Rear view mirror

Off to eBay with it ... $40.

(same mirror is selling for over $100 right now, last I checked)

 

I have a 2nd one being delivered tomorrow for my daughters Rav4; hope I'm not going to post the same pic...
Glad they're standing behind it

 

for my 01 AC, I stole the entire mirror along with all the "conversion" pieces needed for the glass mount and mirror and the wiring from a Sequoia.

 

Got the new one undamaged and got it installed. Windshield mount was no issue, it was the "tombstone" type mount. Factory auto dim mirror had a completely different 5 pin harness but I borrowed some wires from the overhead console and OE auto-dim harness to make the Kia mirror work.

Black with white stripe is the switched power, center black wire was constant power, and outer black wire was ground.

Did a functions check, mirror dims when light is shined on the mirror face sensor while the windshield facing sensor was covered. Programmed the Homelink. And set zone 9 for compass. Now I just need to drive in circles until the compass is done calibrating...

 

Well unless theres just something I'm missing there's no way to make this mirror work on a 2019 Corolla with the safety camera. I've tried to flip the arms around and such but theres just no way to get it out of the headliner.

Only good news is that it can now go in the truck.

 

Nick, I'd love to hear your process for installing this in the 01 AC; I'm in the same truck with Limited trim!

 

Hoping to physically install the mirror this week or next. Not sure when I'll get the wiring done. Won't be too long though.

 

Welp looks like I got this same wonky ass mount in my truck as well. No mirror upgrade for me unless I change out the tombstone.

 

It's actually not that hard. You can buy the right tombstone at any LAPS, should come w/glue.

I had to do this to my shitbag Lemans hatchback in high school. Dad had some extra strength acetone. I threw a towel over the dash, loaded up a cottonball with the acetone, and swabbed it around the base of the tombstone and I guess it wicked it up, because the thing fell right off. I just cleaned it with the acetone and a razor after, and used the adhesive from the kit to re-hang it. Only mistake I made was not measuring where the center of the damn thing was so I had to eyeball where to glue the replacement.

I tried to find videos of this on YouTube, I remember it being really freaking easy, but everyone shows using a torch or heat gun to melt the adhesive, and let the tombstone fall onto a wet towel or something.

Just don't force it or wedge anything between glass and tombstone, you can rip a chunk out of the windshield, or crack it if you use force.

EDIT: They may actually sell the high-power acetone solution stuff at the LAPS also.

 

Just pinged dad.

He couldn't remember what the stuff was we used, and he said it wasn't as quick as I remember. He said to clamp vice grips on the old mount and heat it up. Twist after it gets hot, don't pull, and don't torch the glass too much.

He said not to be a dumbass like us, and mark the OUTSIDE of the windshield with glass marker or something removable before you remove the bracket. That way you know where to put the replacement.

 

Yeah it'll be on my list. I'll do a bit of research.

 

If you've got some real acetone, not the new-fangled bullshit California acetone substitute crap from the drugstore, just for S&G, I'd slap some on a cotton ball and work it around the base of the tombstone for a minute, give it a little twist or two. Just don't let it drip on any plastics in the car. It'll strip the paint off your dash at minimum, and eat a hole in it if left too long.

 

Any idea why the mirror needs a constant and switched power wire? Does it forget the Homelink settings without a constant?

 

TLDR: Likely need constant power to use HomeLink when vehicle is off.

The manufacturer may have taken into account maintenance where the vehicle battery is disconnected or changed. More than likely it may need constant power just for the use of the Homelink when the vehicle is not running. Can't account for how many morons would accidentally kill themselves because they can't open the garage door without their truck running.

Without taking the mirror apart to look at the circuit board components; it's safe to say it may just write the programmed garage door code to a semi-permanent memory. Or it has a small built in battery to keep the program 'present' when the vehicle battery is disconnected, but the circuit board battery doesn't have enough oomph to power the cpu/LED/transmitter without an external constant power supply. Either option is a likely scenario.

 

Yep, this is why

 

For those looking - Subaru makes an adapter, some guy is selling it online for ~$30. Amazon has it for less - you can search for the part number as well:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00891HBS6

I was worried about chipping the windshield from trying to pry off the old one, so I just bought the adapter for $16

You might be able to find it at a Subaru dealer, but I think it's been discontinued so they may not have stock.

 

But is that something many people want? Seems if your truck is broken into near your garage they can gain entry.

 

I will mess around with this and see if it retains memory and compass calibration without constant power.

 

Broke it open out of curiosity. No CMOS batteries. But there's a good sized capacitor near the microprocessor.

 

Hmm. So maybe it does need constant power to retain settings.

 

Have you installed yet? Work right for the early tundra tombstone and the Kia mirror?

 

Probably not. The capacitor could provide enough juice to keep the bits and bytes in order for a substantial amount of time. But if someone were to connect the disconnected + and - terminals together it would discharge the capacitors and clear the memory.

 

Oh. By a long time are you saying like multiple days and or weeks?

 

Some folks (on a different forum) run the power wires together so the remote signal only works with the switch on; they don't complain about the memory being wiped out.
Others run the power wires as designed and the signal works without the switch.

It seems you can run them either way..

 

Reviving an 18 mo old post, but un-ashamed...
My OE Mirror needs replacement; preferably w/compass-temp, but i have a question on Self-Dimming design:

Fr/what I see and have read, the Self-dimming sensor is at front side of mirror...ok.
When cars behind me roll w/brights on [or poorly designed LED implants] I reach up and flip the manaul tab to 'Dim' the mirror...

How is bright light from trailing vehicles sensed by these 'Auto-Dimming' mirrors, if their sensors are on the front of mirror?

 

there is a sensor pointed to the front and a sensor pointed toward the rear. when the two sensors have different ambient light readings, it dims the mirror.

 

I had an idea that was the answer, but wasnt certain. Thanks for clarifying.
I guess I likely had this type of mirror in past BMWs, but dont remember how quickly the dimmer deploys...
Apparently, theyre quick enough since I've not heard any complaints...

my night vision is easily affected due to sensitivity to light; I almost always flip the mirror lever after dark and leave it there.
Maybe I'll just look for a Non-AutoDim type, but w/compass-temp, if such exists. ?

 

I added auto dim to my 01. the hardest part was getting the mount from a Sequoia since tundra uses a funky mounting setup. the actual mirror is from a late 90s Durango. the Gentex 187 is about the easiest auto dim mirror to add to any vehicle. they came in late 90s- early 2000s Grand Cherokees, Durango and high end (caravan/voyager) vans.

only need power and ground for them to work.

 

It's worth adding a specific point here: Most auto-dim mirrors also accept an input for reverse detection, similar to a backup camera. If it doesn't make sense why, think about that. Say you're backing up at night, and there's a light on behind the truck. Do you really want autodim to engage while you're attempting to backup?

That also speaks to the importance of propertly wiring up a mirror like this. For an auto-dimming mirror, you don't want to supply constant power and ground, or accessory power and ground, or all three. You really should be tapping into a reverse trigger wire also.

Also worth noting, the Gentex 187 caps out at Homelink V4 (as do most mirrors post-2011/2012) which supports Security+ 2.0 so it will work with almost all modern openers, whereas V3 won't work with most garage doors manufactured in the last 15-20 years using Security+ 2.0. I think most companies fully switched to V4 starting in 2015 so think about that when looking for a donor vehicle. Opting for 2017 and newer donor should get you to Homelink V5. If in doubt, the part number embossed on the donor mirror should tell you the Homelink version (look for the letters "HL" at the end of the model number, whatever number that follows is the Homelink version, typically, i.e. part ending HL3 would be Homelink V3, and ending HL5 would be Homelink V5). Homelink V5 has other visual cues, like the presence of a pair of triangle LEDs which tell you the up/down position of the door, a two way comm unique to V5.

Hopefully I didn't already put that info in another part of this thread, I know I already typed it elsewhere on the forum but too lazy to look and type faster than I search.

Last tidbit, I bookmarked this recently to stick somewhere, but I found this interesting post on a BMW forum a while ago, and stumbled across it while backing up stuff off my old work laptop so I could wipe and offload it. Original link here, showing how you can update older V3 integrated openers to HL4, which could be interesting. I always wanted some visor-mount or overhead mount solution, and this got me to thinking about ways to do that, or even retrofit mirror guts from a mangled newer mirror onto an older one: https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/...rade-for-homelink-mirrors-and-ceiling-modules

 

Regarding the range of RearView AutoDim's,
Which Gentex model [can retrofit to an AC SR5] has a constant Dual readout for Temp/Compass, rather than having to hit "either/or" button?
Also, no 'Homelink' is fine with me.

If I'm going to the trouble of install, I'd prefer both Outputs displayed at once.