Rear view mirror/accessory wiring

S

snowjay

New member
I haven't looked closely at my 04 yet but figured I'd ask the question to save sometime and experimentation.

On my Dodge I have an electric auto dimming mirror which has a small set if wires coming from the headliner attaching to it. Underneath the mirror I have my radar detector installed on the window and tap into the mirror wires for power, this is so I dont have a cord hanging down my dash. I'd like to do a similar thing with my 04 4Runner but I dont have the electric mirror but am guessing there is a harness in the headliner I can get to. Anyone else done this? How hard is it to remove the map lights and see whats up there? Or am I better off just hiding a power wire in the headliner, down the A piller to the fuse box?
 
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It's easy to get the map lights down. Look in the Homelink thread for a description. Also there is a little notch at the front and middle of the headliner just above the rear view mirror that I would guess is there to run the wire for the auto dimming mirrors that were an option for these trucks. I think you will find what you are looking for.
 
If you want to install the electrochromatic mirror on your 4Runner, you have to do it from scratch because there is no pre-wiring harness in the headliner. It is not like the RAV4 or Highlander where you can order it from the parts department from your Toyota dealer and have it installed. This is option is not available for the 4Runner SR5 and Sport Edition models. When I ordered the car, the salesman thought it can be done, but I found out that they could not. I then searched online where I could buy a generic Gentex mirror, and ended up buying it from brandsport and having the dealer install it. The only difference from my mirror to the one on my grandparents RAV4 is that mine comes with a compass and temperature display and it came with all of the wiring.

Gentex

Mitocorp

Brandsport
 
Maybe in 03 it wasn't an option but according to my 04 brochure it is. I found some instructions that someone posted for the mirror and there is no plug in the headliner but rather its under the dash and you have to route the wires under the liner and A pillar to get to it.
 
The mirror is only an option from the factory itself. The Toyota mirror is not able to be installed after the car is built because there is wiring for it. I know the service manager at the dealer where I got the car and he explained how they have to drop wires from the headliner in order to hook the Toyota mirror into the car. I am almost 100% sure that you are going to have to buy a generic Gentex mirror that comes with all of the wiring. I posted a picture of what my mirror looks like.
 

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The Nightvision Mirror (GE) in my 2004 SR-5 was installed at the port. I don't know if they had to add or route the wiring, but it can definitely be installed after truck is built. Cost was the same as the factory option, $150.
 
I reread the instructions I found for the mirror, and it is a Gentex and requires tapping a couple of wires under the dash, but it also has the Toyota distributor logo on it. Here is the link to the pdf:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=7114

I'd really like to see how a factory one is installed. Could be that they use the Gentex one also. Only reason I say that is that it is more costly for an auto manufaturer to produce different wiring harnesses for every possible option combination that might come or not come on the vehicle. It is quite possible that their are 3 different harnesses, SR5, Sport and Limited and even if you order an SR5 or Sport with the electric mirror it will be a port installed option, ie Gentex, and the Limited is the only one with the 'harnessed' mirror.

Now to throw the wrench into the works. How do we explain this?
http://www.toyotaparts4u.com/e_catalog/part_detail.asp?ID=2682&CID=456&SID=2004&ZID=58
 
Jay,
You may already have this all figured out but I thought I'd tell you that the mirror I bought was the one you show from the toyotaparts4u web site.
It was the cheapest I found and I didn't need the temp reading since it's on the 4runner already.
It has only 2 connections: ground and power.
Super easy to install as long as you tap into the correct power wire under the dash.
You just tuck the wires in all the way along the headlilner and down the column, under the dash and hook it up!

Took about 30 mins for me to do.

Good luck!
 
bmw173 said:
Jay,
You may already have this all figured out but I thought I'd tell you that the mirror I bought was the one you show from the toyotaparts4u web site.
It was the cheapest I found and I didn't need the temp reading since it's on the 4runner already.
It has only 2 connections: ground and power.
Super easy to install as long as you tap into the correct power wire under the dash.
You just tuck the wires in all the way along the headlilner and down the column, under the dash and hook it up!

Took about 30 mins for me to do.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
Did you connect to a permanent power source or a switched power source (on only when ignition on)? I had trouble finding a switched power source on the Camry, so was wondering what you tapped in to for the 4Runner.
 
I just realized there are a ton of threads about adding this mirror.
Wonder if there is any way to combine them all.

Anyway I got a document that Woody had posted (Thanks again!!)
and it has excellent instructions on how to do this.
I tried to attach it. I hope it works.
Now when you tap into the power, it tells you to find the red/brown wire. There will be 2 of these in the wiring harness/box thing that you will see. You want to tap into the bigger (heavier gauge) of the 2. (I know this because I tried the other one first)

The mirror comes with a 3m connector so you need nothing else to make it work!
 

Attachments

bmw173 said:
I just realized there are a ton of threads about adding this mirror.
Wonder if there is any way to combine them all.

Anyway I got a document that Woody had posted (Thanks again!!)
and it has excellent instructions on how to do this.
I tried to attach it. I hope it works.
Now when you tap into the power, it tells you to find the red/brown wire. There will be 2 of these in the wiring harness/box thing that you will see. You want to tap into the bigger (heavier gauge) of the 2. (I know this because I tried the other one first)

The mirror comes with a 3m connector so you need nothing else to make it work!
Click to expand...
I'm getting a message from Acrobat Reader 6.0.1 that the file is damaged and unrepairable. Am I the only one?
 
John,
I'm not sure why I can't get the link to work.
I'd say search Woody's posts and you'll find his pdf which does download just fine.
Or I could try to email it to you.
Sorry...

Brandon
 
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