DIY: 2012 Backup Display Mirror Install In 2008

I have looked all over this forum and found much info on the back-up camera install, but not on the OEM display mirror. Most people here installing the mirror have a 2009 or newer Tacoma, with the camera and all the wiring is already installed. However, 2005 to 2008 have no preinstalled camera or wiring whatsoever. The info is here, but in bits and pieces, so I thought I'd put it together here.

First of all, the disclaimer. All info provided here is how I wired up my 2012 mirror and camera in my 2008. You can use this info for reference at you own risk. I cannot and will not take resposibility for any damage you do to your truck while attempting this install.

What this does not cover is how to install the camera. That can be found here at this link.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...em-tailgate-camera-pre-09-taco-lots-pics.html

I made a few modifications to the install on the link above.

First is that I did not use a Mulnex connector to connect the tailgate harness to the truck harness. The tailgate harness came with a water tight connector and a blank plug, as shown below. The plug is on the right side of the picture.



This plug can be converted into a connector. First pull out the plastic tab inside the plug with pliers.





Use a paper clip or something similar to push out the rubber plugs.



Now here's the tricky part. You need to get terminals that will fit this blank plug. I got lucky. I found some automotive door switches at a local parts store for $2 each. Each switch came with a two prong connector. I bought 2 switches and removed the terminals.



Solder the terminals onto a 3 conductor #18 shielded cable, and use heat shrink tubing around the soldered jounts.



Insert the terminals into the blank plug.



Wrap the wires together with heat shrink, and you've got yourself a water tight connector.



Now, onto connecting the mirror. The following is a drawing of the connector that plugs into the mirror.



Connect terminal 1 (green) to a positive 12V power source that turns on when the ignition is in the on position. I connected this to the switched power for the overhead console. Open up the sun glasses holder to reviel a small black screw. Remove the screw, and pull on the console, and it will pop right off.

There will be two connectors. Unplug them and set the overhead console aside. find the connector with 6 wires. The green wire on the end of the connector is the switched 12V source I tapped.



Connect Terminal 2 (white) to any chassis ground.

Terminal 3 (Red) needs 12V when the shift lever is in reverse. I tried to find a wire in the centre console where the shifter is for this, but failed. Other threads point to a wire bundle behind the coin holder to the left of the steering column. That wire bundle does not exist for 2005 to 2008 model years since they do not have the backup camera pre-wired. So, I admitted defeat, and wired terminal 3 all the way back to the bacup light. I unplugged the left rear tail light. The tail light connector is shown below.



I pryed the white insert off.



Using a small jeweller's screwdriver, I pryed up the little plastic tab inside the connector that held the red wire with the white stripe captive, and pulled the terminal out. I tapped the red/white wire at the terminal, and put the terminal back in the connector. It was a tight squeese to get two wires into the water tight bushing. The picture below shows where I put two wires into one slot. The yellow wire is the one I added.



Tapping the wire at the truck side of the connector will still allow you to remove the tail light assembly by unplugging the connector.

I ran the yellow wire back to the cab, and soldered it to the red wire on terminal 3 on the connector that plugs into the mirror.

Terminal 8 (Red) is for Home Link use only. Connect this wire to an unswitched 12V shouce to power up the Home Link buttons on the mirror if equipped.

Terminal 12 (yellow) is for the outside temperature sensor, and is incompatible with 2005 to 2008 models. Leave this wire disconnected.


The rest of the terminals go directly to the camera. If you made a wire harness using 3 conductor #18 shielded cable to run to the back of the truck, the colour of the wires in the shielded cable may differ from what I uesd. But essentially, using your shielded cable:

Connect terminal 6 (white/silver CV-) to the White/Silver wire of the camera wire harness.

Connect terminal 7 (red.silver CV+) to the red/silver wire of the camera wire harness.

Connet terminal 13 (shield) to the shield of your shielded cable, and then to the blue wire of the camera wire harness.

Connect terminal 14 (Black/silver CB+) to the black/silver wire of the camera wire harness.

The camera gets it's power from the mirror via the black/silver wire. It send the video signal back to the mirror via the red/silver, and white/silver wires. The blue/silver wire is the shield.

That's it! Put everything back together, and it should work!

 

sub'd.

 

Sub'd I'll be attempting this in the near future, my first real electrical experience, thanks for the write up

 

I'll try to answer any questions you have on the install. I am really enjoying mine. I can't wait to see how this helps hooking up my trailer next camping season.

 

Nice ! I Am formulating my questions .

I have most of the pieces to complete this.

 

got my parts together; rear view mirror w/LCD screen, tailgate handle w/camera and harness.

few question here. where could I get a blank plug that plugs into the tailgate harness, and a blank plug that plugs into the the mirror? part numbers?

or I could just splice or tap into those wires.

 

sub'd for future mod

 

The blank plug came with my harness that goes in the tailgate. If you can't find one that works, consider using a trailer plug. They come in 4 pin configuration and are weather resistant. Here's a picture of a 5 pin connector. You can get them at most auto parts places. I wouldn't just splice into the harness in the tailgate, because you would need to unplug the harness to remove the tailgate.



As for the connector that plugs into the mirror, you can buy the wiring from Rod on this form. Here's the link.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacoma-marketplace/221653-fs-factory-lcd-mirror-rear-view-camera-set.html

The wiring he sells includes

1. The connector that plugs into the mirror with about 8 inches of wire that you can splice into.
2. The wire harness that plugs into the camera, including the blank plug that I converted into a connector. You'll still need the pins that goes into the blank plug. I understand you can get the pins from the stealership for the rip-off price of $5 a pin. Your're better off going with the trailer connector. I just got lucky finding the pins in a door switch. The last thing you'll need is the wire cover for the mirror that goes between the mirror and the headliner,if you don't olready have it. It will cost between $8 to $12 from the stealership. The part number is 87818-04010.

Good luck on your install.

 

^^ thanks for the info man.

 

^^ No problem. Let us know how it turns out!

 

I checked out that thread and pm'd the op regarding the mirror plug, but its a no go. He can't sell it individually. I'll probably check out ebay or something. I'll go check out my local parts store for that trailer plug. worse case scenario for me is to just tap into the wires.

I'll update you guys when I finish my install.

 

I bought an extra tailgate harness and spliced into that (didn't want to splice into the "good" one that's in the tailgate. I figured I could screw up an extra harness but wanted to keep the original harness in good shape). That was part 82182-04010. Cost maybe $40 online I think.

 

Rod may not sell the conector to the mirror by itself, but for $15 + S & H he will sell you the plug for the mirror, and a wire harness for the tailgate. I think that's a pretty sweet deal.

 

nope, no luck on those items. as he can't sell them individually. i already have the mirror, tailgate w/camera and the harness.

 

Sorry to hear that. He stock must be getting low, because I bought the camera, tailgate wire harness, tailgate handle and mirror connector from him a little more than a month ago, and I bought the mirror from someone else. He had the items listed individually then. Good luck on finding the connector.

 

by any chance do you know the part number to the plug if there is even one?

 

Sorry, but I don't know the part number. I would check with the dealer, but I worry that the dealer would only sell it as a part of an entire wire harness. BlackSeven has a thread here with a lot of info.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...ror-into-2009-truck-wiring-temp-homelink.html

Maybe he can help.

 

Sorry, I don't. The plug is really all I wanted, so that's why I bought the whole harness because it's got the plugs on both ends.

Just to be clear, I'm talking about the tailgate harness (which it sounds like you possibly already have). If you need the harness that runs through the truck from tailgate to cab, I don't know what part that is. However, you can always just splice and run your own wires up to the cab. Based on my limited knowledge (take this with a grain of salt because it is VERY limited), you just need to send the video signal via 2 wires -- video positive and negative. There's a ground/shield in there too but I don't know how it works or what it does, and I didn't use it. Finally, if you're using the OEM camera you'll need to get power from somewhere in the cab I think, because the OEM only runs on 6V vs. most cameras that run on 12V.

 

camper101- thanks man.

scooter- got a question here. I got a mirror from a 2010, is the diagram of the plug you provided in this write up work for it, or is it only specific to a certain year?

installed the tailgate w/camera and harness today. gonna tackle the wiring from the wire harness to the mirror tomorrow.

 

didn't have the plug that plugs into to the mirror, so I'm gonna have to tap into the plug. I've already ran my wires from the camera to the cab.

can anyone tell which wires goes to which. this is the wire that comes out of the camera. I've tried to follow that diagram but I'm totally lost as of now. any help is greatly appreciated.