What to Do When the Rearview Mirror of a Corolla Becomes Blurry After Rain?
2 Answers
Electrically heated rearview mirrors work by heating the wires embedded behind the mirror, gradually raising the mirror surface temperature to over 40°C to accelerate the evaporation of moisture on the mirror. Rain deflectors are suitable for use when the rain is not too heavy, but their effectiveness significantly diminishes during heavy rain, ensuring only about one-third of the rearview mirror remains clear. When a glass treated with a water repellent gets wet, small water droplets form into round beads that can easily roll off the rearview mirror with a slight shake or breeze.
I've been driving for over 20 years and have encountered the issue of unclear rearview mirrors in rainy weather too many times. If it's a base model Corolla without heating function, water droplets covering the mirrors can indeed be annoying. I usually first check if the rearview mirror heating switch is turned on - in higher trim models, pressing the windshield defogger button simultaneously activates the heating. If this function isn't available, I use soapy water as an emergency solution, simply rubbing a bar of soap directly on the mirror surface a few times makes rainwater immediately form droplets and slide off. Normally I keep a dry cloth in the car and can wipe the mirrors a couple times when stopped at intersections. For a long-term solution, I recommend installing heated mirror lenses - it costs less than 300 yuan to DIY, just buy the matching model on Taobao. After modification, connect it to the vehicle's electrical system with button-controlled heating, which is particularly worry-free. When driving in rain, extra caution is needed when changing lanes, and side windows should be frequently checked too.
