Retrofitting folding mirrors

AngryZed · Post by **AngryZed** » Fri Feb 01, 2019 1:10 am

paulc_bkk wrote: ↑Mon Sep 10, 2018 6:44 am A quick update

I’ve done more research and I’m starting to piece together the next steps

I found the position that the module should be located, and I’ve test fitted it. Unfortunately I don’t have any of the wiring required so I have to create my own loom for this - I’m waiting for the plug connector from my local dealer.

Anyway, there are mount points in the bulkhead, behind the airbag, above the main body control module

11852902-B75A-408E-999F-772451630FE1.jpeg

I lowered the main body control module and was able to mount the mirror module as shown

06E0E18D-0168-4BC0-AB07-594292603185.jpeg

Hopefully these images can help someone else visualise where this goes?

Paulc_bkk,

I have all the parts and this has been on my to do list for a year now. The part that is holding me back is the plug connector which you refer to, that goes to the mirror module to create your own wiring. If you can tell me how you scored this plug connector from the dealer, that would be great. I believe most post 2004 cars no longer included the mirror connector for the module with the wiring harness located behind the fuse board.

paulc_bkk · Post by **paulc_bkk** » Fri Feb 01, 2019 8:30 am

AngryZed wrote: ↑Fri Feb 01, 2019 1:10 am Paulc_bkk,

I have all the parts and this has been on my to do list for a year now. The part that is holding me back is the plug connector which you refer to, that goes to the mirror module to create your own wiring. If you can tell me how you scored this plug connector from the dealer, that would be great. I believe most post 2004 cars no longer included the mirror connector for the module with the wiring harness located behind the fuse board.

Hi Angryzed

I’ve been in a similar position - I assembled parts and it’s been almost a year-long process.

I made notes and a loom, but that’s as far as I got until a water leak flooded my house which damaged some car stuff and my notes.

I found a photo and recreated notes just yesterday and as I have a day off work today I’m considering taking another look

Anyway, here’s a few things that I hope may help you

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As well as figuring out all the wiring I needed to figure out how to make connections through the body to the door, but I recently found the following post that tackled this subject:
viewtopic.php?t=12153#p49617

I created my wiring loom by breaking up a complete loom I had leftover from an E36 project, but realised I also needed some ‘male pin connectors’ to feed through the body to the door. Unfortunately I don’t remember where I got the part number for this, but it may be Rod Stygers post.

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And I think that is as far as I’ve got up to now... I’ve removed interior panels and hope to have chance to look at it again either this afternoon or over the weekend.

I’m conscious of the fact this is a retrofit that isn’t very well documented so I’m trying to record as much as possible along the way so that I can price together a ‘how to guide’ that can be published in pdf so that images do not disappear like many of the photos in old posts.

Anyway, I hope this is of some help

AngryZed · Post by **AngryZed** » Fri Feb 01, 2019 3:03 pm

Hi PaulC_Bkk,

Thank you so much for the valuable information, I agree with you on your comments and in getting this mod completed/written up. I always see posts here and on other forums looking for this information but it quickly dies out.

I have some drawings/information on the vehicle wiring, that I'm attaching along with FA/SA numbers should you wish to add to your VO. I'm going to the dealer sometime this week to see if I can purchase the plug connector. If the dealer is no go, then I will look for it in the UK or back home (US), as I'm not aware of any salvage yards here in FR.

Thanks again,

I got these SA numbers from bimmerfest, just can't remember the link
S430A Interior/outside mirror with auto dip
S313A Fold in outside mirror

E85 Vehicle electrical drawings - mirrors.
I know the attachments are hard to view, if you need pdf let me know.

paulc_bkk · Post by **paulc_bkk** » Fri Feb 01, 2019 5:47 pm

That looks like the TIS diagrams and description....

My setup is for a RHD car and I don’t know what extent the LHD cars may be different, but I’m sure the TIS reference will clear things up

I made some progress this afternoon with what was the most daunting part for me - pulling the body/door plugs...

Due to strange reflections and blurriness, some PU ctures aren’t the best quality, but I’ll try to get some better ones with a proper camera tomorrow

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Then I had to figure how to pull it plug back inside to make it more accessible for adding the wires - I had to remove the speaker eventually and that gave easier access - that’s a part of the process I’ve never seen documented so it was trial & error

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With the plug more accessible I could see where pins 13, 14 and 15 need to go - the 3 unpopulated holes on the middle row, at the left

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Blurry pic, I know but the phone camera had a hard time focusing

I fed the three wires in, and labelled them up so I can attach them to the other half of the loom - they’re the three black wires in the middle

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Then I began to lose light outside and mosquitoes were circling so I called it a night....

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I’ll see if I can pick up where I left off tomorrow

bazza190 · Post by **bazza190** » Fri Feb 01, 2019 8:33 pm

I love projects like these, working out wiring etc but you must really have a real need for these things, I have these on my car and I hardly use them as they look odd when folded. I call it bunny mode as they stick up like ears.
Fair play to you and I hope you get them working.

AngryZed · Post by **AngryZed** » Sat Feb 02, 2019 12:02 am

bazza190 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 01, 2019 8:33 pm I love projects like these, working out wiring etc but you must really have a real need for these things, I have these on my car and I hardly use them as they look odd when folded. I call it bunny mode as they stick up like ears.
Fair play to you and I hope you get them working.

I agree with you on your quote "you must really have a real need", when I use to live back home in the States side, never even thought about it. Now that I'm in Europe, enter/exit parking garage is literally few centimeters from both sides of the mirror. It just makes it much more easier, especially for my wife, whom does not like driving in tight spaces. Don't get me wrong, she is a beast on open road, I have the camera tickets to prove it.

AngryZed · Post by **AngryZed** » Sat Feb 02, 2019 12:39 am

paulc_bkk wrote: ↑Fri Feb 01, 2019 5:47 pm That looks like the TIS diagrams and description....
My setup is for a RHD car and I don’t know what extent the LHD cars may be different, but I’m sure the TIS reference will clear things up
I made some progress this afternoon with what was the most daunting part for me - pulling the body/door plugs...
Due to strange reflections and blurriness, some PU ctures aren’t the best quality, but I’ll try to get some better ones with a proper camera tomorrow
Then I had to figure how to pull it plug back inside to make it more accessible for adding the wires - I had to remove the speaker eventually and that gave easier access - that’s a part of the process I’ve never seen documented so it was trial & error
With the plug more accessible I could see where pins 13, 14 and 15 need to go - the 3 unpopulated holes on the middle row, at the left
Blurry pic, I know but the phone camera had a hard time focusing
I fed the three wires in, and labelled them up so I can attach them to the other half of the loom - they’re the three black wires in the middle
Then I began to lose light outside and mosquitoes were circling so I called it a night....

I’ll see if I can pick up where I left off tomorrow

Great progress ! Keep it coming.

I will hit the dealer tomorrow to see if I can pick up the plug connector. And yes, they are TIS diagrams which I used as a reference to make my own wiring harness/drawings (figured you already had them).

I do have a LHD Z, and the donor car is from RHD with the door harness. I'm not sure if I will use the harness or not, and still debating on location of the module. (Driver side like RS, or OEM location)

Where are you picking up the positive for the mirror module ? Fuse box or else where ?

Best of luck

paulc_bkk · Post by **paulc_bkk** » Sat Feb 02, 2019 2:16 am

Fuse box - forgot to mention that a spade style connector is needed for that, and the ground will just plug into a bank of browns nearby

I went with oem location so that I don’t have to relearn the installation if the module stops working a few years down the line - I (or anyone else) can just refer back to oem wire diagrams and work out what is what

paulc_bkk · Post by **paulc_bkk** » Sat Feb 02, 2019 2:25 am

The reasons I wanted this retrofit installed are that since my girlfriend has only just learned to drive her parking skills aren’t great yet, and every centimetre will help....

Plus my car came pretty much bog-standard with no optional extras, so I’m taking on retrofits as personal challenges that can provide the specification that if given the choice I would’ve selected from a dealer

The most challenging project I did with my last car - an E36 convertible - was converting the roof from semi-auto to full auto... that wasn’t so much through desirability, as the only replacement roof I could locate had the full auto roof. Many ‘experts’ on forums said it couldn’t be done, so after I got it working the sense of achievement was huge.

“Built, not bought”

JINGLE · Post by **JINGLE** » Sat Feb 02, 2019 11:47 am

Great progress guys.... mine is currently still in a box of parts as this is all far to complicated for me, so if there’s ever an actual “how to guide” it would be great!

I commend your efforts

paulc_bkk · Post by **paulc_bkk** » Sun Feb 03, 2019 1:43 pm

Latest update

I removed the passenger seat to make working in the footwell easier and less uncomfortable

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I double checked all the colours and pins for the home-made loom

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Located what I believe to be X11004 for the fuse and connected the loom power to it

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I connected the ground to a nearby ground plug tree

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I put the module in position and reassembled everything

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I ran out of time and light, but tried a quick test.... and nothing happened yet.

I also noticed a tear in the speaker outer ring.... I guess that’ll be an excuse to upgrade speakers sooner rather than later. I already fed extra wires through the body to door connector on the driver door in preparation for that upgrade

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I needed to make the car driveable again so I didn’t investigate further yet, but I’ll have another look when I have chance and update this thread when I know more

AngryZed · Post by **AngryZed** » Tue Feb 05, 2019 2:13 pm

paulc_bkk wrote: ↑Sun Feb 03, 2019 1:43 pm Latest update
I needed to make the car driveable again so I didn’t investigate further yet, but I’ll have another look when I have chance and update this thread when I know more

Nice progress in such short time Paulc_bkk,

I ordered the plug connector from the dealer, it should arrive this Friday. Thinking about where to do this mod - I have no space in my garage. Also to see where I can get male/female pins here, might just bench test it first since I have the donor door harness.

paulc_bkk · Post by **paulc_bkk** » Sat Feb 09, 2019 6:34 am

So I’ve tested the wire loom for power/signal continuity - everything checked out ok

I hadn’t got as far as checking the passenger mirror before, so I got those wires connected, and.....

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So I know the power and ground, module, and switch are good....

Now to troubleshoot the drivers side

paulc_bkk · Post by **paulc_bkk** » Sat Feb 09, 2019 10:24 am

It’s alive

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Now to tidy up all the wiring, refit the interior stuff and write it up as a proper “how-to”

Hagasan · Post by **Hagasan** » Sun Feb 10, 2019 12:48 pm

Good stuff, well done

Before wrapping it all up have you considered trying to find any trigger signals to fold on locking the car and unfolding on startup? Would be a neat touch as I don't think anyone has managed to get it working through coding.

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