Is the Homelink mirror easy to install?

russr

Member
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Mazda6 6i 5-door 2004
The dealer wanted $250 for the homelink autodimm mirror with compass. Wondering if I bought the mirror online if I could install it myself. How involved is the installation? Anyone have a guide?
 
The autodimming one isn't bad...just one spliced wire, and adding a ground to a bolt by the PCM.

Dunno what else is involved for the homelink.
 
Where is there a wire near the rear view mirror for power? Also, what is the PCM? I would think that these mirrors were battery operated.

crossbow said:
The autodimming one isn't bad...just one spliced wire, and adding a ground to a bolt by the PCM.

Dunno what else is involved for the homelink.
 
PCM is under the dash, above and to the left of the clutch pedal. Thats where the directions have you run your power source, and thats where you ground the mirror.

They don't have you run any power from the mirror/lights area, but run the wire all the way down to the floor.
 
So if I'm understand your correctly, if you have a homelink or autodimm mirror installed (dealer or self install, there's a wire that you can see running from the mirror all the way down into the dash? Doesn't it go across the windsheild then?


crossbow said:
PCM is under the dash, above and to the left of the clutch pedal. Thats where the directions have you run your power source, and thats where you ground the mirror.

They don't have you run any power from the mirror/lights area, but run the wire all the way down to the floor.
 
I have the homelink mirror and my guess is that the wire goes from the mirror up to the top of the windshield and around the edge of the windshield, which is why you can't see it. I'm not sure about this though. I think you have to drill into the glass too, which is always nerve racking.

If you're willing to fork out $250 for the mirror, why not pay an extra $100 or something and get the dealer to do it.
 
If it was something that I could easily do then I don't want to pay the dealer to do it. In addition, u can buy those mirrors on ebay for much less than $250. You could probably get them at online stores too much cheaper than $250. (thumb)
Garfinkle said:
I have the homelink mirror and my guess is that the wire goes from the mirror up to the top of the windshield and around the edge of the windshield, which is why you can't see it. I'm not sure about this though. I think you have to drill into the glass too, which is always nerve racking.

If you're willing to fork out $250 for the mirror, why not pay an extra $100 or something and get the dealer to do it.

EDIT: Garfinkle when you get in your car can you take a more careful look at your mirror and see how they ran the wire?
 
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The wire runs underneath the headliner, then down the pillar, down to where the pcm is located.

You can't see any wires, its completely concealed.

I didn't have to drill in the glass, I just slid off the old mirror, slid the new one on, ran the wires, taped one wire, screwed the ground onto a bolt next to the pcm...va la done. Mine was an "autodimm" mirror, and didn't have homelink, so I'm not entirely sure if there will be differences with the homelink or not.
 
Could you take some pictures so I can see how you ran the wire from the mirror up to the headliner and all this stuff?

I doubt the homelink mirror is any different cuz it should only need power and ground.

crossbow said:
The wire runs underneath the headliner, then down the pillar, down to where the pcm is located.

You can't see any wires, its completely concealed.

I didn't have to drill in the glass, I just slid off the old mirror, slid the new one on, ran the wires, taped one wire, screwed the ground onto a bolt next to the pcm...va la done. Mine was an "autodimm" mirror, and didn't have homelink, so I'm not entirely sure if there will be differences with the homelink or not.
 
Er you can't see anything...Its all hidden. I don't really want to pull the wire back out, since its all nice and tucked under :).

The instructions are pretty straight forward...it was my first time ever dealing with car wiring and I had no issues.
 
crossbow said:
Er you can't see anything...Its all hidden. I don't really want to pull the wire back out, since its all nice and tucked under :).

The instructions are pretty straight forward...it was my first time ever dealing with car wiring and I had no issues.
It came with instructions?
 
By the way, doesn't anyone else think it's stupid how you don't get the compass in the mirror when you get a loaded 6 with the homelink. I always though that would be really handy and would look cool to boot. I think when you buy the mirror from the dealer you get it.
 
Garfinkle said:
By the way, doesn't anyone else think it's stupid how you don't get the compass in the mirror when you get a loaded 6 with the homelink. I always though that would be really handy and would look cool to boot. I think when you buy the mirror from the dealer you get it.

The homelink mirror is a dealer installed accessory and comes with the compass. In fact, the name for it is COMPASS/AUTODIM MIRROR WITH HOMELINK. A "loaded" 6 comes with the standard mirror. You have to add either the homelink one or just the autodimm one.
 
hmmm...so how much does the homelink cost and how much for the autodimm? all dealers probably carry them right?
 
Garfinkle said:
By the way, doesn't anyone else think it's stupid how you don't get the compass in the mirror when you get a loaded 6 with the homelink. I always though that would be really handy and would look cool to boot. I think when you buy the mirror from the dealer you get it.


back way when I lived in Rochester Ny, i'd drop in on the Mid Atlantic folk every now and then... bout 6 hour drive with one pitstop. well I had this route i would always take and half way thru there is this huge Wegmans super market where I always stop for something to snack on and drink... I'd always stop which every direction I was going. well one time on my way to VA, I was heading out of the parking lot and you either turn left or right... I chose Right... drove about a few hundred feet... looked up at my compass, saw N instead of S (wow) and I did a quick 180.... saved myself from back tracking that time! True Story!
 
crzygosu87, the homelink mirror has an autodimm feature as well as a compass and costs $250 at the dealer plus installation. I don't know how much installation costs, but I doubt it is more than $50. If you want to install it yourself or you know someone who can do it for you, your best bet is ordering from one of these places: http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22493 it will be much cheaper.

If you don't want homelink, there's a regular autodimm mirror with compass that the dealer will sell you for $150+installation.

crzygosu87 said:
hmmm...so how much does the homelink cost and how much for the autodimm? all dealers probably carry them right?
 
russr said:
The homelink mirror is a dealer installed accessory and comes with the compass. In fact, the name for it is COMPASS/AUTODIM MIRROR WITH HOMELINK. A "loaded" 6 comes with the standard mirror. You have to add either the homelink one or just the autodimm one.

I guess it is different in the US. I bought a loaded 6 hatch and got the auto dimming mirror with homelink, but not with the compass. This comes with the GT model in Canada.
 
Garfinkle said:
I guess it is different in the US. I bought a loaded 6 hatch and got the auto dimming mirror with homelink, but not with the compass. This comes with the GT model in Canada.

I guess it is because in the US you cannot get the GT edition on the hatch. It is a sedan only option. The hatch is always the sport edition. I'm fairly sure that even on the sedan GT edition, no homelink is provided standard, but I'll have to double check. The mirror is called homelink with autodimm and compass so that I'm fairly sure it has.
 
Fugi said:
saw N instead of S (wow) and I did a quick 180.... saved myself from back tracking that time! True Story!


this is why I was originally annoyed that you couldn't get nav on 6 in 2004/5.. especially since there is plenty of room with that handy dash box.
 
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