Here is How to Adjust Tesla Mirrors!

Last updated on April 18th, 2023 at 11:17 pm

Like everything else on a Tesla, it is easy to adjust the mirrors at any time if you don’t like their position. 

You may want to get a better view or clean your mirrors hence your need to adjust the mirrors. Well, whatever your reason may be, the steps for adjusting the mirrors remain the same.

To adjust Tesla mirrors, go to the touch screen and select the car icon to show the controls. Then, choose mirrors. You can choose the left or right mirror. Afterward, you can adjust with the right-side scroll on the vehicle’s steering wheel.

This article explains how you can adjust your Tesla’s exterior mirrors from the comfort of your car seat or using other nifty features.

Steps to Adjust the External Mirrors In a Tesla

You can adjust the exterior mirrors on your Tesla without touching them; you don’t even need to get out of your Tesla. 

The touchscreen in the car and the scroll on your steering wheel are all you need to adjust the exterior mirrors.

To adjust the exterior mirrors on your Tesla, follow the steps below.

• Go to the touch screen and select the car icon
• Next, select controls > mirrors.
• Press the left button on the steering wheel to select the mirror you’ll be adjusting.
• Roll the left scroll button up or down to move the mirror up or down.
• Move the scroll button to the left or right to move the car mirror inward or outward.

How Do You Adjust Mirror Brightness in Tesla?

Tesla says that some environmental conditions can cause the car’s rearview mirrors and exterior side mirrors to dim automatically.

For instance, you are driving on a dark road or in other low-light conditions. Also, the feature reduces the glare from the car’s bright headlights behind you. 

So, your rearview mirror or side mirrors going dark at night is not an accident. 

While this is a safety feature, some customers find it uncomfortable; since the dim is automatic, it can come on at any time and takes some time.

Drivers of specific models, especially the Model 3, Model Y, and Model X, have complained that they find it challenging to use mirrors at night because they need to be more brightly lit. 

But you can disable this feature or enable it using the controls. When you get to the controls, select the mirrors and then auto-dim. Again, you can choose to enable or disable the auto-dim feature.

Can You Adjust Tesla Mirrors Manually?

The owner’s manual also says you can manually fold and unfold the mirrors. First, touch controls, then select fold/unfold. 

If you fold the mirrors manually, they will remain folded. But you can drive up to 50 km/h or manually unfold them. You cannot drive up to 50 km/h with a folded mirror. 

You can also set the auto fold feature on your Tesla. The car mirrors will automatically fold whenever you exit your vehicle and lock it. 

To enable the feature, go to controls, touch the car icon and then mirror auto fold. With the auto fold, the mirrors will unfold when you unlock your Tesla. 

You can manually fold the mirrors if you have an earlier Tesla Model S. To do that, roll down the windows, and twist the mirrors inward or outward with your hands.

Or, you can use your hands to fold or unfold the mirrors. You can override the automatic folding or unfold at any time. 

To fold, push the mirror assembly toward you, and to unfold, push the mirror assembly away from you. That is especially useful for the model 3 Tesla as it has no power.

You can push your car mirror out by hand, and you’ll need to push or pull once to have the mirrors fold or unfold completely. 

The gears can be plastic or cable-driven. However, if the mirrors are stuck, keep them from being forced. Instead, push or pull very slightly, and if it doesn’t work, let it go. 

After you’ve pushed the mirror back in place, you can press the button to reset the auto fold. 

If either of the mirrors leans more towards the front or the back, you can gently push until it snaps back in place. 

Why is My Tesla Mirror Auto Fold Not Working?

Tesla has equipped all its models with folding mirrors, but some earlier models don’t have electrically folding mirrors. 

All the new Tesla models, Model X, Model Y, Model S, and Model 3, have the auto fold feature. The features are location-based auto-folding mirrors. 

With the Tesla auto fold, the mirrors angle inward, closer to the door by pivoting on the bracket that extends from the car’s door. 

The auto fold happens when the driver gets out of the car and locks it.

Auto fold protects the car mirrors from damage that can result from scratching against the wall or breaking if the driver enters a tight spot.

It also allows more room so people can walk by if the parking lot is crowded. However, Tesla says that if you’re expecting ice buildup, you should turn off auto fold to protect the mirrors.

So, if you’ve activated auto fold on your vehicle and it’s no longer working, it could be due to one of the following reasons. 

#1. Ice Buildup 

Cold weather can cause ice to build up around the base of the Tesla mirror, and this is especially likely during the winter. The ice buildup will cause a jam, and the auto fold may not work. 

If there is an ice jam around your mirrors, you can use warm water to melt the ice before trying the auto-fold again. If you’re at home, you can also use a hair dryer to melt the ice around the mirror.

#2. Location Auto Fold

Tesla says that you can customize the auto fold feature on your car so that mirrors will automatically fold when you arrive at a particular location. i.e., your home.

With location auto-fold, as soon as you approach the preset location, the mirrors will fold and unfold once you’ve arrived within 25 feet of the location. 

However, the mirrors may fold partially if you’ve saved a location and drive above three mph/5 kph. 

To make sure that your mirrors automatically fold when you reach a saved location, you must be driving below three mph.

You can also disable location auto-fold if it becomes a  hassle for you using these steps; 

• Drive to the saved location, i.e., your home, and go to the auto fold setting. 
• You’ll see an X next to the Auto fold set at this location.
• Click on the X, and you will cancel the location auto-fold. 

Additionally, you can override automatic folding and unfold at any time. For example, push the mirror assembly away from you to unfold and pull it towards you to fold. 

#3. Desynced Mirrors

Your mirrors can become desynced when only one of the two mirrors folds or unfolds. That is because one of the mirrors responds to the auto fold. 

You know the mirrors are desynced when only one folds and the other remains unfolded. Unfortunately, a lot of Tesla drivers say it’s the passenger side mirror that doesn’t unfold.

If that happens when you’re driving, park the car, lock and unlock it, and everything should go back to normal. You can also use the button on the screen to fold and unfold the mirrors.

Once you’ve enabled auto-fold on your Tesla, it should work until you disable it. 

This table summarises the possible causes for mirror auto-fold failure on your Tesla.

Cause of Auto-fold Failure	Solutions
Ice buildup around the mirrors	Melt the ice with hot water or a hair dryer
Location Auto-fold	Disable location auto fold if malfunction persists
Desynced mirrors	Unlock the car and relock it

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