DIY JDM motorized automatic folding mirrors

Nice. U took a different approach with a few things, but the end result is still the same.

 

Good work & very nice write-up.

 

I didn't see what the big deal is with folding mirrors.. But after seeing them in action with the leds I want it... Awesome job and great write up.

 

Sweet write up

 

FYI, u can get just the LED w/cover as a lot of us have that mod without the folding mirror.

 

Nice & very detail write up indeed!

 

which way is easier ?

thanks

 

That's hard to say since im not 100% sure how GCPExit12 joined the controller harness to the OEM harness. Either way they will prob be about the same.

 

haha, I think I will still do my road trip to get you to help me install

just ordered ><

 

I'll be here ready & waiting

 

good luck

thanks, so far I know 2 people have this mod done in N. A haha

 

Man thats not good.

Have u verified that the controller still works?

 

hey Sean, do you have the part number of the Lexus white foot well LEDs ?

thnx

 

Here u go:

 

So if the controller is working & the switch is still working, what's failing?

 

I recently finished installing the JDM folding mirrors. I had some needed help from sfv41901 and looked a lot at the blog (DIY: How to install JDM Prius power folding side mirrors | Balancing Act) which shows a detail of having to assemble various configurations of the JDM folding/non-folding mirrors.

The mirrors I received were indeed JDM style OEM mirrors that folded and had ONLY an LED turn signal with heated mirrors. So there were fewer wires than the mirrors with LED puddle and parking lights. Once I did the initial install, I ordered from MITAccessories on eBay ( mitaccessories1) some triple LED lights and popped off the outer shell and put in the new triple LED’s in place of my single LED lights. This gave me the full LED Turn, Puddle and Parking lights that I wanted (here’s the lights on eBay: MIT TOYOTA PRIUS 2010-2015 LED outside door mirror turn signal light lamps | eBay). Total cost for JDM plus new LED’s was about $400 ($250 mirrors, $115 new LED’s, various connectors and clips). Hours to install, first time was about 1.5 to 2.0 times as long as it would be for a second install so initially about 4-6 hours, second time around would be 2-3 hours if I had all parts.

I first installed the JDM LED folding mirrors (questions please ask as I haven’t really done a write-up nor photos but could do that later if there is interest). Then I swapped out the LED’s to get the triple LED and updated the wiring.

1) Mirrors checked out to mount on my 2013 Prius Model 5 (Not C nor V) site with the same angle as production mirrors
2) There’s a small plastic retaining clip that basically holds the mirror to the car while bolting it down or if the bolts break. This clip is shaped like ‘<-|<‘ and snaps into the grove on the mirror and then snaps into the similar grove in the door. I was able to get one of them out but the other mutilated. Checked with Toyota and they aren’t available from the dealer (or dealer doesn’t know how to get them).
3) Dismantled the stock circular five wire connector from the production mirror and reused it on the JDM mirrors for the basic production features (mirror adjustment, heater leads). This meant I only had to worry about a connector for the additional wires (Fold mirror motor, Unfold mirror motor, LED turn, LED puddle, LED parking, (+), (-)). I purchased the Toyota wire ends in sizes 0.020 and 0.050 (didn’t use the 0.050 as they were too big) from Eastern Beaver Company for a fraction of the cost Toyota wanted (e.g. $0.10/ea versus Toyota $6.00/ea). This made building the connections easier (still haven’t mastered this technique but it is possible).
4) Tapped into the relevant sources on the car: Alarm arm, Alarm disarm, Ignition on, Driver turn and parking lights, Passenger turn and parking lights, (+) and (-) and blue wire (ground switched) above the A-Pillar for puddle light activation.
5) Ran some new wires from Mirror mount through the door boot to just under the driver’s side dash are behind the mirror switch (ran this from both sides). Note that the source wires from the Passenger turn and parking only run from the passenger’s foot well out through the door boot and to the passenger’s mirror assemble (they don’t run the width of the car). The wires that run the width of the car are: fold, unfold, (+), (-) and puddle ground switch.
6) In each door, tapped onto the active (+) feed for the puddle (+) line (note that the puddle lights are switched ground so they need a constant (+) source) from the door lights which come on when you open the door (also ground switched).
7) The switch I ordered with the mirror Fold/Unfold button has EXACTLY the same connector as the production switch EXCEPT there are two blank pins which are used with the new switch. I simply used my Eastern Beaver wire ends to make two new pins and put them into the production connector. These two new wires run to the Folding mirror controller (marked from and to switch). Order doesn’t matter at this point. During test you may need to reverse them for desired position.
8) I then connected up the controller to the sources (Alarm arm, Alarm disarm, Fold, Unfold, Ignition on, (+), (-), switch fold, switch unfold).
9) Before going any further, I checked EVERY single lead wire coming from a spliced connection (e.g. parking light, puddle light, turn signal, ground, (+), Alarm arm/Alarm disarm (both of these are 12v pulses), Ignition on). I checked these because initially spotty things worked. I found splices that hadn’t penetrated the wires and eventually once all connections were verified a BAD CONTROLLER which had to be returned to the vendor. I did receive a new controller and it worked like a champ.

Now I have the nice welcome LED at night lighting up the sides of the car and the parking and LED turn signals. The mirrors fold when I arm/lock my door and unfold when I unarm/unlock my door and they fold/unfold with the new dash switch which is also lighted.

Post all of this, I ordered replacement LED interior lights which I love. They are cleaner, brighter and much cooler than the stock resistance lighting (even though my Prius has the LED head/tail lamps!). I ordered the LED interior lights from a guy on Amazon (

).

I know - I need to upload pics and video. I will and if you want to encourage me a bit feel free - maybe that will motivate me!

Questions let me know

 

I'm not sure I'll ever feel a desperate need for auto folding mirrors, but I would be interested in mirrors with a memory for aim. Does anybody know if there is a system of that kind that can be retrofitted into a Gen 3?

-Chap