How to wire up..Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror

[andylv]

To get it to work all you need do is hook up the red (+12) and brown (gnd). The reverse inhibit wire feeds the backup lights signal into the mirror circuit to make sure the mirror doesn't darken when you're backing up in case you use your rearview mirror to back up with.

[Balthazarr]

To get it to work all you need do is hook up the red (+12) and brown (gnd). The reverse inhibit wire feeds the backup lights signal into the mirror circuit to make sure the mirror doesn't darken when you're backing up in case you use your rearview mirror to back up with.

Thanks, I just need to know which is red and which one is brown in the above pic.
I can see the reverse wire since it's the same color scheme as the reverse wire in my Traffic pro.

[andylv]

The colors are kind of hard to make out in the picture, but I believe 3rd from the top is brown and 6th from the top is red.

[Balthazarr]

Thanks again.

[Balthazarr]

Does the red wire have green circumferential stripes/bands?
Or are the brown and red both solid colorz?

[Balthazarr]

Better pic I hope: the two wires with stripped ends are the ones I thought were brown and red...no?

[Casebrius]

top looks red and bottom looks brown

[Balthazarr]

The wire at the top or the top stripped wire?

[Balthazarr]

Got your PM, thanks.

[Casebrius]

top stripped looks red, bottom stripped looks brown

[Balthazarr]

I get no continuity reading between those wires.
Is the mirror dead?
And what is with the little panel (about an inch in length) on the rear of mirror? Does it need to come off to allow a baseline reading for the sensor?

[JoeCinVA]

I get no continuity reading between those wires.
Is the mirror dead?
And what is with the little panel (about an inch in length) on the rear of mirror? Does it need to come off to allow a baseline reading for the sensor?

Got your email. I'm not sure you're going to get continuity between those wires right now. If you did the mirror would always be dark whenever the car is on. I think you should only get continuity if it was dark outside and you had a car with their lights on behind you.

Try this: there's got to be a sensor on the front and rear of the mirror (mine does). Tape over the front sensor to simulate night time. Shine a flashlight on the rear sensor to simulate high beams. I bet the electrochromatic action in the mirror will now allow continuity. This is all a guess but sounds logical to me. YMMV though.

[Balthazarr]

Joe, thanks for responding.

I tried using the glove box flashlight to see if there was any perceptible change hooking it up to 12 V source.
After a few seconds the "glare" from the light seemed to lessen, but it could have been the light just getting weaker.
That's when I went to check the continuity.
I also pulled of the little cover in the back to see if that made a difference with the flashlight, same result as above...could have been the light losing its charge.
I got 240 meg of resistance when I tested continuity on what looks like a red wire with green bands.
Pretty sure that isn't the hotwire.

So here is a pic of the type of mirror I have. That clown nose looking thing is simply a knob for tilt as far as I can tell.
Turned it and the angle changed.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=284354

[Steve Bassen]

Digging this one up from the dead...

For the reverse wire, where are you guys tapping into this at? I looked all around under the shifter boot and center console and can't find it anywhere. From underneath the car I can't see where the wire is going from the tranny plug.

[TheNorthWaves]

call me stupid, but what does the auto dimmer do? does it basically serve the same function as flipping the mirror up by the bottom toggle?

[JoeCinVA]

For the reverse wire, where are you guys tapping into this at? I looked all around under the shifter boot and center console and can't find it anywhere. From underneath the car I can't see where the wire is going from the tranny plug.

Look for a blue wire with yellow stripe in the passenger side footwell. You have to take the glovebox out. Good luck.

[Steve Bassen]

Look for a blue wire with yellow stripe in the passenger side footwell. You have to take the glovebox out. Good luck.

Thanks, I'll check that out tomorrow!

[OzDrDj]

Can't you just use a multimeter to test continuity inside the mirror and with the pins?

Cant you just answer the question. Why do people feel the need to question what people are doing. Either answer with a nice polite answer of the question, or shuffle along.

[OzDrDj]

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30645781