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This does help a lot, thank you for the detective work!!! It may be possible to buy the SC connector to swap onto the IS300 rearview mirror. All one really needs is too inspect the SC mirror connector and hopefully find five numbers embossed onto its casing with which to derive a "90980-xxxxx" Toyota part number (that is... assuming the connector that part number references is still stocked and available through Toyota/Lexus). We can even identify the associated connector terminal repair wires with another TSRM.
The problem is that SC300/400 mirror has female terminals, while IS300 has male terminals crimped on the wires, so it is not possible to just swap out the connector housing, below are the pictures of both connectors that I found on eBay.
With that, at least for the IS300, the wiring harness on the mirror is fully detachable, there is another internal connector that can be unplugged, taking the whole harness out, refer to the picture below. An internal connector in that mirror is just a generic one used in all kinds of electronics, anything from toaster oven to industrial machinery, and it can also be re-pinned, so as long as SC400 has one of those internal connectors as well, you should be golden, but if not, you can always solder one in. Speaking of connectors, here is a post that has Part Numbers for pretty much all Toyota connector housings they used in all their cars up to about 2002 if that helps..
Originally Posted by KahnBB6
So we'd need to make sure that the IS300's mirror operates on the same main input voltage so as to allow its auto-dimming and LCD compass functions to work. If the IS mirror needs a full +12V in that connector wire then we'd have to tap and pull an extra positive wire from somewhere else in the car. Also... it would then need to be determined if the rearview mirror functions are intended to operate on the equivalent of Accessory/Switched +12V power or if they are intended to operate on a constant power circuit. I would guess that even the SC's mirror connector power wire is cut off when the car isn't on and when the key isn't in the Accessory position with the engine off.
From the wiring diagrams that I managed to dug up from piles of junk in my PC, it appears that SC400 mirror is powered from DOME fuse, and IS300 mirror is powered from the ECU-IG fuse, same song, just different verse. Both mirrors are powered from 12V and are not required to be powered constantly, so you won't need to tap into any power sources around the car, the factory wiring in SC should suffice for the IS mirror.
^^ Is it coming from inside the mirror itself or is that cable coming from the headliner?
It might be leftover from an aftermarket hard-wired installation of a radar detector. Usually most detectors use an RJ-11 "telephone" style connector like that. Hard-wiring kits are available for most detectors with long cables that are often extended up through the front windshield pillar and headliner with the cable exiting up near the rear view mirror so as to be able to mount a detector up high in that location.
That's most likely what the loose and unused cable was for. It's not factory.
any similar info on the wiring like you have for the is?
Huh, it is the same exact connector housing as the one currently in the SC, making it an even better option than the one off of IS, though it does have the same dreadful surprise with the Ground being flipped from Pin 2 to Pin 4, refer to the pinout in the previous post. To remedy this, use a needle to de-pin the connector like it is described in this post, then pin it back as follows, starting from the pin closest to the latch - Red wire for Pin 1 (12V); Black wire for Pin 2 (Ground); Yellow wire for Pin 3 (EC+); Blue wire for Pin 4 (EC-), that should do it in terms of wiring. After that is done, try connecting it to the car's wiring and see what happens..
For the mount, that is something you will have to see on your own, since you may have a chance to salvage both mirrors, without having to follow a destructive lead. The guy in a linked post had to cut his out because it was a basic one, without auto-dimming, so it was glued shut. If the mirror you currently have installed in your SC is auto-dimming, you should be able to take it apart with no violence involved.
With all this excellent research you both inspired me to take the plunge. I ordered an "Ivory" or what looks like a light brown color 98-05 GS300 mirror with auto-dimming and compass and a Tan color '97 SC300/400 mirror with auto-dimming (I currently have a black SC mirror so I need a better color match). I'll update here when I've got them apart and compared.
I'll be following the guide you posted in the link below for disassembly. Arsenii, hopefully you'll be right about there being no need for destructive disassembly while taking apart the SC mirror for the mount
Mine came today, I decided to plug it in juuuusstt to see what would happen annndddd
it just works!
im thinking im just going to have an autoglass shop mount this replacement one for me
dont wanna mess with the glass, i have shaky hands
That's actually quite weird, all the wiring diagrams that I've seen suggest that the connectors have to be re-pinned, and even pictures of the connectors for 1993 SC400, which didn't come with dimming exterior mirrors, show only Pins 1 and 2 occupied, with Pins 3 and 4 being empty. Wiring color is the same, so I wonder how a 1997 mirror worked out in a 1993 SC..
Do you have dimming exterior mirrors, if so, do they still work with the GS300 mirror being plugged in? My concern is that the GS300 may start pulling Ground from the EC- wire, which may result in some issues.
As for the mount, try taking your SC mirror apart, see if you can take its mount out, if so, it won't be a problem to swap that mount into your new GS mirror, that way you won't have to mess with your glass.
P.S. The connector housing on the GS mirror appears to be snapped, the plastic lock is missing, so you will still likely need to replace it with the housing off of your old mirror, it is easy to do and can help avoid some issues in the future..
That's actually quite weird, all the wiring diagrams that I've seen suggest that the connectors have to be re-pinned, and even pictures of the connectors for 1993 SC400, which didn't come with dimming exterior mirrors, show only Pins 1 and 2 occupied, with Pins 3 and 4 being empty. Wiring color is the same, so I wonder how a 1997 mirror worked out in a 1993 SC..
Do you have dimming exterior mirrors, if so, do they still work with the GS300 mirror being plugged in? My concern is that the GS300 may start pulling Ground from the EC- wire, which may result in some issues.
As for the mount, try taking your SC mirror apart, see if you can take its mount out, if so, it won't be a problem to swap that mount into your new GS mirror, that way you won't have to mess with your glass.
P.S. The connector housing on the GS mirror appears to be snapped, the plastic lock is missing, so you will still likely need to replace it with the housing off of your old mirror, it is easy to do and can help avoid some issues in the future..
Hope this helps and best of luck!
the wire colors match up on both
i have a 97 not sure if it has dimming side mirrors but id guess yes (i never drive at night lol)
the lock on the orange clip works fine its just differently designed
i have a 97 not sure if it has dimming side mirrors but id guess yes (i never drive at night lol)
the lock on the orange clip works fine its just differently designed
What I meant by "lock" is this plastic clip that is designed to keep the terminals fastened securely in place, without it, there is a small chance to have terminals falling out, not critical, it's mostly just OCD issues I've been having lately..
To check if auto-dimming mirrors work, cover the sensor on the back of a mirror, and shine a light on its face, see which mirrors would dim with both the new and the old mirror connected, just out of sheer curiosity..
Thanks for this update, Arsenii! I am still waiting on my GS300 mirror with compass and spare tan color 96-00 SC300/400 auto dimming mirror to come in. If I can find five-digit numbers printed on the white connector I'm going to see if I can buy a new one from Toyota. I shouldn't need new terminal ends for it but I can look those up if needed.
The main concerns I have are carefully loosening the special star screw from my SC's current mirror so as to not harm the windshield and hopefully not having to destroy the casing of the spare SC auto dimming mirror to get inside it.
I have a hunch that I may be able to swap the GS mirror and internals into the SC's mirror casing for a perfect color match to my factory tan interior. I hope with fingers crossed.
honestly if i was going to go through all that trouble i would buy one of those dash cam/reverse cam/compass/touch screen smart mirror things on amazon and wire it all up. aside from giving you all the features you need, it also gives you a reverse cam and arguably more important, it records everything in an event of an accident
I missed the last few posts somehow when I made my last post— great news that it just works when plugging it in! However I also agree with investigating the wiring diagrams for both cars nonetheless to make sure all the correct ground connections are made.
My GS300 Ivory mirror with compass and spare SC 96-00 auto-dimming Tan mirror both came in today.
Two things to note:
1) In addition to the compass function there is also a temperature function in Celsius and Fahrenheit within the same LED window.
Now I am curious to see how that function gets its thermistor signal (from inside the mirror or through the harness??) and I am curious as to how the driver can switch between the compass and ambient temperature functions.
2) Mount differences aside, the two mirror housings and their glass look to be the same dimensionally. I am going to see if the guts of the GS mirror can simply be swapped into the housing for the SC mirror for a better color match with the SC’s tan interior.
If that works then it would also make this swap possible for those with factory gray, spruce and black SC interiors.
honestly if i was going to go through all that trouble i would buy one of those dash cam/reverse cam/compass/touch screen smart mirror things on amazon and wire it all up. aside from giving you all the features you need, it also gives you a reverse cam and arguably more important, it records everything in an event of an accident
I am tempted to agree and I have looked into going that route myself with an aftermarket Gentex mirror that includes a compass function and a small 4:3 video screen window for a backup camera function.
However despite being the OEM supplier to Lexus for these factory mirrors Gentex does not make any aftermarket mirror that works with our SC/MKIV/ES/LFA specific windshield mounts.
That and there is something to be said for swapping in an OEM quality long lasting part vs aftermarket when it comes to something like this. Used OEM is always a risk, sure, but the quality of these mirrors isn’t in question.
Not to mention if the casing from an SC mirror can swap onto the GS mirror internals, combined with the plug wiring and connector being nearly identical, makes for a very OEM+ level upgrade.
04-12-22 | 01:15 PM
