Does the Civic have auto-folding mirrors when locking the car?
4 Answers
The Civic does not have an auto-folding mirror function. Mirror classification: Mirror folding can be divided into two types. One is manual, where the driver must reach out the window or exit the vehicle to fold the mirrors when needed, which is both inconvenient and unsafe. This type of folding mirror is now rare. The other type is electric, which is more common. Its advantage is that the driver can fold the mirrors from inside the car, and the mirrors will automatically unfold when the vehicle is started. Precautions for using mirrors: For the interior rearview mirror, adjust the left and right positions so that the left edge of the mirror just cuts off your right ear in the reflection. This means that under normal driving conditions, you cannot see yourself in the interior rearview mirror. For the up and down positions, simply place the distant horizon in the center of the mirror.
I have this feature on my 10th-gen Civic Sport Turbo. The side mirrors automatically fold when locking the car, which is super convenient. This mainly depends on your trim level - higher trims with power-folding mirrors can usually be set to auto-fold. If your mirrors can only be folded manually, then this definitely won't work. First check if there's a small button with wavy lines on the driver's door panel. If present, go to the infotainment settings and look for Vehicle Settings → Body → Mirror Fold option, then enable auto mode. Don't lose hope if you own an older base-model Civic - you can install an aftermarket module for a few hundred bucks. There are online tutorials if you're handy, though it requires door panel removal, wiring, and connecting to the fuse box, which can be tricky.
My 11th-gen Civic Sport comes with auto-folding mirrors as standard. The salesperson told me this feature is equipped across the entire lineup when I bought it. Just hold the lock button on the key fob for 3 seconds, or simply touch the door handle sensor, and the mirrors will fold automatically. Note that some older models require activation via the infotainment screen: Start the engine, go to Settings → Vehicle → Setup → Door/Window → Enable Auto-Folding Mirrors. Remember to disable this function in winter, especially in snowy northern areas - forced folding can burn out the motor (learned from experience). Recently helped a friend retrofit a 2019 model by adding folding motors and a control module, labor alone cost over 300 yuan.
Whether the Civic has this feature depends on the model year and trim. My 2017 EX-L trim has it, but my friend's same-year LX trim requires manually folding the mirrors. The key difference lies in whether the mirror base has motorized drive. If your car has power-folding mirrors but they don't auto-fold, it's likely the setting isn't activated. With the engine off, hold the lock button for 5 seconds without releasing - watch for the turn signals to flash twice consecutively (this is Honda's hidden activation method). For retrofits, I recommend OBD plug-and-play modules that don't require wire cutting - just plug into the port under the steering wheel. Pro tip: Always enable auto-fold in tight parking spots - last week my mirror got scratched because I forgot to fold it in, absolutely heartbreaking.
