[KoutaFox]

I searched the forums and was unable to find any specific answer to this question/issue...

I have the auto dim mirror option on my 325xi and have preformed a few tests because I believe it isn't working correctly. In a fairly dark garage with car running, I put a flashlight in front of the mirror and it did nothing. I then opened the garage to full sunlight and covered the sensor behind the mirror and nothing happened. I have replaced the mirror twice thinking it was a faulty mirror, but thinking that's not the issue anymore. I made sure it was plugged in securely and installed properly. I checked all my fuses in the glove box and all were good.

Why isn't my mirror auto dimming? Am I testing it correctly?

 

[KoutaFox]

I took a closer look at my fuse box diagram sheet and the fuse box. The only thing listed that sounds anywhere near what Im looking for are fuses 24,67 listed as "inside mirror electrochromic". Fuse 24 position was empty with only one pin, indicating a fuse would do nothing. Fuse 67 had a 5a fuse and it was good.

Is there another fuse I should be looking for? What fuse would the auto dim mirror be listed as on the fuse diagram sheet?

 

[KoutaFox]

I may just be talking to myself, but just in case im not...

I took the dome light and sunroof cover off and found that the previous owner did some wiring screw ups. The only wires I found that went to the mirror were red and grey (the clown nose i believe). The other three wires were connected to nothing. I put the brown wire to the body ground and re connected the red and grey wires to the corresponding color match on the mirror. The clown nose would not flash with doors locked or unlocked or anything. I measured the voltage from the two wires and found the red wire going to the mirror was 12v constant, the grey wire also read 12v constant coming from the mirror. If I connected the green wire to the red wire, the mirror would auto dim. But the red wire is constant 12v and I dont want that. The fact that the blue wire is not connected to anything (reverse dim) doesnt bother me much. I measured voltage with car running and not running from a few wire harnesses that werent connected to anything trying to find "acc 12v" but had no luck.

I am taking a wild guess that the auto dim mirror option really wasnt part of my vehicle package, but the clown nose was. So now that I have all these wires that go nowhere inside my sunroof cover, I would like to find which ones go to the fuse box so I can make my retro fit without having to run new wires (just use the existing wires that connect to nothing). I do not plan to install bluetooth or homelink.

Attached below are a few pictures of the wires in question that are just tucked away under the sunroof cover. Can anyone tell me where the other end of these wires go and if any of them go to the fuse box and do nothing (since they were not plugged into anything)?

Also, why when I wire the clown nose as it is suppose to be wired (color matched wires) it does nothing?

 

[KoutaFox]

A quote from Megadeth....hey me its me again, nice talking to myself

Well, turns out the green/blue wire on the above pictured white connector is acc 12v switched. I wired the green/blue into the mirror's green/white. Re wired the red to red and grey to grey (still assuming that is the flashing clown nose). The mirror auto dims like a champ, but without reverse un-dimming.

The clown nose however, no clue why it does nothing. It is getting power, but never flashes or anything.

 

[bmwnick1]

People are reading but probs didnt have an answer to ur issue lol glad u fixed it

 

[KoutaFox]

People are reading but probs didnt have an answer to ur issue lol glad u fixed it

I realize everything happened in one day and that I prob wouldnt get replies so quick, I was only trying to poke fun while keeping everyone up to date and inform of what I seen and did. I hope this thread helps someone else in the future

Although I still wouldnt mind knowing more about why my clown nose will not flash.

 

[payno]

I realize everything happened in one day and that I prob wouldnt get replies so quick, I was only trying to poke fun while keeping everyone up to date and inform of what I seen and did

no worries mate I think most of us could see the funny side :thumbsup

 

[bmwnick1]

no worries mate I think most of us could see the funny side :thumbsup

I did see the funny side lol was just saying lol

 

[payno]

I did see the funny side lol was just saying lol

was just a generalisation nick wasn't aimed at you for a change :hihi

 

[bmwnick1]

Haha yer for a change u can be a bit of a payno haha :thumbsup

 

[payno]

Haha yer for a change u can be a bit of a payno haha

only when required nick :thumbsup

 

[Bisto]

Hey Nick,

I would try sending 2 or 3 volts down those two wires and see if they led lights up. Definitely try with low voltage first rather than 12v in case the led doesn't have a resistor in series with it inside.

If it doesn't light up I would imagine you can get another led to replace it with somehow

 

[KoutaFox]

Hey Nick,

I would try sending 2 or 3 volts down those two wires and see if they led lights up. Definitely try with low voltage first rather than 12v in case the led doesn't have a resistor in series with it inside.

If it doesn't light up I would imagine you can get another led to replace it with somehow

I did, by accident, touch the green/white wire coming from the mirror to the red and grey wires from vehicle. The red light did light up, but since it was constant 12v it just stayed lit up. So yes, I know the LED does indeed work. I am thinking about biting the bullet and going to the dealership and spending $130 for them to plug into my car and see if maybe it isnt activated in the system, as well as trying to get them to turn on my daytime driving lights. I can find really no answers or way around those two issues without paying them. Unless you guys know something I dont?

 

[edber]

The auto dim is functioned from the black 10 pin connector.
Pin 3 on the connector goes to fuse 24(green and white wire)
Pin 1 on the connector goes to a connecting point on top of the fuse box (blue and yellow wire)
Pin 10 on the connector goes to earth(brown and black wire)
I have a pdf guide I can send you.

 

[Bisto]

If your indicators don't flash when you lock the car the chances are you'll need to look into setting up NCS Expert on an old laptop (this will all make sense once you've read up on it) get a cheap ebay-stylie VAG COM cable, ideally with the FT232RL chip. Once you have that setup, and INPA&NCS Expert on your laptop you can get into the GM5 module and change the option DWA from nicht_aktiv to aktiv. That's your clown nose sorted. I don't think there's any option for the auto-dimming stuff though, that's probably down to your missing fuse entry in the fusebox. I haven't got a proper wiring diagram to look though I'm afraid

 

[edber]

The clown nose should be working anyway if the car has a factory alarm fitted.
Try looking at WDS BMW for all the wiring diagrams.

 

[Bisto]

You never know what people have been upto with second hand cars, twice I've had to recode DWA to aktiv on the GM5 now! People seem to just code it off instead of fixing the dodgy ultrasonics and bonnet switches :frown

 

[KoutaFox]

edber...I recently purchased this car from an individual who obviously mislead me into thinking it came with the auto dim mirror option. After tracing wires and looking at the fuse box, I made the determination that it originally did not come with the auto dim featured mirror. The only wires that were going to the mirror were the red and grey wires, the other three wires on the mirror were just laying loose connected to nothing. That is when I used my volt meter and found an acc 12v switched wire that went to the not used home link. I used that wire (12v switched key on) to the green/white wire from the mirror and connected the red and grey wires back to the same color wires on the mirror. I really hope all this makes sense.

I do not believe the car came with a factory installed alarm, only keyless entry.

Bisto...I agree that if I were going to be playing around with the GM5 often, getting the laptop and programs and cable would be reasonable. But since I plan to have only the flashing lights and clown nose activated, along with daytime running lights activated paying BMW a one time fee is probably my best option. Im just afraid they will charge me $130 and say "cant turn anything on, your car didnt come with those options".

 

[edber]

edber...I recently purchased this car from an individual who obviously mislead me into thinking it came with the auto dim mirror option. After tracing wires and looking at the fuse box, I made the determination that it originally did not come with the auto dim featured mirror. The only wires that were going to the mirror were the red and grey wires, the other three wires on the mirror were just laying loose connected to nothing. That is when I used my volt meter and found an acc 12v switched wire that went to the not used home link. I used that wire (12v switched key on) to the green/white wire from the mirror and connected the red and grey wires back to the same color wires on the mirror. I really hope all this makes sense.

I do not believe the car came with a factory installed alarm, only keyless entry.

Bisto...I agree that if I were going to be playing around with the GM5 often, getting the laptop and programs and cable would be reasonable. But since I plan to have only the flashing lights and clown nose activated, along with daytime running lights activated paying BMW a one time fee is probably my best option. Im just afraid they will charge me $130 and say "cant turn anything on, your car didnt come with those options".

Three loose wires,are they the colours I mentioned earlier?

 

[KoutaFox]

Three loose wires,are they the colours I mentioned earlier?

Yes...The brown/black I grounded to the body. The green/white I put with switched 12v. The blue/yellow did not get connected to anything.