How to Adjust the Interior Rearview Mirror?
4 Answers
Adjusting the interior rearview mirror is quite simple. The principle is to align the horizon to the center of the mirror and ensure a full view of the rear windshield. Before adjusting, it's essential to sit in your usual and comfortable driving posture. The basic principles for seat adjustment are comfort, clear visibility, and ease of steering wheel use. Here are the functions of the interior rearview mirror: 1. Judging distance: This includes the distance between the following vehicle and your car, as well as the distance from obstacles behind when reversing. Maintaining proper distance from surrounding vehicles while driving can significantly reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents. 2. If the vehicle ahead brakes suddenly, the driver can observe the following vehicles through the rearview mirror and adjust the driving distance based on their movement, thereby effectively avoiding rear-end collisions.
I like adjusting the rearview mirror to a position where I can just fully see the rear window. First, adjust the seat for comfort, lean back naturally, and use your hand to push the mirror upward—letting only the sky appear at the very top edge while clearly seeing the entire outline of the rear windshield below. Remember to leave the left and right borders of the rear window in the mirror as reference points for accurate distance judgment. When driving, just glance at the rearview mirror without moving your head—only your eyes should move. Once, I got really annoyed by the high beams of a car behind me late at night, only to realize that flipping the anti-glare lever slightly tilts the entire mirror upward, instantly turning the light into a dim yellow—a lifesaver for long night drives. For those who’ve switched to a streaming rearview mirror, note that the camera’s installation angle directly determines the field of view, requiring more precision than adjusting a traditional mirror.
The rearview mirror is actually a safety necessity. I'm used to adjusting the mirror with my left hand while holding the steering wheel with my right, as this posture is closer to the actual driving position. The core principle is to ensure the entire rear window view fits into the mirror, with the horizon positioned slightly above the center. This way, you can see the road behind and also catch a glimpse of the car roof. Never adjust the mirror to only reflect your face—that would be absurd. In rainy weather, make sure there's no moisture blocking the mirror. If the rear window defroster is broken in an older car, the mirror may fog up. If the view appears whitish, check the defogging function. On long trips, glance at the rearview mirror position every two hours, as bumpy roads can easily shake it out of alignment.
The three-step mirror adjustment method has been taught to many beginners: 1. Sit upright with your back straight; 2. Reach out and touch the rear window glass; 3. Find your palm in the mirror. This way, the mirror is perfectly aligned with the rear. The key is to balance the rear view and reference points on the car body. I usually leave a portion of the left and right rear door handles visible at the bottom of the mirror—changes in their position help judge the distance of vehicles behind. For foldable rearview mirrors that get knocked over, press the bottom pivot to reset them; forcing the mirror could break the clips. For cars with dark tinted windows, remember to lower the mirror angle at night to reduce internal reflection interference.
