Why have these wires been cut...? (Interior mirror)

[Auspinks]

Hi guys,

I've recently bought a 2009 Scirocco GT TDI. I noticed that the interior auto dimming mirror wasn't working and on looking at the back of the mirror, it quickly became apparent why. The wire/put had been completely removed from the mirror. (Standard auto dimming mirror). The rain sensor also is not working.

I decided to trace the wires up into the interior reading light unit and found that three wires had been cut (I'm assuming those are the three mirror wires) and also another single wire looks to have been cut, coming from the interior light unit. The rain sensor wires have been cut and then crimped back with some extension wire. The rain sensor has also been super glued along with the cover that goes around the base of the mirror

I was wondering if anyone may have any theories on why these wires have been cut? Are there any known issues that can be caused by the auto dimming mirror not working correctly? There is a Parrot device installed in the car. I wonder if someone has just botched up a fitting job for the microphone? But then why would you cut those wires!

Here are a few photos (Apologies for the bad quality)

[chelspeed]

Lots of people find the auto dimming mirror to be a waste of space (like me). Some people find the green light on the mirror all the time saying the auto dimming is on to be really annoying (doesn't bother me). Perhaps someone cut the wires to lose the green light?

[Auspinks]

I hadn't thought of that actually, could be a potential reason! I'm just hoping that if/when I source the new bits to put it back to how it should be, that there aren't any other problems that become apparent. (Showing the real reason why the wires were cut). I might just be over thinking it though. Hopefully someone just decided to be a bit snip happy without any real reason, so can be fixed easily.

[Cuprabob]

Surely if you find the auto dimming mirror and/or green light annoying you just push the off button on the mirror to switch it off and not cut the wires.

[Auspinks]

It just doesn't make much sense. Does anything else happen within the reading light unit? Are the cabin motion sensors in there? I wonder if someone has been trying to do something with that...

[Auspinks]

Update

I managed to find a breaker who was willing to sell the mirror, rain sensor and part wiring look for the mirror (and sensor). (It's very difficult to find someone who is willing to cut into a wiring loom for you)

Fitted these and everything seems to be working fine now. Still have no idea why someone cut the wires.. oh well!

[WilloughbyyyR]

I'm no good at auto electrics but would be an ideal location for powering a dash cam?

[Auspinks]

I'm not sure on the voltage that goes into the interior mirror but I suppose if it was great enough you could use the wire to power a dash cam. Surely you would just tap into the wire though to do that instead of cutting it?

My best guess for this would be that the rain sensor has been faulty and someone, while trying to remove the sensor, has damaged/ripped off the cable going into the mirror. Instead of fixing this they've just removed the cable from the mirror and cut the cable in the reading light unit just so it doesn't look messy. Funny thing is they didn't even manage to fix/replace the rain sensor. The gel layer was missing and the front section was all scratched up!...On a plus point though, they did manage to crimp the wires successfully...

[Cuprabob]

It could have had the windscreen replaced and whoever done it was incompetent with regards to the rain sensor.

[jockspeed]

Hi Guys

I had a similar experience. The wires had been cut when the mirror and rain sensor were stolen.

Anyone know which wires go where in the plug to the rear of the mirror. The mirror plug has six wire positions and I have 4 wires.