WagonWheel

So, I'm the newest owner of an 07 IS250 AWD and just learning about this car. One thing that immediately caught my attention is that the interior rearview mirror looks awful. It has scratches that look like they are beneath the surface and the glass looks worn well beyond its 9 year old life. OEM mirror replacement is $700+.

Anyone else experience this issue, and are there any more cost-effective solutions? It would be great to just replace the glass, but that looks difficult.

Bichon

Yes, it a failure of the electrochromatic (auto-dimming) coating. There is a company that repairs them for $99: http://www.radar-mirror.com/Mirror_Repair.html

SwedeMetal

This is the first thing I did to my 08 IS350. My mirror had same issues, they all do. You have 3 options.

1. Buy a whole unit on eBay used/pulled/junked yarded
2. Send yours to radar mirror to be fixed
3. Buy a better aftermarket mirror from GENTEX.

I did #3 and buy the Framless with HomelinkV5 and did the install carefully after looking at schematics for days. The install is very easy if you can solder well and know how the wires are coded coming out of the headliner.

If you choose to replace the mirror with a new Gentex style, let me know and I can help you.

top5

Or if you dont care for an auto dimming mirror or home link your cheapest alternative would be to buy a Broadway mirror

SwedeMetal

Sure you can also do that. =) I spent $250 on the Gentex frameless and REALLY like it. I need to post a pic.

The cool thing with HomelinkV5 is the 2 way communication with the mirror and garage door. The HL icon and the up or down arrow shows on the mirror itself and then disappears.

I can be at 7-11 down the street getting a blueberry coffee and say "aww sht, did i close my garage door?" and press two buttons on the mirror and it will tell me the status if the door is UP or DOWN. Also the range is insane... I can hit my mirror when i first turn onto the main street which is maybe 500 feet from my house and it triggers the opener.

WagonWheel

Thanks for the quick answers, guys. SwedeMetal, is there a plug-and-play installation available? I don't trust my soldering skills.

Bichon

IIRC, one thing that the OEM mirror does is to output a signal that lets the side view mirrors know when to dim. Does yours retain that functionality?

SwedeMetal

Bichon - My sister has a Bichon Freeze (sp)? Legit dog, very fluffy and soft with a cool white afro, very similar to your avatar pic.

The Gentex frameless I bought for $249 does *not* support the EC+ and EC- so it will not send the dimming signal to the side mirrors. I was not even aware that my side mirrors dimmed at all so it's not a feature I miss... When I went to wire it I was like "hey where is the EC+ and EC- that I see in this diagram" and then I called Gentex support and they confirmed it does not support that extra EC+/EC- to the side mirrors.

Gentex does make EC+/EC- capable mirrors but not in the frameless style and only those that have rearview mirror function built in. I wanted the sleek look of the frameless and really do enjoy it. I read a stat somewhere that drivers check their rearview mirror like once every 15 seconds? lol..

Mine is the 50-genk80a model without compass. I didnt wanna pony up another $100 just for a silly compass. I'm old enough now to know what direction I am traveling in.

WagonWheel - No plug and play that I am aware of. I had to hunt for and then very carefully study diagrams and then carefully map the wires and "convert" the various colors so that it worked right. I cut the white clip off of factory mirror and soldered it to the new mirror and I tucked the EC+/EC- wires out of the way.

The easiest thing u can do is buy a pulled mirror on eBay that came out of an 07 IS250 AWD which will be a true plug and play. I think you are in $200 ballpark on something like that. You are $100 for a fix to radar but you have to send it in...

I still have my original 2008 is350 factory mirror in the garage that I need to put on eBay to help recoup some of the Gentex cost. Mine is in OK SHAPE, its not nearly as bad as some I have seen, and all of the features work, I just wanted a totally mint condition mirror...

jeez that is a long post

tomiv9

I just noticed my mirror has a bunch of smudges. Looks filthy, but wont come clean. I assume this is same issue. Does anyone have a DIY on how to remove the mirror?

SwedeMetal

The mirror is held by one hex screw and is clipped in with a harness. There is also a plastic "shroud" that covers the wires going up into headliner. Loosen the screw, slide mirror up, and just pop the shroud cover off and unplug the harness. It's very easy.

Bichon

Thanks, Bichon Frises rock!

If you have navigation, there is a compass in the upper left corner of the screen, so you won't need it to tell what direction you are going. Though as a tech geek I enjoy having it displayed anyway.

WagonWheel

Thanks guys, this is great info!