Installed another part that Toyota said was fitted at the factory, but wasn't - auto dimming mirror.
View attachment 34324
I know that a few people have already done this in the UK, but it's a little tricky as our cars don't have the power connector readily available in the headlining behind the interior lights. So you need to run your own wires to the fusebox. Always intended to do this myself, but had trouble trying to source the mirror so never got around to it.
But there's a guy on the US forums, Hachie Electronics, who runs an online shop and does quite a few electrical mods. Not only does he source the right mirrors and sell them on, but he also makes an international wiring loom which will get the power from the ASC connector behind he glovebox. It's provided as a passthrough so you can keep the ASC turned on if you wish. But even if you've disabled the ASC system, the connector is still powered, so it's a nice elegant solution for anyone who doesn't like dabbling in electronics. Not only that, but the connectors he supplies also include a USB socket which can be used to power a dashcam or something if you need it. There's even a little plastic trim piece which attaches to the windscreen to hide the wire running from the mirror to the headliner.
View attachment 34327
He does source the mirrors second hand or from salvage cars, so they aren't brand new, and therefore may come with some wear. But if you're worried he does offer to photo any items he sends so you can make sure you're happy. I didn't bother and mine turned up fine; just a couple of dirt marks on the glass which cleaned off no issue.
Install was pretty easy, under an hour. A little tricky because you have to run the wiring from the glovebox and also pull the headliner down a little. Take off the bit of trim just in front of the interior lights and there's two screws. Undo those and then unclip the panel holding the lights/SOS thing. You should then see two white clips which hold the headliner in place. I got a trim removal tool behind there and prised them out which gave me just enough room to tuck the connector from the mirror under the front of the headliner, as well as the Hachie power wire which I'd run from the glovebox, up the A-pillar, and tucked along the leading edge of the headliner. Then it was just a case of connecting it all up, tucking the wiring away neatly and putting it all back together
View attachment 34325
*Hachie
Until it gets dark I can't really verify the auto dimming feature, but the mirror powers on and the compass shows up, so no reason to assume it wont. The mirror itself looks a little more high end than the OEM one....thinner bezel and I'm sure it's slightly larger offering a better view.
So although he's not on these forums, a big recommendation to use Hachie Electronics if you're after a ready made solution. Link below, just make sure you select "2nd Generation 6 MT w/o Eyesight" and set the vehicle region to "International" so he'll send you the longer power lead. I ordered on the 30th January and it arrived this morning, so just over two weeks - not at all bad considering I think it's a one man operation and it's coming from the US. Total cost was £154 and there were no customs charges to pay (or at least, the postman handed it over without mentioning any).
Due to the massive increase in demand for 2024/2025 vehicles, orders for Eyesight-compatible mirrors will have up to a 2-week lead time until further notice. This is to allow me time to source enough damage-free mirrors to get everyone taken care of. Thank you for your understanding. These are...
hachielectronics.com
Also, as well as the air freshener, a little bonus in the box...
View attachment 34326
(only while stocks last!)
www.japanparts.com
www.fensport.co.uk
