Installing a Homelink Mirror in the sGT

[rvoll]

Deleted

 

[Dory]

What's interesting is, in Canada, our GT model comes with auto dimming/homelink mirror, but they won't allow you to purchase it as an accessory on the other trims like they do in the USA. Why they gave ours the Homelink and not yours is beyond me.

 

[Dory]

I don't think explained myself well. In Canada, the GT model comes with a auto dimming/homelink mirror. The GX and GS come with a regular manual mirror. Mazda Canada will allow you to add the auto dimming/compass mirror to the GX and GS but NOT the auto dimming/homelink mirror.

Mazda USA lets you add the auto dimming/homelink mirror as an accessory to the all of the models that come with a manual mirror (everything but the sGT). I don't get why the USA manual mirror models can add it as an accessory but the Canadian manual mirror models can only get the auto dimming/compass option and not the auto dimming/homelink option.

Initial at least, radar cruise control wasn't offered in Canada. I heard something about late availability but still don't see any mention of it on Mazda's web site. If we do get it, it will only be on our GT model anyway.

 

[Mayoo]

Well, I bought a 2014 CX-5 GS less than a month ago in Quebec and they installed me a auto-dimming homelink mirror. Maybe not all dealers follow the same rules.

FYI.

 

[Dory]

Well, I bought a 2014 CX-5 GS less than a month ago in Quebec and they installed me a auto-dimming homelink mirror. Maybe not all dealers follow the same rules.

FYI.

This discussion was about the Mazda3 and it is the only model it am talking about. If you go to Mazda's web site and build and price a CX-5 GS, a homelink mirror IS available as an option. It is not available for the Mazda3 GS. When speaking with several dealers (one in my city, four in another), their information seems to coincide with Mazda's web site as their computer, book, whatever they look at tells them that the accessory isn't available for the GS.

I'd like to order the Mazda3 homelink mirror and install kit from the USA, but I'm unsire if I'll run into install issue if our Canadian models are indeed different in some way that only allows the auto dimming mirror without homelink to be installed.

 

[Dory]

I don't have an auto dimming mirror as I have the GS model. I asked several dealers if they could put in a homelink mirror if we bought the car and all told me the homelink wasn't an available accessory for this model. Probably because Mazda wants you to buy the GT here.

I downloaded the instructions for the Mazda homelink mirror and it seems it comes with an install kit. I'm hoping that's all I need for my car. I'm comfortable doing the install myself so no worries there. I'll probably just order the mirror off the Internet from a place that sells Mazda accessories in the USA. Temps here are too cold to install right now without a heated garage anyway so I'll have to wait a bit.

Glad to have someone here who has done it though in case I have questions.

 

[Dory]

The Mazda install kit requires that you have the plug available under the A-pillar. If you don't have that, the install kit will do you very little good. If you are comfortable with electrical wiring, all you need to tap into are a full power and ignition power leads. You can surely find a ground someplace. If you don't need your Homelink mirror to work with the ignition off, you only need the ignition power wire and you can get that with an add-a-circuit fuse tap on the bottom fuse in the fuse panel. Talk with Dave (mentioned above) and he can get you the latest Gentex mirror with new rolling codes and build a harness for you. Just tell him how long the harness has to be. The most difficult part is removing the A-pillar trim. You'll need a new clip (which costs about $8) if you do the wiring yourself. You can save a bunch of money that way and get newer technology than the Mazda accessory.

Okay, plug under the A-pillar. I don't know if my vehicle has that. Do you know if the auto dimming/compass mirror without homelink needs that plug as well? If so, I'd ASSume I have the plug since that mirror is an option for my vehicle trim level and I doubt the service guys are tapping into power, they are likely just using the install kit. If the non-homelink mirror does not use the plug, then my guess would be I don't have it, and that's why the homelink mirror isn't offered as an option for my trim since it's not plug and play. And based on that I'd think the US models with manual mirror do have the plug in the A-pillar which is why the homelink mirror is offered as an option there and not here.

But again, all assumptions. I'll research the answers right now, but thought I'd post in case you or anyone else happens to know the answers off the top of your head.

 

[Dory]

The difference is that for the Homelink mirror you need a full power wire going into that plug. For the auto-dimming mirror, you don't. Again, if you are comfortable with custom wiring, you can get an even better Gentex Homelink mirror for less cost and it will work in your car.

Ya, I get it now. I didn't realize you were saying that the homelink mirror required different power capability vs just saying needing the A-pillar plug. By full power do you mean different voltage? different amperage? or power on all the time vs only in accessory/run mode? I found the install instructions to the non-homelink version, and it's essentially the same. So I'd say I have the plug, but may not have the full power running there.

So, you were saying the Gentex mirror has rolling codes? Does the Mazda one not? If it doesn't, it won't work with my rolling code garage door opener right? The opener in our '08 MDX works fine with our rolling code garage door opener and I'm pretty sure it's HomeLink. It's not a mirror though, it's button built into the vehicle, not that it makes a difference.

Does the compass portion leave a blank square in the mirror when turned off? I don't actually need the compass so if it does, I'd probably prefer to find one with auto dimming and homelink and no compass.

And thanks for answering questions.

 

[N0B0DY]

The Mazda Homelink mirror works with the new security 2.0+ Chamberlain openers. I installed one and it worked fine.

 

[Young-nyc]

I got the homelink mirror installed per rvoll's instructions and all is working well..
The only thing different was the wire color for "reverse un-dim", it was blue in my harness but it was labeled as "reverse undim" so all good.

thanks again for the instructions!