hankrearden

My previous Lexus had an interior rear view mirror with an integral compass. It shows N, NE, E, SE etc as I make right turns.

My RX450h has a similar Homelink model, with GDO buttons in front instead of the bottom, but it does not have a compass. I want one with a compass.

The eBay example I found with a compass allegedly fits an RC450h. It is a Gentex model WZLHL4. The one in the car is OBIHL4.

Can they simply be interchanged? The plug has to fit; I am not interested in splicing any wires or doing anything else dramatic. If it's not a simple swap this one for that one I'm not going to do it.

salimshah

If you get hold of wiring diagrams you can swap pins to match. pulling out a pin is very easy with defining tool [my depining tool is solid wire beaten into a fine almost square crossection, just large enough to slide in the tiny hole next to the pin on each connector.

Out of curiosity, the on board GPS has an analog compass in the corner of the map.

Salim

hankrearden

Ok, let's try it this way. Has anyone simply swapped out one RX interior rear view mirror without a compass for another RX interior rear view mirror with a compass?

salimshah

Check my post #57 in this thread
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...d-console.html

That is the level of my work related to rear view mirror.

Salim

hankrearden

Thanks! That sounds encouraging, since the existing rear view mirror already has illuminated Homelink buttons. I can't imagine a compass needs anything more than power, and the mirror must have power already. No I don't want to use the GPS compass. I want it in the rear view.

Another reason I want to replace the mirror was that the previous owner painted over one of the Homelink buttons with... nail polish? Why why why. It does nothing and it's just ugly. You can see the illumination through it. The things people do.

I looked at my other Lexus rear view mirror (with a compass) and it has an essentially identical mounting arrangement. I just don't know if the connectors are the same. I'm reluctant to break anything. Replacement mirror assemblies are $1000 or so.

Retrofitting the annoying Enform assembly with a sunglass holder would be a lot more work. Another project for another day.

Thank you; I'll let you know how it goes.

salimshah

I had no issue with the mounting [easy swap], but there is a minute difference which a naked eye can not tell and I did not use calipers to measure. When I tried to snap on the old top U channel cover, it would not fit. My replacement newer version mirror did not come with the cover. Without the garnish, the edge does not look properly finished but no one notices it, unless attention is drawn to it.

Salim

hankrearden

This is proving to be more difficult than I had imagined. Nobody local seems to have any parts that I can compare side-by-side to see if the connector will fit. My IS250 uses a different connector. No surprise since the Homelink buttons aren't exactly the same - they're on the bottom, even though they program and function the same way.

I'll keep looking.

The U channel covers aren't exact matches either but as you said I doubt it would be noticeable.

salimshah

imho you are overthinking.

Just get what you want and re-pin the connector. Since my swap was from less pins to more pins the only thing I don't have is the slider cover [my old one is narrower by a mm or so]. I have to look at a base from a weird angle to see the gap.

There are handful of wires, Gnd, B+ always hot, B+ switched, sensor_postion_out [relays signal to side-mirror to tilt/dim].

Caution: The connector in the overhead provides a loop for the Gnd [I think]. You have to have the connector in the overhead inserted/connected].

Salim
PS: There are unused pins in the old connector, so in theory you really don't need the larger connector.

RX in NC

If you need a compass, why not just buy a decent one and keep it in the console tray?

salimshah

I even pointed out that the Nav has the compass, but hankrearden wants a rear view mirror with a compass. I generally use sun/shadows with time to estimate heading during day [I hardly drive during night]. We all get used to things and keep searching for them once they are taken away. Lane departure, BSM, rear view camera ... and the list goes on ... self driven cars ... enough!

Salim

hankrearden

The answer to these questions is yes. The Gentex WZLHL4 was a perfect match and is pin-for-pin compatible. Plug it in and it works.

By the way the replacement had a U channel cover that was nearly identical; it was just slightly longer than the original by about a quarter inch at the headliner end. These were also interchangeable. I just removed the one it came with and snapped in the old cover.