installing a rearview...problems - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Darchrow Enigma · 06-23-2010, 10:17 PM

so i bought myself a GENK5a rearview mirror with compass/temperature from Gentec

problem is, there is no electrical source anywhere near my rearview...i took out my so called overhead console (a high powered piece of plastic that holds my sunglasses) and there's nothing in there........the closest thing to electricity my rearview may see is the dinky little "door/on/off" light in the middle of the car.

am i going to have to tear off my overhead lining and attach the wires to whatever powers that light?

ugh...the thought of taking off the lining..ugh.

kmr16442 · 06-23-2010, 10:22 PM

What I did was remove the A pillar cover by the driver's side door (it pops off) and then I ran power from the cig lighter I never used. When you remove the sunglasses console and A pillar cover you will have plenty of room, no need to take down the headliner at all.

Darchrow Enigma · 06-23-2010, 10:32 PM

did you have to take off your dash parts to get to the cig lighter? isn't there something else i can do? because...i use that cig lighter quite frequently. mostly charging ipod, and sometimes to actually light a cigarette.

EDIT:
which one is the "Ignition ON"?

do i need to cut any cables to get to the conductors within? or do i just close the T-Tap connector on the wire that i'm stealing electricity from?

do use a 18-22AWG or 14-18AWG?

Darchrow Enigma · 08-05-2010, 10:34 PM

k, i figured it all out and have a new problem.

how the hell do i remove the factory rearview? there's no screw or anything and i can't get a good enough angle to figure out if there's a clip to depress to release the mirror.....

Chris Crash · 08-05-2010, 10:37 PM

Grab firmly, yank straight down.

At least...that's how I did it...

Darchrow Enigma · 08-05-2010, 10:42 PM

oh dear god...i'm gonna put a hole in the windshield.

Chris Crash · 08-05-2010, 10:57 PM

haha it shouldn't. You can probably just take a block of wood, hold it under the mirror and whack it with a hammer to knock it off the metal slide pin thingy.

grandpapa · 08-06-2010, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Crash

haha it shouldn't. You can probably just take a block of wood, hold it under the mirror and whack it with a hammer to knock it off the metal slide pin thingy.

not sure if this is a good idea.
how about going to a auto glass shop and ask them for suggestion?

Does the new rearview mirror only has 2 wires? (+/-)
DIY with picture is always a +

mr.nitro · 08-07-2010, 01:26 AM

id run the wires under the headliner (just tuck it under) then down the window pilliar (remove the trim piece) to the fuse box. use a crimp on connector and plug right into the fusebox.

***LynchburgCSI*** · 08-07-2010, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grandpapa

not sure if this is a good idea.
how about going to a auto glass shop and ask them for suggestion?

Does the new rearview mirror only has 2 wires? (+/-)
DIY with picture is always a +

Ask a glass shop. I'm sure they wouldn't mind telling you.

The new mirror should have 2 wires. Positive and negative. Simple straight forward wiring job.

Darchrow Enigma · 08-07-2010, 01:42 PM

well my issue now is taking the factory mirror off..which i can't. lol