Auto dim mirror
09-15-2009, 12:51 PM
#16
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Perryinva - if you could share the correct color wire once completed it could save us from having to do the same multimeter test - Thanks in advance!!!! I just ordered a mirror from the same ebayer (buy-it-now $99) - so he may have more than one of these parts!!! -
J
J
09-28-2009, 02:36 PM
#17
Burning Brakes
FINALLY did it last night, and as Steve B posted, it was a piece of cake. You want the brown/green striped with black spots on it (seriously), terminal #3 of the sunroof switch. It gets timed power from the power window circuit, so the power stays on the mirror for about 30 seconds after the key is removed, unless you lock the car with the remote, then it kills it immediately.
I had already bought an Audi A6/A8 mirror from a recycler off ebay. It came with the wire covers and a 6 pin connector which matches the wiring diagram on "Interior self dimming mirror install" on the TSB pages of Renntech. I used 2 scotch taps (18-14ga), one to pin one of the mirror, to the power off the sunroof switch, and the other to the brown (ground) wire that is used on the connector to the overhead light assembly that you have to remove to take down the upper console.
To take down the overhead console, you remove the lights by pulling firmly from the front and it pivots down and allows easy unplugging. Then you pop off the two "alien eyes", (the left of which has the sensor for interior motion in the car, the right is for looks to make it match) with a small blade screwdriver. There is a phillips head screw under each eye. Once those are out, you can either remove it like Steve mentioned (I couldn't/was apprehensive) or slide the console forward a bit and pull down the front to disengage it from the trim up front. Then the back part just pulls straight down, but it's still tight. But it is MADE to pull off, as that is where the allen wrench and access to manually close the sunroof is located. If you look at the front of the overhead console, you will see that it has a molded in detent to allow easy cutout (I used a Dremel, looks perfect)to match the wire cover of the mirror. I also had to drill a small hole in the plastic where it meets the mirror cover to allow the wires through, but I'm pretty sure that is because it was an Audi mirror cover and not the Porsche one.
Works and looks absolutely perfect and stock. I also found out why the reverse hook up is desired. When I went to back out of the garage this morning, the bright morning sun comes in thru the open garage door, (simulating headlights from behind) and the relative darkness in front of the car, caused the mirror to dim immediately. but I could still see out the back fine, and this mirror, at least, is VERY quick in making adjustments, like a second or so. The one in my VW and my old BMW, are/were much slower to react, like 4 seconds. So as soon as I'm out my garage, its back to where it should be. Not worth tearing up the pillars just for that, but I'd hook it up if I was in there for something else.
I had already bought an Audi A6/A8 mirror from a recycler off ebay. It came with the wire covers and a 6 pin connector which matches the wiring diagram on "Interior self dimming mirror install" on the TSB pages of Renntech. I used 2 scotch taps (18-14ga), one to pin one of the mirror, to the power off the sunroof switch, and the other to the brown (ground) wire that is used on the connector to the overhead light assembly that you have to remove to take down the upper console.
To take down the overhead console, you remove the lights by pulling firmly from the front and it pivots down and allows easy unplugging. Then you pop off the two "alien eyes", (the left of which has the sensor for interior motion in the car, the right is for looks to make it match) with a small blade screwdriver. There is a phillips head screw under each eye. Once those are out, you can either remove it like Steve mentioned (I couldn't/was apprehensive) or slide the console forward a bit and pull down the front to disengage it from the trim up front. Then the back part just pulls straight down, but it's still tight. But it is MADE to pull off, as that is where the allen wrench and access to manually close the sunroof is located. If you look at the front of the overhead console, you will see that it has a molded in detent to allow easy cutout (I used a Dremel, looks perfect)to match the wire cover of the mirror. I also had to drill a small hole in the plastic where it meets the mirror cover to allow the wires through, but I'm pretty sure that is because it was an Audi mirror cover and not the Porsche one.
Works and looks absolutely perfect and stock. I also found out why the reverse hook up is desired. When I went to back out of the garage this morning, the bright morning sun comes in thru the open garage door, (simulating headlights from behind) and the relative darkness in front of the car, caused the mirror to dim immediately. but I could still see out the back fine, and this mirror, at least, is VERY quick in making adjustments, like a second or so. The one in my VW and my old BMW, are/were much slower to react, like 4 seconds. So as soon as I'm out my garage, its back to where it should be. Not worth tearing up the pillars just for that, but I'd hook it up if I was in there for something else.
Last edited by perryinva; 09-28-2009 at 03:11 PM.
10-03-2009, 12:07 AM
#19
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
SteveB and PerryInva -
I installed the 993 mirror this evening - not sure that it is working so I want to confirm my steps. The 993 mirror has 3 wires - black/blue, blue/red and brown. Using wire taps I tapped the brown mirror wire to the brown wire to the overhead console light, I also tapped the blue/red to the brown/green w/ black spots wire of the sunroof. After a short drive I couldn't confirm whether or not the mirror was working. Please let me know if my connections were different than yours. Is there any light that turns on with the sensor or way to test that the mirror is indeed working? Sorry to sound like a newbie, but this is my first auto dim mirror. Thanks -
Jeremy
I installed the 993 mirror this evening - not sure that it is working so I want to confirm my steps. The 993 mirror has 3 wires - black/blue, blue/red and brown. Using wire taps I tapped the brown mirror wire to the brown wire to the overhead console light, I also tapped the blue/red to the brown/green w/ black spots wire of the sunroof. After a short drive I couldn't confirm whether or not the mirror was working. Please let me know if my connections were different than yours. Is there any light that turns on with the sensor or way to test that the mirror is indeed working? Sorry to sound like a newbie, but this is my first auto dim mirror. Thanks -
Jeremy
10-03-2009, 07:10 AM
#20
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 441
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good Morning Jeremy,
As mentioned above, I did not write down the color of the wires, thus cnnot help regarding the colors, however, I believe that BROWN is NEGATIVE (the usual) and BLACK is POSITIVE on the mirror wires. It sounds as if you do not have a black, so I would use the brown for neg and connect the others in sequence until dimming occurrs:
I used my 12 volt power transformer (Radio Shack) to determine the correct wires from the mirror: Tape over the sensors on the mirror and connect the wires until the mirror dims (this is quite obvious and occurrs within seconds).
Then use a volt or multimeter to see which are the appropriate wires leading to the sunroof switch. Turn the ignition switch on and off until you find the appropriate positive which is "switched" on and off with the ignition. (When you do this, attatch the neg lead of your multimeter to the body of the car for a ground - That way, you have one known lead and only have to find the positive switched wire.)
To my knowledge, there is no light to tell you that you are dimmed, but it is pretty obvious if you cover the sensors.
Good luck and let us know how you do.
As mentioned above, I did not write down the color of the wires, thus cnnot help regarding the colors, however, I believe that BROWN is NEGATIVE (the usual) and BLACK is POSITIVE on the mirror wires. It sounds as if you do not have a black, so I would use the brown for neg and connect the others in sequence until dimming occurrs:
I used my 12 volt power transformer (Radio Shack) to determine the correct wires from the mirror: Tape over the sensors on the mirror and connect the wires until the mirror dims (this is quite obvious and occurrs within seconds).
Then use a volt or multimeter to see which are the appropriate wires leading to the sunroof switch. Turn the ignition switch on and off until you find the appropriate positive which is "switched" on and off with the ignition. (When you do this, attatch the neg lead of your multimeter to the body of the car for a ground - That way, you have one known lead and only have to find the positive switched wire.)
To my knowledge, there is no light to tell you that you are dimmed, but it is pretty obvious if you cover the sensors.
Good luck and let us know how you do.
10-04-2009, 12:03 AM
#21
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Steven B -
Thanks for the response. I connected the black/blue wire and it is now definitely working - thanks for all the info. For anyone looking to do this DIY with a 993 mirror the wire connections are as follows:
Brown mirror wire to the brown wire of overhead console light (-)
Black/Blue mirror wire to brown/green w/ black spots wire of the sunroof (+)
Blue/Red mirror wire - no connection (reverse wire)
I had no problem getting the mirror off - it took some arm strength, but a half turn counter-clockwise and it popped right off.
Good luck to all -
J
Thanks for the response. I connected the black/blue wire and it is now definitely working - thanks for all the info. For anyone looking to do this DIY with a 993 mirror the wire connections are as follows:
Brown mirror wire to the brown wire of overhead console light (-)
Black/Blue mirror wire to brown/green w/ black spots wire of the sunroof (+)
Blue/Red mirror wire - no connection (reverse wire)
I had no problem getting the mirror off - it took some arm strength, but a half turn counter-clockwise and it popped right off.
Good luck to all -
J
10-04-2009, 10:29 AM
#23
Steven B -
Thanks for the response. I connected the black/blue wire and it is now definitely working - thanks for all the info. For anyone looking to do this DIY with a 993 mirror the wire connections are as follows:
Brown mirror wire to the brown wire of overhead console light (-)
Black/Blue mirror wire to brown/green w/ black spots wire of the sunroof (+)
Blue/Red mirror wire - no connection (reverse wire)
I had no problem getting the mirror off - it took some arm strength, but a half turn counter-clockwise and it popped right off.
Good luck to all -
J
Thanks for the response. I connected the black/blue wire and it is now definitely working - thanks for all the info. For anyone looking to do this DIY with a 993 mirror the wire connections are as follows:
Brown mirror wire to the brown wire of overhead console light (-)
Black/Blue mirror wire to brown/green w/ black spots wire of the sunroof (+)
Blue/Red mirror wire - no connection (reverse wire)
I had no problem getting the mirror off - it took some arm strength, but a half turn counter-clockwise and it popped right off.
Good luck to all -
J
thanks for your post.
How are was it to mate the channel that hides the wires from the mirror to the back of the sunroof switch/light housing? I can disassemble and do the wiring but Im bad at cosmetic stuff...
thanks
10-04-2009, 12:07 PM
#24
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PasPar2 -
It is fairly easy. The point of connection between the wire channel and the sunroof/light console housing is actually hidden by the antenna in the windshield (is black near the top). This blocks any view from the exterior, so the trick is to keep the wire channel stright which I did by using the antenna wire in the windshield. I also used a dremel to cut out the wire channel section in the console so that the wire channel fit (if you drop the console you will see the template close to the windshield) - it may have fit without the cut out - but this was easy enough as the console already provides a cutout - remember this is hidden once installed so it does not need to be perfect. Good luck!
It is fairly easy. The point of connection between the wire channel and the sunroof/light console housing is actually hidden by the antenna in the windshield (is black near the top). This blocks any view from the exterior, so the trick is to keep the wire channel stright which I did by using the antenna wire in the windshield. I also used a dremel to cut out the wire channel section in the console so that the wire channel fit (if you drop the console you will see the template close to the windshield) - it may have fit without the cut out - but this was easy enough as the console already provides a cutout - remember this is hidden once installed so it does not need to be perfect. Good luck!
