Side Mirror: Upgrade to heated and auto dimming

[shiftz33]

I have a 2010 Camaro 1SS. So that means my Camaro doesn't have several of the convenience features that a 2LT/2SS Camaro would have.

The side view mirrors that come with a 1SS are basic mirrors which means they're non heated and no auto dimming feature for the driver's side view mirror. The center rear view mirror also was not auto dimming in my 1SS. Shortly after I purchased the car, I purchased the auto dimming rear view mirror that normally is present in a 2LT/2SS. That was one step up, but again the side view mirrors still had no features.

My first task was to figure out if the current side view mirror door wiring harnesses would support the heating and auto dimming features. The answer is NO. The door wiring harnesses as supplied in my 1SS only contain enough wires to support the mirror adjustment feature.

So, back in Feb 2011, I created a thread (WTB: Heated Side View Mirror Parts) where I was hoping to find a fellow Camaro5 member that had broken a side view mirror on a 2LT/2SS and that they would be willing to sell me the mirror or at least the wiring harness from the mirror.

At the same time I was lucky enough to locate (on eBay) a set of heated (both sides) and auto dimming (driver's side) mirror glass units for an really low price. I was lucky enough to acquire the side view mirror glass pieces I needed for my upgrade. Next I needed the wiring harnesses.

I was able to locate two Camaro5 members (MickGIS and Inferno2SS) that had some bad luck and they had one side view mirror broken on their Camaro. They were both kind enough to work with me to allow me to obtain the wiring harnesses I needed!

In the middle of all of this, I read about the backup camera upgrade project that 2SSRS (Ofer) had been working on (Rear view camera & Mirror & harness) and I decided that I liked that feature as well. I purchased and installed the necessary items to install a backup camera using the harness that 2SSRS provides.

Now with "all" of the necessary parts to upgrade my side view mirrors in hand, I installed the upgraded side view mirror parts.

The side view mirror glass pieces actually pop out really easily so switching the glass itself was not hard at all. I did need to remove the side mirrors from the doors and open up the side mirrors to get the 1SS side view mirror harnesses out and install the 2LT/2SS side view mirror harnesses. The side view mirrors come apart easily (three screws and then the rear facing plate can be popped off - then the front mirror cover can be removed).

I get everything installed and test out my newly upgraded side view mirrors.

I turn on the rear window defroster which also turns on the side view mirror heating elements. Those work great!

I then test the auto dimming feature of the driver's side mirror (the passenger side view mirror does not have an auto dimming mirror). Fail!

It turns out that the 1SS wiring harness between the center rear view mirror and the driver's side kick panel where connector X207 resides is missing two wires. If your Camaro does not come with an auto dimming rear view mirror (like a LS/1LT/1SS - option codes DBX or DD8) it won't have the two wires necessary to have the center rear view mirror send the signal to the driver's side view mirror to turn on the auto dimming mode in that mirror. If you look at the last picture attached to this post you'll see the outside mirror wiring diagram portion that shows the auto dimming wires and you'll see the wires that go between connectors X204 and X207 (driver's side kick panel - in included pictures) are only present when your Camaro has options DBX or DD8.

I called 2SSRS and we discussed this situation and he kindly offered to create a special version of his backup camera mirror adapter harness that had two additional wires that I could feed to the X207 connector. I received this new harness from 2SSRS and installed it fully last night.

The wires from 2SSRS's harness go into these pins in the X207 connector:

Pin 36 (low reference)
Pin 44 Automatic Day/Night Mirror Signal

I'm very happy to report that my side view mirrors are now 100 percent fully feature enabled (like a 2SS)!!! Thanks 2SSRS (Ofer)

Now during those colder NorCal winter evenings when I need the heated side view mirrors to help clear off the moisture on the out mirror glass, I have it along with an auto dimming driver's side view mirror.

If anyone else decides to do this upgrade and if you have any questions about what I did to get this upgrade installed in my 1SS, just let me know!

-- Robert

[ckaram]

Nice job!

[2SSRS@Gen5diy]

Nice job Robert, You did a grate job, this will help a lot of members out that want to do things like this.

[baddmans]

How much is the harness and is it the door harness or the dash harness.

THANKS DAVE

[shiftz33]

Originally Posted by baddmans

How much is the harness and is it the door harness or the dash harness.

THANKS DAVE

There are two types of wiring harness changes involved here.

1) The side view mirror harness (behind door panel connecting the mirror to the door's wiring harness). This harness is NOT sold as a separate part by GM.

2) backup camera mirror adapter harness (sold by 2SSRS on this site).

I obtained OEM side view mirror harnesses (driver's side has adjustment/heating/auto dimming wires while the passenger side only has adjustment/heating wires). The 1SS only has the "adjustment" wires in the side view mirror harnesses so that is why I was looking for broken OEM mirrors from a 2LT/2SS which I could extract the OEM side view mirror harnesses from to install into my 1SS.

My 1SS also did not have the two wires in the wiring harness that connects the center rear view mirror and the "instrument panel" side of the X207 connector located behind the driver's side kick panel.

Since I had upgraded my center rear view mirror to have the backup camera feature using the adapter harness from 2SSRS, I was able to get 2SSRS (Ofer) to make me a special version of that backup camera mirror adapter harness with the two wires I needed to insert into the X207 connector to supply the power to the driver's side mirror for the auto dimming feature to work for the driver's side mirror.

[baddmans]

Great mod.

[GoldCartridgeGamer]

Quick question. Is it possible to only activate the heated mirror portion of the driver's side and leave off the auto-dimming? Thanks for this awesome write up!

[meissen]

If you don't wire the auto-dimming, then yes.

Great write up - I'm shocked that the wiring harness is not the same. One thing I absolutely loved about my 2008 Trailblazer was that everything was plug and play. I had an LS Trailblazer and added the upgraded mirror - only had to swap the unit, the wiring harness was the same. Later I upgraded the side mirrors to be heated/autodimming and have turn signals - again, same harness, completely plug and play. Disappointed to hear it isn't the case with the Camaro as I was already eying the side mirror upgrades.

[shiftz33]

Yes, I was very surprised as well that they would not simply use the same wiring harness in the door for the side view mirrors. Then again, the same thing is true for the side view mirror auto dimming not working without running extra wires from the center rear view mirror to drive the auto dimming feature of the driver's side view mirror.

[ChadFarr]

So I've purchased auto dimming/heated mirrors. What all do I need and how much is it from Ofer?

[yzark99]

If your car is 2015 or earlier - nothing. Plug in the harness and it should work. You might want the comprehensive instructions on how do it though: http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=297215

[ChadFarr]

Okay. Thanks. I guess I'll install today then! I'll keep you posted if I have any complications lol


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[mikey522]

Originally Posted by shiftz33

I have a 2010 Camaro 1SS. So that means my Camaro doesn't have several of the convenience features that a 2LT/2SS Camaro would have.

The side view mirrors that come with a 1SS are basic mirrors which means they're non heated and no auto dimming feature for the driver's side view mirror. The center rear view mirror also was not auto dimming in my 1SS. Shortly after I purchased the car, I purchased the auto dimming rear view mirror that normally is present in a 2LT/2SS. That was one step up, but again the side view mirrors still had no features.

My first task was to figure out if the current side view mirror door wiring harnesses would support the heating and auto dimming features. The answer is NO. The door wiring harnesses as supplied in my 1SS only contain enough wires to support the mirror adjustment feature.

So, back in Feb 2011, I created a thread (WTB: Heated Side View Mirror Parts) where I was hoping to find a fellow Camaro5 member that had broken a side view mirror on a 2LT/2SS and that they would be willing to sell me the mirror or at least the wiring harness from the mirror.

At the same time I was lucky enough to locate (on eBay) a set of heated (both sides) and auto dimming (driver's side) mirror glass units for an really low price. I was lucky enough to acquire the side view mirror glass pieces I needed for my upgrade. Next I needed the wiring harnesses.

I was able to locate two Camaro5 members (MickGIS and Inferno2SS) that had some bad luck and they had one side view mirror broken on their Camaro. They were both kind enough to work with me to allow me to obtain the wiring harnesses I needed!

In the middle of all of this, I read about the backup camera upgrade project that 2SSRS (Ofer) had been working on (Rear view camera & Mirror & harness) and I decided that I liked that feature as well. I purchased and installed the necessary items to install a backup camera using the harness that 2SSRS provides.

Now with "all" of the necessary parts to upgrade my side view mirrors in hand, I installed the upgraded side view mirror parts.

The side view mirror glass pieces actually pop out really easily so switching the glass itself was not hard at all. I did need to remove the side mirrors from the doors and open up the side mirrors to get the 1SS side view mirror harnesses out and install the 2LT/2SS side view mirror harnesses. The side view mirrors come apart easily (three screws and then the rear facing plate can be popped off - then the front mirror cover can be removed).

I get everything installed and test out my newly upgraded side view mirrors.

I turn on the rear window defroster which also turns on the side view mirror heating elements. Those work great!

I then test the auto dimming feature of the driver's side mirror (the passenger side view mirror does not have an auto dimming mirror). Fail!

It turns out that the 1SS wiring harness between the center rear view mirror and the driver's side kick panel where connector X207 resides is missing two wires. If your Camaro does not come with an auto dimming rear view mirror (like a LS/1LT/1SS - option codes DBX or DD8) it won't have the two wires necessary to have the center rear view mirror send the signal to the driver's side view mirror to turn on the auto dimming mode in that mirror. If you look at the last picture attached to this post you'll see the outside mirror wiring diagram portion that shows the auto dimming wires and you'll see the wires that go between connectors X204 and X207 (driver's side kick panel - in included pictures) are only present when your Camaro has options DBX or DD8.

I called 2SSRS and we discussed this situation and he kindly offered to create a special version of his backup camera mirror adapter harness that had two additional wires that I could feed to the X207 connector. I received this new harness from 2SSRS and installed it fully last night.

The wires from 2SSRS's harness go into these pins in the X207 connector:

Pin 36 (low reference)
Pin 44 Automatic Day/Night Mirror Signal

I'm very happy to report that my side view mirrors are now 100 percent fully feature enabled (like a 2SS)!!! Thanks 2SSRS (Ofer)

Now during those colder NorCal winter evenings when I need the heated side view mirrors to help clear off the moisture on the out mirror glass, I have it along with an auto dimming driver's side view mirror.

If anyone else decides to do this upgrade and if you have any questions about what I did to get this upgrade installed in my 1SS, just let me know!

-- Robert

i have a 2018 camaro 1ss without heated mirrors..do u know the process for mine?

[shiftz33]

Originally Posted by mikey522

i have a 2018 camaro 1ss without heated mirrors..do u know the process for mine?

I'm not familiar with the 6th gen Camaro wiring and my current 2017 Chevy SS Sedan is not even close to the 6th gen Camaro wiring. Others that own a 6th gen Camaro will hopefully be able to help you.