Installing an auto-dimming, homelink mirror in an SC...
12-04-11, 05:49 PM
#1
Installing an auto-dimming, homelink mirror in an SC...
I posted a brief description on this install in another post but didn't have pics. I just rewired mine so that I could use the built-in radar/lazer system on my car and took pics this time to help those who want to install this mirror.
I wanted one as I have two garages and hate having the stupid boxes hanging from the visor. The factory mirrors are manually-switched electrochromatic as well but yours may have darkened like mine after 20 years of use. This mirror will restore full view
These mirrors are made by Gentex and are OEM in many cars (Hyundai, Lexus, Nissan, and Subaru). This one comes with homelink buttons for 3 openers (or program one or more of the buttons for home lighting) and a compass. Some also come with temp readouts, ambient lighting, and even displays for rear-view cameras and other things. If you want a red compass display check out Nissans, most of them have it. These are also available aftermarket and are marketed by the Mito Corporation for installers. You can also find them on e-Bay from a couple dozen different sellers and these come complete with wiring and mounts.
I got this one from a wrecked 2007 Hyundai Azera Limited and if you get a used one like I did you will need to source a 10-pin connector for it (e-Bay $22), a METAL mirror mount and the heavy-duty mirror adhesive epoxy. My mirror has homelink and compass only, no temp sensor, but install will be the same minus the probe wire routing.
Tools you'll need - Mirror and mounting/wiring pieces, Sripper/Crimper tool, 18-22 ga wire connectors, fuse taps, and phillips screwdriver. Optional supplies - shrink tubing, solder and soldering iron (if you wish to solder your connections), and ohm-meter (if you wish to tap power from other sources. Now let's get to it!
1- The first step is cutting the wires to the OEM mirror, leaving about 2-3" of wire for the mirror in case you ever wish to return it to stock. Once the wires are cut the next step is to yank the old mirror off. Literally yank it off, but don't go nuts and don't do it in extreme hot or cold weather as you could crack your windshield. When I did this a small, dime-size piece of the black coating came off of the windshield too but it's easily touched-up with black nail-polish dabbed on.
2- The next step is getting to the kick-panel fuse box, and yoga lessons help in this step! You probably won't have the spagetti of wiring like I have, the radar/lazer system and stereo wiring occupy a lot of space here!
The fuse we're after is the cigarette lighter fuse (#10) and it is on the second row down, second from the right. I attached a fuse tap to it - this allows you to use a fused power source, switched, and uses a male spade to attach it to your wiring. This entails removing the male lead on the mirror wiring and installing a female spade in it's place.
3- Once you've tapped the fuse slide your connector on it run the wire among the others to the upper part of the kick-panel, where it meets the bottom of the dash.
Run the wire along the edge of the dash and tuck it under as you go. I used a small scraper to pry mine out, you only need it to come out about 1/8" to get the wire underneath.
Once you reach the a-pillar cover you'll want to unbolt the handle to give some yourself room without prying this delicate part.
At the top part of the pillar trim you'll want to thread the wire across to the front, towards the windshield. Once you have it through position it where the headliner meets the cover and reinstall the handle to lock it in place.
This is where I hit a snag, the wire wasn't long enough to reach the mirror! Easy fix, just use 2' of one of the other wires and connect them as you only need about 8" of the other 2 wires. Continue tucking the wire under the forward edge of the headliner.
4- Once you've fed the wire to the "mirror-visor" unbolt it, remove it, and pull the old mirror wiring out. Once you have the 3 wires out get your connector out and attach your leads. The wire you ran from the fusebox goes to the "switched" lead, the red goes to the "constant" power lead, and the white wire goes to the "ground" lead. You can use crimp connectors or solder and shrink-wrap them (as I did).
5- The hardest part is over, now mount the mirror wedge. I used 2 drops of the epoxy for extra strength as this mirror is heavy. Hang the mirror from the wedge, tighten the screw, then push it out of the way for the next step.
6- Tuck your wires up in the "visor mirror" hole, tucking the 3 wires into the holder at the front of it's mount. Bolt it on, replace the cover, plug the connector into the back of the mirror, adjust the mirror so it doesnt interfere with the visors... You're done!
Maybe clean the mirror, it might help!
I plan on selling this car next spring and buying a nicer, newer SC so I didnt go all out on this install. Once I have that one my ideas for a slicker install are painting the housing to match the interior, installing ambient lighting on the bottom edges, using a temp version, and using one of the expansion slots in the under-hood fusebox so it will have it's own dedicated power source.
For now I have a much better view in back, auto-dimming, and homelink buttons for both of my garages as well as another button I can use in a 10X home lighting control! Pretty sweet!!!
Well, back to the Cutlass restoration...
I wanted one as I have two garages and hate having the stupid boxes hanging from the visor. The factory mirrors are manually-switched electrochromatic as well but yours may have darkened like mine after 20 years of use. This mirror will restore full view
These mirrors are made by Gentex and are OEM in many cars (Hyundai, Lexus, Nissan, and Subaru). This one comes with homelink buttons for 3 openers (or program one or more of the buttons for home lighting) and a compass. Some also come with temp readouts, ambient lighting, and even displays for rear-view cameras and other things. If you want a red compass display check out Nissans, most of them have it. These are also available aftermarket and are marketed by the Mito Corporation for installers. You can also find them on e-Bay from a couple dozen different sellers and these come complete with wiring and mounts.
I got this one from a wrecked 2007 Hyundai Azera Limited and if you get a used one like I did you will need to source a 10-pin connector for it (e-Bay $22), a METAL mirror mount and the heavy-duty mirror adhesive epoxy. My mirror has homelink and compass only, no temp sensor, but install will be the same minus the probe wire routing.
Tools you'll need - Mirror and mounting/wiring pieces, Sripper/Crimper tool, 18-22 ga wire connectors, fuse taps, and phillips screwdriver. Optional supplies - shrink tubing, solder and soldering iron (if you wish to solder your connections), and ohm-meter (if you wish to tap power from other sources. Now let's get to it!
1- The first step is cutting the wires to the OEM mirror, leaving about 2-3" of wire for the mirror in case you ever wish to return it to stock. Once the wires are cut the next step is to yank the old mirror off. Literally yank it off, but don't go nuts and don't do it in extreme hot or cold weather as you could crack your windshield. When I did this a small, dime-size piece of the black coating came off of the windshield too but it's easily touched-up with black nail-polish dabbed on.
2- The next step is getting to the kick-panel fuse box, and yoga lessons help in this step! You probably won't have the spagetti of wiring like I have, the radar/lazer system and stereo wiring occupy a lot of space here!
The fuse we're after is the cigarette lighter fuse (#10) and it is on the second row down, second from the right. I attached a fuse tap to it - this allows you to use a fused power source, switched, and uses a male spade to attach it to your wiring. This entails removing the male lead on the mirror wiring and installing a female spade in it's place.
3- Once you've tapped the fuse slide your connector on it run the wire among the others to the upper part of the kick-panel, where it meets the bottom of the dash.
Run the wire along the edge of the dash and tuck it under as you go. I used a small scraper to pry mine out, you only need it to come out about 1/8" to get the wire underneath.
Once you reach the a-pillar cover you'll want to unbolt the handle to give some yourself room without prying this delicate part.
At the top part of the pillar trim you'll want to thread the wire across to the front, towards the windshield. Once you have it through position it where the headliner meets the cover and reinstall the handle to lock it in place.
This is where I hit a snag, the wire wasn't long enough to reach the mirror! Easy fix, just use 2' of one of the other wires and connect them as you only need about 8" of the other 2 wires. Continue tucking the wire under the forward edge of the headliner.
4- Once you've fed the wire to the "mirror-visor" unbolt it, remove it, and pull the old mirror wiring out. Once you have the 3 wires out get your connector out and attach your leads. The wire you ran from the fusebox goes to the "switched" lead, the red goes to the "constant" power lead, and the white wire goes to the "ground" lead. You can use crimp connectors or solder and shrink-wrap them (as I did).
5- The hardest part is over, now mount the mirror wedge. I used 2 drops of the epoxy for extra strength as this mirror is heavy. Hang the mirror from the wedge, tighten the screw, then push it out of the way for the next step.
6- Tuck your wires up in the "visor mirror" hole, tucking the 3 wires into the holder at the front of it's mount. Bolt it on, replace the cover, plug the connector into the back of the mirror, adjust the mirror so it doesnt interfere with the visors... You're done!
Maybe clean the mirror, it might help!
I plan on selling this car next spring and buying a nicer, newer SC so I didnt go all out on this install. Once I have that one my ideas for a slicker install are painting the housing to match the interior, installing ambient lighting on the bottom edges, using a temp version, and using one of the expansion slots in the under-hood fusebox so it will have it's own dedicated power source.
For now I have a much better view in back, auto-dimming, and homelink buttons for both of my garages as well as another button I can use in a 10X home lighting control! Pretty sweet!!!
Well, back to the Cutlass restoration...
12-04-11, 07:54 PM
#5
The Homelink mirror uses 3 wires... Other than ground there is constant power for the homelink codes, and a switched lead that turns on the mirror and compass. Yes, you can just use the OEM lead for both but you'll need to turn the mirror and compass on and off each drive.
12-04-11, 07:56 PM
#6
Yes, there is a connector for the mirror and it's located just ahead of the sunroof motor, above and in front of the sunroof switch panel. Getting to it is a bear and I didn't have access to another connector to use for my mirror so I cut it. It's an easy splice to replace should you ever want too...
12-04-11, 08:00 PM
#7
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: DE
Posts: 875
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Homelink mirror uses 3 wires... Other than ground there is constant power for the homelink codes, and a switched lead that turns on the mirror and compass. Yes, you can just use the OEM lead for both but you'll need to turn the mirror and compass on and off each drive.
I wonder if there any constant ons for anything in the area up there.
Trending Topics
12-04-11, 08:09 PM
#8
I believe if you remove the center map light (a few screws) you can easily get to the connector. I did the same thing when I had to swap my windshield, I was trying to get at it from where the cover uncovered it with the two screws.
I wonder if there any constant ons for anything in the area up there.
I wonder if there any constant ons for anything in the area up there.
12-04-11, 08:11 PM
#9
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: DE
Posts: 875
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Props regardless for the upgrade. Just seeing if we maybe could make it easier.
I keep a set of precision screw drivers around for stupid connectors like that one. One flat head pushes in on the tab, one is used in between to wedge the connector out basically.
I keep a set of precision screw drivers around for stupid connectors like that one. One flat head pushes in on the tab, one is used in between to wedge the connector out basically.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
