Adding a homelink mirror to Sport?

[HiBoost]

Just wondering if anybody has bought an aftermarket HomeLink mirror and added it to their 08 Highlander Sport?

If anybody has done this, what brand/model mirror did you use and did it require anything "funky" to install it?

Thanks

[summerwind]

When I was on the RAV4 side of things, one of the most frequent upgrades was to the Gentex45 mirror (Homelink/compass/autodim)

http://www.autodimmingmirrors.com/ne...nk45/p_12.html

It was easy to install if you had a moonroof as the constant on +12v could be provided by one of the moon roof wires.

Instructions for how we did it on the RAV4 can be found here

http://rav4world.com/mods/4.3/interi...ng_mirror.html

You will have to register with RAV4World.com to view the instructions

I would think it should be a similar install on a Highlander

[mwfromva]

Originally Posted by HiBoost

Just wondering if anybody has bought an aftermarket HomeLink mirror and added it to their 08 Highlander Sport?

If anybody has done this, what brand/model mirror did you use and did it require anything "funky" to install it?

Thanks

We had the dealership install one for us. It is a Gentex, just a Homelink/Auto-dimming. I think it's a GENK40 or something like that. Since we didn't do the install, I can't help you much there, but as the person above me stated, I have heard it is much easier when you have a sunroof.

The mirror is slightly larger than the stock one, actually is a lot nicer. We were happy with it.

[HiBoost]

thanks guys!

[HiBoost]

I'm ordering a Gentex right now and the dealer is asking what the distance is from the top of my factory mirror to the headliner. I don't take delivery of my highlander until Tuesday but I wanted to get this mirror coming asap so I can install it right away (wife is flipping out about no homelink on a $36k vehicle, but if I install it right away I can just say "oh, here it is, we must have overlooked it the other day" ).

Anyway, if anyone is bored and loves measuring things I sure would be grateful

[PMaggan]

Originally Posted by HiBoost

I'm ordering a Gentex right now and the dealer is asking what the distance is from the top of my factory mirror to the headliner. I don't take delivery of my highlander until Tuesday but I wanted to get this mirror coming asap so I can install it right away (wife is flipping out about no homelink on a $36k vehicle, but if I install it right away I can just say "oh, here it is, we must have overlooked it the other day" ).

Anyway, if anyone is bored and loves measuring things I sure would be grateful

I am planning on adding a mirror to our new Highlander (picking it up tomorrow). Here's the mirror I was planning on ordering:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130173682453

[summerwind]

Originally Posted by PMaggan

I am planning on adding a mirror to our new Highlander (picking it up tomorrow). Here's the mirror I was planning on ordering:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=130173682453

I was pleased with the Gentex mirror like the one your link shows.

You hook up three wires.
a +12V accessory wire for the compass (is off when the ignition is off)
a Ground wire
a +12V always on for the HomeLink system.

The only thing you need to watch out for is you don't switch the +12V leads.
If the power light still is lit when you have the key off it means the always on +12V is wired to the compass and not Homelink.

It will drain the battery if it is wired that way.

The ground wire has a round eye on it. I replaced it with a T-tap and used the ground wire on the moon roof connector.

[PMaggan]

Originally Posted by summerwind

I was pleased with the Gentex mirror like the one your link shows.

You hook up three wires.
a +12V accessory wire for the compass (is off when the ignition is off)
a Ground wire
a +12V always on for the HomeLink system.

The only thing you need to watch out for is you don't switch the +12V leads.
If the power light still is lit when you have the key off it means the always on +12V is wired to the compass and not Homelink.

It will drain the battery if it is wired that way.

The ground wire has a round eye on it. I replaced it with a T-tap and used the ground wire on the moon roof connector.

Any chance you have any pictures or can tell me which color wires are which? Thanks.

[summerwind]

Originally Posted by PMaggan

Any chance you have any pictures or can tell me which color wires are which? Thanks.

Sorry, no.

The link In my post above to the RAV4World.com site shows the wire colors for the RAV4 which were white with black stripe for ground, large blue for 12V on and small blue for 12v switched but it may be different on the Highlander.

You would need to use a volt meter to trace the wires.

[PMaggan]

Originally Posted by summerwind

Sorry, no.

The link In my post above to the RAV4World.com site shows the wire colors for the RAV4 which were white with black stripe for ground, large blue for 12V on and small blue for 12v switched but it may be different on the Highlander.

You would need to use a volt meter to trace the wires.

Thanks. Learning how to use a volt meter is on my list of things to learn from my Dad. Now seems like an appropriate time to get that education.

[summerwind]

Originally Posted by PMaggan

Thanks. Learning how to use a volt meter is on my list of things to learn from my Dad. Now seems like an appropriate time to get that education.

If the wire connector is similar to the RAV4 you will need to pay attention regarding which T-tap you use. My Gen45 came with two taps for large diameter wires and two taps for small diameter wires.

You do not want to use the small wire T-taps on the large 12V aways on wire or the large ground wire if you elect to not use the round eye on the ground wire and modify it like I did to use a T-Tap


Also as I stated earlier check to see that the power light on the mirror goes out when you turn the ignition off. If it stays on just reverse the two 12V wires (unplug wires from T-Tap and switch)

On my Gen45 there was a attachment that goes below the mirror bracket (assume it is for the compass or Homelink). It was easier to install if you did it before you tightened the mirror.

Good luck and report your installation results when you get finished.

[PMaggan]

Ok, I believe I have the switched and constant power wires identified from the Moonroof wire harness. As I am contemplating the Homelink mirror install, I started thinking about also hardwiring a Valentine 1 radar detector. Would I have problems running both the mirror and radar detector from the same power wires?

As an alternative to the Homelink mirror, I'm going to ask my dealer how much a new overhead console with the Homelink built-in would cost. Based on what I saw on the TIS wiring diagrams, it appears the only connection the Homelink unit needs is power.

Thanks.

[summerwind]

Originally Posted by PMaggan

As an alternative to the Homelink mirror, I'm going to ask my dealer how much a new overhead console with the Homelink built-in would cost. Based on what I saw on the TIS wiring diagrams, it appears the only connection the Homelink unit needs is power.

Thanks.

If the overhead console has the transmitter in it the power for it may come from a plug that is already installed. Would be something to ask your dealer.

The best case would be you just had to swap the overhead console
Worth asking..

Please post what you find out.
You may have found an easy answer to the homelink question
What Toyota wants for the console would be the determining factor.

[PMaggan]

I looked but couldn't find any unused connectors for Homelink. In any case, I'm going to check with the dealer tomorrow and I will report back what I find out.

[summerwind]

Originally Posted by PMaggan

I looked but couldn't find any unused connectors for Homelink. In any case, I'm going to check with the dealer tomorrow and I will report back what I find out.

Would think if it is there it would already be part of the overhead console plug. When I did the Gentex 45 mirror on the RAV4 I traded for the HL there were 2 plugs..one for the moon roof which was used as the power source and one for the overhead console lights (which did not have a constant on 12V). There was no Homelink option on the RAV4's

Since homelink IS an option on a HL Sport, I would think Toyota would have the console plug wired with the correct power for a console with homelink when the option was selected. That's assuming the console with Homelink has the transmitter in it.

If it is prewired, it would be a simple upgrade unless you have to refinance your car to buy it.