Auto Dimming Rearview Mirror -- Anyone have one

[mholbrook]

I bought a few things from a guy in Germany. One was an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Has a photocell on it in the upper right corner. I'm wondering if anyone has one of these in their car. If so, was it stock or installed later. Any hints on installation?

[Scott H]

The one in the wagon is E32/E34 style and is PnP with a wire that is already buried behind the sunroof motor. The plug ends are yellow, and depending on build date and model, may be in your car. Since you have a 92 535, I would assumed it's hiding in there.

The E38 one is more modern looking and requires a bit of wiring up to get power to the mirror. I have the wiring diagram at home.

Which style mirror did you get, as there are a few?


I bought a few things from a guy in Germany. One was an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Has a photocell on it in the upper right corner. I'm wondering if anyone has one of these in their car. If so, was it stock or installed later. Any hints on installation?

[Kalevera]

Early cars have a 3 pin white connector, designed for the auto dipping mirrors. Same basic functionality, but with a different connector. Yours should be 6 pin, I seem to recall it being black on the later cars...and they're usually well buried. I confused mine for the IR keyless harness when first digging around for it.

If it's a BMW mirror, it should use the same button. My car has a gentex out of a maxima. Cost me $10 and has more functionality than the factory units of the car's vintage, but I had to pull the old button and replace it with a universal one.


best, whit

[Scott H]

in a 3/92 build 525iT


Early cars have a 3 pin white connector, designed for the auto dipping mirrors. Same basic functionality, but with a different connector. Yours should be 6 pin, I seem to recall it being black on the later cars...and they're usually well buried. I confused mine for the IR keyless harness when first digging around for it.

If it's a BMW mirror, it should use the same button. My car has a gentex out of a maxima. Cost me $10 and has more functionality than the factory units of the car's vintage, but I had to pull the old button and replace it with a universal one.


best, whit

[Kalevera]

Hmmm...maybe the 6 pin is a '95 thing.

[Mewsy]

All I had to do was to find the wires behind the headliner. It was easier to take out the reading lamp under the passenger visor (RHD) and get the wires. The bloke I bought the mirror off had butchered the connector, so I just spliced the positive/earth wires. No probs at all!

[wingman]

Do they work okay, I mean are they worth chasing one at the wreckers?

[Johntee540]

Yes they are well worth it. However later Model e34's have the Central locking Antenna Board inside of them. So you will have to relocate that board into the new Photoelectric Mirror and wire the Central Locking board though the plug. Also - in later e34 - there is no fishing of the plug in the headliner. It is already present inside the Mirror "Arm". One of the better upgrade I did to the car as it improves the night driving experience immensley - JT

[peterllo]

Mine is the same. Should be a snap to install. Do a thread search, there is a thread that has picures. The harness should be up in the map light fixture. Look for it tucked in fornt of the sunroof motor, it could be on either the passenger or drivers side. Others have found it behind the vanity lights. It will end with a plug and have a rubber boot. Move the rubber boot down the wires until it is touching or nearly touching the plug.

Pull down the foam liner infront of your head liner above you mirror. There should (may) be an oval impression in the backing foam. With a real sharp exacto knife cut this out, your wiring harness routes through there. Twist off the old mirror. Connect the wiring harness to your new mirror. Your mirrors connector is in the mirror attaching arm, a real thin screw driver will pop the cover off. Connect the mirror and harness twist the mirror on and you're done. Twenty minutes

'95's are three wire into a 6 pin connector. I just installed an E32's rearview into my E34, same p/n, checked RealOEM.