joshieca)*

They're just for ambience


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## henna gaijin (Jun 30, 2005)

Mood lighting.
They can be Vag'd to blink like a disco ...

Just kidding!


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## archrenov8 (Nov 22, 2003)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (joshieca)*

My 1990 SAAB 9000 had red ambiant lights behind the rear view mirror that cast a soft glow to the dashboard, just to help you find the buttons and knobs more easily. Glad to see that the Treg took this to the next level.


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## CitationJet (Oct 25, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (archrenov8)*

They help me get in the mood. If you know what I mean


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## joshieca (May 23, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (CitationJet)*

Really thats it? Hmmm...








Thanks for the response.


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## CitationJet (Oct 25, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (joshieca)*

I wish they did something too. The phrase "Beam me up Scotty" comes to mind. My lights are green though. I would have preferred red. Oh well.


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## henna gaijin (Jun 30, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (CitationJet)*


_Quote, originally posted by *CitationJet* »_My lights are green though. I would have preferred red. Oh well. 

Green lights on the face of the mirror, red lights on the bottom.
You have them, too, sport.


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## 4x4s (Dec 18, 2003)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (CitationJet)*


_Quote, originally posted by *CitationJet* »_I wish they did something too. The phrase "Beam me up Scotty" comes to mind. My lights are green though. I would have preferred red. Oh well. 

The green light is an indicator that your autodimming mirror is turned on. The switch next to it is used to turn it off. (RTFM







)
Hold your hand under the mirror, you will see the shine from the red lights that are being talked about.


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (4x4s)*


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## cybulman (Dec 18, 2003)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (CitationJet)*

Yes, just like one of the guys said...they help you find knobs and buttons.








Cy


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## CitationJet (Oct 25, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (cybulman)*

Oh, is the manual that large book that I put in the glove compartment. Damn, I knew it was good for something, just slipped my mind what it was for.


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## 4x4s (Dec 18, 2003)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (CitationJet)*


_Quote, originally posted by *CitationJet* »_Oh, is the manual that large book that I put in the glove compartment. Damn, I knew it was good for something, just slipped my mind what it was for. 

I suspect your response was somewhat in jest. 
Personally, I am one of those folks who reads an owners manual cover to cover for virtually anything I buy. Toaster? RTFM. Camera? RTFM. Lawn Mower? RTFM. A car? Most definately RTFM! And I will sometimes pull one out and read it through again, just for the heck of it.
Perhaps it's a sickness. Anyone else do this?


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## bayarealondoner (Jun 29, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (joshieca)*

The red lights are to preserve your night vision and presumably you could read an address or read a map by holding it under the mirror.


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## CitationJet (Oct 25, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (4x4s)*


_Quote, originally posted by *4x4s* »_I suspect your response was somewhat in jest.

Yes, it was completely in jest. Just trying to lighten things up.


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## joshieca (May 23, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (spockcat)*


_Quote, originally posted by *spockcat* »_























Perhaps you can show me where in the manual it talks about these lights? I couldn't find it.


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## CitationJet (Oct 25, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (joshieca)*

I think spock was referring to the autodimming mirror feature and not the red map lights. I'm pretty sure that the map lights aren't in the manual.


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## joshieca (May 23, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (CitationJet)*


_Quote, originally posted by *CitationJet* »_I think spock was referring to the autodimming mirror feature and not the red map lights. I'm pretty sure that the map lights aren't in the manual. 

Ah. ok, yeah I saw that about the mirror, but nothing about those red lights....thanks.


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## Trekker76 (Jul 26, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (joshieca)*

The '06 Passat has them as well. 
Trekker


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (CitationJet)*


_Quote, originally posted by *CitationJet* »_I think spock was referring to the autodimming mirror feature and not the red map lights. I'm pretty sure that the map lights aren't in the manual. 

Correct. 3.1.73

_Quote, originally posted by *joshieca* »_Ah. ok, yeah I saw that about the mirror, but nothing about those red lights....thanks.

Also correct. Not mentioned there but discussed several times over the past two years. Put some black electrical tape over the lights and you will see how they effect the cabin.


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## cybulman (Dec 18, 2003)

Whatever it is:
RTMF
Read the MO FO!
Cy


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## AFC (Aug 16, 2004)

on my rearview mirror, the red light on the right side is gone, any procedures to change the bulb ?


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## pcrippen (Nov 19, 2005)

Quote, originally posted by CitationJet »
Oh, is the manual that large book that I put in the glove compartment. Damn, I knew it was good for something, just slipped my mind what it was for.
I suspect your response was somewhat in jest.
Personally, I am one of those folks who reads an owners manual cover to cover for virtually anything I buy. Toaster? RTFM. Camera? RTFM. Lawn Mower? RTFM. A car? Most definately RTFM! And I will sometimes pull one out and read it through again, just for the heck of it.
Perhaps it's a sickness. Anyone else do this?
Does the term 'anal' mean anything to you?







.


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## rhworks (Sep 15, 2003)

I actually retrofitted my B5 Passat with an overhead console from a B5.5 W8 to get those red lights. Going from the Touareg into the Passat seemed like going blind into a dark cave. Amazing what just a little red light can do to help... Even better now with my ipod setup, I can poke at it with just a bit of peripheral vision.


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## flyboy104g (May 3, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (4x4s)*


_Quote, originally posted by *4x4s* »_
Personally, I am one of those folks who reads an owners manual cover to cover for virtually anything I buy. Toaster? RTFM. Camera? RTFM. Lawn Mower? RTFM. A car? Most definately RTFM! And I will sometimes pull one out and read it through again, just for the heck of it.
Perhaps it's a sickness. Anyone else do this?

You must have some German blood inside you.
I have always read every instruction book for anything I own. I think Germans are all like that. 
Even when I worked for MB and had a new Company Car every three months I always read the manual - it was part of my 'ritual'







Frohe Weihnachten - Merry Christmas


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## thomsens (May 20, 2003)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (4x4s)*


_Quote, originally posted by *4x4s* »_Personally, I am one of those folks who reads an owners manual cover to cover for virtually anything I buy. Toaster? RTFM. Camera? RTFM. Lawn Mower? RTFM. A car? Most definately RTFM! And I will sometimes pull one out and read it through again, just for the heck of it.


cover to cover? No way. Real manuals are written to such a low comprehension level these days that my ADD tendancies kick in and I skip all around at best. The VW one is particularly annoying due to the "section" approach they used and how difficult it is to read it in that binder. That keeps me from spending too much time on it. I wonder if there is an online version...I need the ability to search it - the paper version is taxing to me.
BTW, no one reads toaster manuals


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## flyboy104g (May 3, 2005)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (thomsens)*


_Quote, originally posted by *thomsens* »_
I wonder if there is an online version...I need the ability to search it - the paper version is taxing to me.


Isn't it on the CD (not the navi CD/DVD) that comes with the car? 
I know I have the German version of the manual on a CD I received from Germany.


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (flyboy104g)*


_Quote, originally posted by *flyboy104g* »_Isn't it on the CD (not the navi CD/DVD) that comes with the car? 
I know I have the German version of the manual on a CD I received from Germany.

VW never did the interactive manual on CD in English. That is why we have so many problems with the car in the US and Canada. We all have ADD here.


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## dschlei (Nov 9, 2004)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (flyboy104g)*


_Quote, originally posted by *flyboy104g* »_
You must have some German blood inside you.
I have always read every instruction book for anything I own. I think Germans are all like that. 
Even when I worked for MB and had a new Company Car every three months I always read the manual - it was part of my 'ritual'







Frohe Weihnachten - Merry Christmas









My wife claims that I am the oonly person she has ever met who reads the manuals! In fact, she offers my manual reading service/ability to her friends when they buy new stuff!








Manuals are actually easy to read compared with the tons of Federal Registers that I have to read to earn my daily living!










_Modified by dschlei at 11:28 AM 12-1-2005_


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## 4x4s (Dec 18, 2003)

*Re: Red lights under rearview mirror? (flyboy104g)*


_Quote, originally posted by *flyboy104g* »_
You must have some German blood inside you... 

Nope. Half Sweedish though, so maybe it's a northern European thing.








And yes, I did read the toaster manual.


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