DIY JDM style side mirrors combo lights (Signal+Parking+Courtesy lights)

I am confused as to why there are hundreds of posts on PriusChat with links, information and coupon codes for other items that can be shared on the forum yet this one item you wont allow? Can you explain why you would not allow members to share information about this item to other members as to where it can be purchased? Surely you must know that it only makes you look bad?

 

The ebay links and coupon code are not personal links. If there's a discussion about LED turn signals and the subject of hyper flash arises, I can post a link to an online store that sells LED flasher that can remedy the hyper flash only because I don't own the online store that sells LED flasher. It's not a commercially related post that will benefit me. If I bought too many parts for my project and wanted to sell the excess parts I can post it in the private sales forum because I'm not selling it for my business. I'm selling it for myself to recoup the cost. As for informing others of coupon codes, it doesn't benefit the informer monetarily. Case in point, there's a discussion regarding husky mats. Users often post coupon codes to buy the mats at a lower price. What Nigel did was offering a product from his business to PriusChatters without prior agreement with the forum owner. Granted his offering is a good deal nonetheless he violated forum policy regarding commercial sales.
What CivicSky did was totally different. He offered PCer a group buy opportunity from a source that's not related to himself monetarily. These turn signal mirrors are hard to find but not impossible. I posted an ebay link to these signal mirrors back in Oct 10 asking for people's opinions. These lights were selling for $129 shipped unpainted. I should have bought it back then but didn't want to take the chance.

 

^ I can understand deleting Nigel's posts but now that he is banned why not allow members to post other sources or even his store.

What if tomorrow this kit shows up on eBay, can i post that link?

The reality is that Danny wanted to mark up Nigel's price of $XXX to around $XXX-$XXX and make a profit on each sale which of course Nigel wanted nothing to do with that and asked for permission to be a forum vendor and pay a vendor fee and all would have been happy.

Danny just banned the guy and deleted all posts related to that source and find a direct source himself and sell directly. So in the end the members got screwed because we could have had this ball rolling by now and enjoy installing these kits.

Owner or not it's not cool to treat your fellow members like children, intimidate and slam the ban hammer on anyone who questions the boss.

With that said i think an opinion has been formed and i have nothing else to add.

I wouldn't be surprised if all these posts would disappear as soon as he gets back online..

 

:focus:
I did put my inspection camera to good use today. I did find connectors on the backside of the Main Body ECU. I have no idea of how to get to them unless the white bracket can be opened. I didn't have time to try figuring it out today, so I don't know if it would be easy or hard. If anyone has any ideas, please share. Otherwise I will try to look at it again this weekend.

 

According to the diagram, that sky blue wire connects with the horn switch on the steering wheel. So I assume the alarm is using it to sound the horn. I did look at the Toyota alarm diagram, and I seem to remember that it does tie into the doom light circuit, but just on the power side I think. I hadn't thought about it before, but I will try to find it and look at it again and see where it taps that line since it runs with the blue wire for a while.

At the end of the day, the overhead map light assembly may indeed be the easiest, and I need to open it up for something else anyway. But I'm a little pissed that they seemed to have buried the connectors, and now I'm on a mission (fool's errand) to find the magic wire under the dash.

EDIT: I should add that the diagrams show connectors 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E/F as being part of the same block, so it makes sense that they would be together behind the white bracket.

 

Unfortunately, the alarm connects to the dome fuse, so that's too far removed to be helpful.

It's really called the Instrument Panel Junction Block. According to the Repair Manual, the 2A Connector should be on the lower back of the block (see attached). A common diagnostic step is to disconnect the junction block from the ECU and/or disconnect the back connectors. I have not actually found the disassembly instructions yet, but I'm thinking that if it is a step in checking a faulty connection, then it should have been made simple to remove. I'm hoping that I remove a screw and it just snap apart. It should be fairly nice tomorrow, so I will see if I can figure it out.

 

I'm about to order my set soon this week!

Thanks so much for all your posts so far Civic Sky.

There must be an easier was to tap into the Dome lights
I don't feel like snaking a wire through my car unless it's my only option.

Do these things come with instructions? and a kit with the wire taps etc?

 

I can confirm that the 2A connector is on the botton rear of the junction block. If you just put your hand up from under the junction block, you can feel it. Our wire is near the bottom (pin 1 is up). There is not much exposed wire and a boot is partially in the way. I assumed the connector is latched into place like the front connectors and I could reach what felt like the latch. My fingers could not get into the right position to remove the connector, but I did not try lying on my back (might not ever get out ).

In theory, we could also remove some plastic parts to get better access to the connector -- especially the white bracket. But the wiring goes through channels in the bracket or are anchored to the bracket. It turns out that either my fingers are too fat or there is a better technique to disconnect the channel, so I did not have much success. I am not yet willing to break something. Maybe we will find some help from someone outside this thread.

Alternatively, if you notice from the attached photos, the wires from the 2A connector come up through the top channel and then come forward over the parking brake area. You can see that the mass of wires are all exposed at the top of the bracket, standing vertically. One of the blue wires should be the Courtesy Ground. I do not know how many blue wires are there, but the 2A connector itself has 5 blue wires. So we could just tap each blue wire (ignoring any small wires) until finding the right one.

Once my lights come in, I will try to use more effort, including trying to fit my head underneath the connector. Once it's in better view I should be able to tap it (by either removing it or not).

 

So what is the word on this part? Where do we go to order it now?

 

Yeah, I'd like to do that also.

 

You can go through CivicSky's supplier or Nigel (who's still offering the group buy price on his website).

 

No problem, I just wish it were easier to get to. Thanks for all your help in blazing the trail.:cheer2:
I'm not to excited about opening up the A-pillar airbag cover either. If I do get braver, I know the blue wire is there (and it's the only blue wire I found so far that goes up to the roof). To avoid it, I guess I could try running a wire down the B-pillar from the map light assembly. Again, I would rather remove as few things as possible.

 

As for the wire taps, it looks like they come with standard crimp-on wire taps. I have used them before and they have always worked fine, but I'm always afraid they will damage or cut through the wire.

It seems to me that it could be difficult to use the supplied taps on at least the courtesy ground wire, so I am going to try using a product called Posi-Taps (www.posi-tap.com). I think they have been around for years, but I have never used them. I have some on order and once they come in I will give one a try.

 

I went to Nigel's website; is there a group buy coupon code? It looks like it's $249 for the set now, unless I missed something......

I'd like to get a set too!

 

You'll have to PM some of us on the list for that information, as Danny is prohibiting us from revealing anything pertaining to Nigel. Alternatively, you can contact CivicSky for his supplier's information.

PM sent by the way.