Auto dimming compass mirror install in 2008 MAZDA5 GT

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Mazda5 2008 GT White
We installed the auto dimming compass mirror in our 2008 MAZDA5 Grand Touring NAV with rain sensing wipers.

The Rear View Mirror, Auto Dimming with compass, is part number 0000-8C-Z01 and the installation kit for our car is part number 0000-8C-L13.The install was fairly straight forward it took about 3 hours moving really slowly to get it all done.

My impression of the install: fortunately my stock mirror just slide right off (like it was loose) so no problems there. The new mirror slide right in place secured with a T-20 Torx. Below is a picture of the wedge style mount, the penny is for scale. Tucking the wire under the headliner, the headliner barely touches the roof, there is a big gap so it is easy to tuck the wire away towards the passenger side A pillar trim. Removing the A pillar trim wasn’t too bad. The push/pull pin holding the A pillar trim is a white pin you remove after the plastic A trim is slide off. This white pin was so tight I was afraid it would break while muscling it off. I spent 20 minutes gingerly trying to pry it out, until I finally got fed up and gave it good a tug and it popped free without breaking -- what luck. Fishing the wires through the dash / fuse area and down behind the passenger kick panel trim was easy. There was one mistake in the instructions on which wire to tap, it should be the green wire with black strip AND SILVER DOTS. Finally the plastic cover that comes in the install kit secures to the rain sensing element to cover the mirror mount and wiring could not be more complicated to install. If you are good with a rubik’s cube (I’m not), you might be able to figure it out. With some patients, I did manage to install the trim without messing up the rain sensing element. You remove the back half of the plastic cover, exposing the circuit card assembly to add a black cover and snap all the pieces back together while lining up on the plastic tabs of the lens glued to the back of the windshield -- An unbelievable amount of risk to potentially screwing up a bunch of expensive items for a simple cover that could have easily been designed not to involve the sensing element at all. Snap everything back together and calibrate the compass - cake. The dimming works great and the compass is a nice feature the GPS neglected to have on the screen.

In hindsight, since there are only two wires (+12 IGN and ground) to run the compass dimming mirror, you can probably get away without the install kit, and reuse the black plastic mirror cover that comes in the car with the stock mirror. If your handy with a dremel you can likely carve out a path for the wire and skip messing around with the rain sensing element secured to the back of the windshield. I haven’t tried this, just my 2c.

Here are some pictures for those still interested.
 

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Auto dimming compass mirror install in 2008 MAZDA5 GT continued

Some additional mirror installation photos; rain sensing element cover and comparison between the stock mirror and auto dimming compass mirror.
 

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Cool. I'll be installing an auto-dim mirror in my father's Mz5 tomorrow so this should be helpful. The only part I'm concerned about is removing the A-pillar trim. I'm not worried about breaking it as I've taken apart the interior of my Mz3 multiple times. The 3 has a little more gripping surface to get a hold of the pillar, plus the last time I tried to remove the trim on the 5 it was really cold and I could get it to slide at all. We'll see.

Also thanks for the heads up on the wire color change. I believe they misprinted the one for the 3 as well.

EDIT: Mirror is installed and working. Excluding interruptions with my sick baby and walking to my shed to grab a random tool occasionally it took about 20 minutes to do. The temp. definitely made a difference with the A-pillar as it popped right out and went right back in just like it's supposed to. Thanks again for the info. on the wire color.
 
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Hello all of you
The details from delsherif were very usefull for me. I am from Romania and if is possible a need some answers:

1.which is the procedure for calibrating compass?
2. the mirror need 2 wires o positive one and the ground. The locations is on the first two pins . Please tell me the firts wire from the pin's line is the positive one or the ground

Thank you very much . and really the post was very usefull for me because the seller from US send me by FEDEX only the mirror without tha installation kit and without any wiring diagram

Have a nice day
 
Thanks for the write-up. Makes me wonder about changing the mirror in my M5

Does anyone know if this has changed at all in the 2010 version?
I have the GT / Rain-sensing unit - I was hoping that it would just plug in there rather than having to run the cord. Thanks for the help.

What have people seen for the prices of the Autodimming / Auto + homelink?
 
Just finished installing an auto-dimming mirror with Homelink and a compass and it went pretty smoothly. Like seemingly everyone else, I had a little difficulty with removing the A pillar trim. I was exceedingly careful thanks to the other posts I read here, but getting the push pin connector fully extended was only half the instructions given. What they don't tell you is that before you can slide the trim off the pin you have to disengage two other clips in the trim. One is about midway down the pillar while the other is almost at the base of the pillar. They are just regular clips, so just firmly pull the trim out towards the driver's side and they will pop right out.

Getting the trim back on the pin was a little challenging, but patience always pays off -- well that and a screw driver to help line up the pin!

Other than that the rest of the install was pretty simple (with the possible exception of maneuvering the bundle trying to find the proper wires to tap -- ay carumba!).
 
Thank you for this write up. I just installed my auto dimming compass rear view mirror. I was following the install and I got stumped when it was asking for me to look for a white 56 plug connector and tap the yellow wire. I looked for about 10 mins and I could not find a white 56 plug connector. I searched and found this thread. I tapped the green/black stripes/silver dots wire instead per your write up. Put the battery back on, tested it and it works!(nana) Awesome. Thanks again.
 
Great pics! I do have a question about the mirror operation since I installed the same one on my car. Does the green light go off with the compass when the button is pushed? On mine the green light never goes out.

Thanks,
Jim
 
Thanks for all the great information. After reading all, I've decided to have the Mazda dealer install the Auto-dimming HomeLink mirror with compass in my 2010 CX-9. BTW, I picked up a used mirror with warranty on eBay for $135 -- much better than the Mazda price of $399 for a new one . . .
 
Nice write up. I have a question. I only have part of the wiring harness to complete the install. Does anyone have the pin out for the sunroof connector? I have a Gentex 313 with home link, compass, and auto dim. I have seen a post for a Corolla where they got power through the sunroof. Thanks.

I have a 3 wires in a 10 pin connector.
Pins 1-5 not used
Pin 6 - BLK/grey ignition 12v
Pin 7 - not used
Pin 8 - BLK - ground
Pin 9 - not used
Pin 10 - BLK - constant 12v
 
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