OEM Heated Mirrors DIY mod

Hi,
I ordered the mirrors from Burco $46 and $49 But they only came as glass no backing plate, just the heated glass. I guess I'll have to separate originals from backing plate and adhere these to the backing plate. Mike you just did this with the Sienna mirrors what did you use as adhesive? More work should have called and asked before I ordered.

 

I did not use any adhesive, none was required. The Sienna backing plate is different from the Tacoma's so I separated the glass from the backing plate on both the Tacoma and Sienna mirrors and the Sienna mirror just pops into the Tacoma backing plate. There is some white stick crap on the back of the Sienna mirror that I left on. I'm assuming it keeps it from rattling. I did not use any other adhesive, the Sienna glass fits very tightly into the Tacoma backer plate, you just have to widen the hole for the wires as shown in the OP. I used a razor for that bit.

 

Thanks for the quick reply Mike. I'll be trying this tonight probably. Hope to get them out and back in while its dry. I'll have to attempt the wiring during days off around Christmas. Again thanks for quick response.

I also purchased a "Flyzeye" for my dash. They are very quick in service and assistance with questions I had. Also Excellent product.

Later

 

If you have Sienna mirrors, you need to run the wiring while the mirrors are off, otherwise you'll have to pull them off later. There's no way to get wires attached to them when the mirrors are installed. You have to take the entire mirror assembly apart to run the wires from the mirror into the door (unbolt the whole housing from the truck, unbolt the mirror cover from the base part and pull the glass away from the housing).

The next fun part is getting the wires from the door into the cab. I used a straightened metal coat hanger to fish the wires through that rubber boot, being very careful not to rip the boot. I fed the coat hanger through from the cab side, disconnected the boot on the door side, fed the hanger through, taped the wires to the hanger and pull them back. Last Sunday, I just installed the mirrors and ran the wires through the doors to the kick panels in the cab and left them coiled there. When I get a chance, I will finish up the wiring and get my switch installed.

A side note, when the wires are run in the door, make sure they are clear of the window so the bottom edge of the glass can not catch the wires when you put the window down. I taped my wires to the factory wire loom to keep them secured.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I guess I will wait until I have more time.

 

Thank for sharing this. Was a bit anoid by the fact that my 2012 tacoma has no heated mirror. So that will be my first mod and this will help quite a bit. Let me know of any advice specific to the 2012. Thx

 

Hi, the "optional Amber light" what is it exactly? Isn't the highlander mirror switch comes with a witness light built in? thanks

 

Your 2012+ has green "witness lighting" switches, you don't need the amber bulb, as the highlander switch already has a green bulb installed.

.... the prior year Tacos have amber "witness lighted" switches. Those folks will want to buy the amber bulb and swap out from the green one.

 

I got a 2010 TRD and i bought mirrors for a 2010 Forerunner. I didn't get the signal lights or the puddle lights just wanted the heated mirrors. Whats the best way to connect the wireing on them, i was thinking of trying to get the connectors off a Forerunner, that would give me the 5 pin connector i think?

 

I used this as my wiring diagram and for some reason mine don't work. As a check, can someone confirm what I did will work, I made some variations on the above diagram:
Mirror power and switch power supply (Switch Pin #5) are taken off an add-a-circuit, power confirmed at both locations.
Mirror grounds tied into Switch Pin #4, confirmed power here also so power does get through the mirrors.
Switch Pin #3 grounded to the chassis (ground was checked).

I am not using a relay.


Also, a helpful tip for anyone doing this who has an SR5, if you get the Highlander switch and wiring pigtail, you don't have to solder to the existing dimmer switch wires. Instead, you can remove the pins from one of the switch locations that your truck doesn't have (like the diff lock or bed outlet plugs), reinsert them into your plug and you're good to go. It'll work on the factory dimmer and you don't have to mess with splicing and soldering those tiny wires tucked into the dash.

 

That's weird that yours didn't work. I wired mine this way and it works. Bad relay maybe?

 

I didn't use a relay, I like to live dangerously

 

I hate to say it, but you may have blown your timer switch.
This has been discussed in another thread Here. Mine worked fine but as soon as Shawnd had issues, I wired in a relay. Unfortunately, it was so long ago it was perhaps overlooked in this thread.
I suggest wiring in a relay and hopefully the timer switch survived.

 

I'll throw a relay in and see what happens.

 

this is pretty cool mod... I am going to give it a try on my 2013

 

Well yesterday I finished the wiring and awaited the frosted mirrors this morning. To my dismay it was warm and raining. But I tried them anyway to dry off the mirror and they work great. This is a great option and should be standard from Toyota. The Highlander switch looks as if it was there since factory. GREAT MOD THANK YOU !! WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Nice write up and solution to those wet and frosted mirrors. Why they are OE I don't know. Has anyone installed the 2012 Highlander heated mirrors and written it up?

From Benson's write up: "The 2012 Highlander Heated Mirror Glass works as a Direct Replacement for the '05-'13 Tacoma (thus eliminating the need to transfer/modify the plastic backplate if using the Sienna mirrors - thanks to File IFR for the info. )"

 

I will be doing this mod on my Dad's 2011 Tacoma very soon (1-2 weeks). He ordered the 2012 Highlander mirrors, so I will be able to definitively say "Yes, they work great!"

As of now, I haven't used them personally - just relying on what others have said.

 

By the way... Don't start popping and reinstalling your mirrors in the frigid cold without first shooting some heat up into the mirror housing or directly onto the mirror backer with a hair dryer or heat gun. The little black clips on the back of the mirror backers snap quite easily.

Don't ask me how I now know...

 

that doesn't sound good. Thanks for the heads up

I actually stepped on one of my Sienna mirrors during install...that was a moment