E46 DIY Retrofit - Standard to Auto-Dimming/HomeLink/Compass Rearview Mirror

Guys, just wanted to see if I understand everything correctly. I have an autodimming e46 mirror with the SOS function. Do I just physically pull pins 4, 5, 6, and 7 from the e90 mirror, like with a pair of pliers?

Usually you pull the pins from the plug on the car side.

Originally Posted by PdZHP

Usually you pull the pins from the plug on the car side.

Just want to make sure we’re on the same page:
Do the “pins” refer to the male portion of the plug that sticks into the holes? Because if so, the pins for my mirror are on the mirror side. The car side of the plug has the female portions. Am I doing something wrong?

Also, by “pulling the pins,” does that mean to just yank them off, like with a pair of pliers?


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You need a small screwdriver to release the pins, reference the pictures posted on the first comment on this thread.

very nice, thank you for this.

Originally Posted by miatard

I'm *reasonably confident* that these are the pin assignments on my retrofit mirror & others:

#1: Reversing light switch (not going to be used on my car)
#2: Signal, data line ZV remote control (guessing this is for convertibles only - my mirror has nothing here)
#3: Switched +12V voltage supply
#4: SOS / exterior auto-dim control for newer cars (not going to be used on my car)
#5: SOS / exterior auto-dim control for newer cars (not going to be used on my car)
#6: SOS / exterior auto-dim control for newer cars (not going to be used on my car)
#7: SOS / exterior auto-dim control for newer cars (not going to be used on my car)
#8: Constant +12V for the alarm LED
#9: Ground (or something similar) for alarm LED (controlled by GM 5?)
#10: Ground (-)

BMW E90 330xi Sedan / Wiring Diagrams and Functional Description / Body / General vehicle electrical system / Garage door opener / Supply, interior mirror / Wiring Diagram (SSP) Electrochromic mirror (Applies to: -2006/08)

this wiring diagram for 2006 E90 330xi mirror roughly follows the above pin assignments. here are the wires between the X14292 (mirror) connector and the X14288 (roof) connector:

X14292 pin 1 > GR/VI > X14288 pin 14
X14292 pin 3 > GN/WS > X14288 pin 20
X14292 pin 4 > GN/WS > X14288 pin 15
X14292 pin 5 > BR/SW > X14288 pin 16
X14292 pin 8 > RT/VI > X14288 pin 19
X14292 pin 10 > BR/SW > ground

for the new mirror, it's hard to find the superceded part #51169151852 so i am going with the newer part #51169192335.



*EDIT: 51169192335 is plug and play compatible with the 04 330xi.

Originally Posted by wfx32

51169192335 is plug and play compatible with the 04 330xi.

because there was power already for the auto dim mirror in the 04. but no such luck on the 05. i am going to hunt for the ugdo white connector above the passenger sun visor.

newtis.info > BMW E46 330xi Sedan / Wiring Diagrams and Functional Description / Body / Seat, steering column, mirror functions / Inside mirror / Inside mirror /



this was relatively easy on the 05. separated the green wire from the ugdo white connector. inserted into pin #3 of the mirror connector. pin #10 was already grounded. the hardest part was getting the plastic housing to reconnect.

I am very confused. I have a 04 330i with a rain sensor, sos and manual dim. So do I need to yank the pins from the UGDO, or not?

Originally Posted by miatard

Moving on to the car's existing mirror connector. I pulled all the pins so I'd have more room to work - note what goes where on your car.
...

Originally Posted by Silverdogz

I am very confused. I have a 04 330i with a rain sensor, sos and manual dim. So do I need to yank the pins from the UGDO, or not?

i would guess not .. based on the sos button. but it really depends whether you have 12V power in pin 3 and ground in pin 10. you could measure with a multimeter, but if there are already wires in pins 3 and 10 then i would just try plugging in the auto dim mirror.

Originally Posted by wfx32

separated the green wire from the ugdo white connector. inserted into pin #3 of the mirror connector. pin #10 was already grounded.

my 04 was plug and play but it already had both sos and an auto dim mirror. for my 05 (picture above) i had to get power from the UGDO green wire.

Originally Posted by Silverdogz

I am very confused. I have a 04 330i with a rain sensor, sos and manual dim. So do I need to yank the pins from the UGDO, or not?

Yes. Using the sos power may fry the new mirror.

Originally Posted by wfx32

newtis.info > BMW E46 330xi Sedan / Wiring Diagrams and Functional Description / Body / Seat, steering column, mirror functions / Inside mirror / Inside mirror /

Originally Posted by PdZHP

Yes. Using the sos power may fry the new mirror.

not sure which pin is the sos power. i can't find it in newtis. but from Pinout (PIB) A22 Electrochromic interior rear view mirror, it seems that pin 3 is switched 12V from fuse 24, and pin 8 is 12V for the alarm led from fuse 67.

Originally Posted by Overboost

Yep, you cooked it. You need to remove 4 wires from the mirror plug before you replace another mirror because of the wiring for the SOS buttons.

Originally Posted by E46Ronin23

So if I get a mirror with the SOS then I'm fine. But if it doesn't have SOS then I need to remove 4 wires? Jesus Christ. Really wish I had this info yesterday. I looked everywhere for any issues before I installed and found nothing.

Originally Posted by Overboost

Yes, but they can be hard to find. If you pull wires 4 through 7 on the connector and tie them back you can use another auto dim mirror.

interesting. i did not have that problem on the 04 which had the SOS button. but regardless i will pull wires 4-7 from the mirror plug connector X18246. *EDIT: i was just lucky because SOS was disconnected when I did the bluetooth audio install years ago.

It appears that I just need to remove pins 4 and 7 from the car's harness connector. Or remove the BT unit in the trunk.

From this thread: https://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1075078

SOS
Cars with SOS must remove pin 4&7......(4,5,6,7) can be removed. Some sort of optical sensor for the SOS System. If it's not removed, the mirror auto dim will never work again.
Do this from the car side. Take the plug apart and tape the pins up. Remember where they go if you want to put them back. I think 4 is the ground wire for the 4 and 5 loop.....7 is the hot wire for the 6,7 loop. Taking the 4 and 7 disconnects both loops. Taking them all out is the same thing.

Originally Posted by glhx

SOS
Cars with SOS must remove pin 4&7......(4,5,6,7) can be removed. Some sort of optical sensor for the SOS System. If it's not removed, the mirror auto dim will never work again.
Do this from the car side. Take the plug apart and tape the pins up. Remember where they go if you want to put them back. I think 4 is the ground wire for the 4 and 5 loop.....7 is the hot wire for the 6,7 loop. Taking the 4 and 7 disconnects both loops. Taking them all out is the same thing.

Originally Posted by glhx

DIFFERENT MOUNTING BRACKET.......RARE BUT IT HAPPENS
If your car has this type it means you have a very base mirror without auto dim.
Your mirror dimming comes from twisting the clown nose.
In my conclusion they look different in the mounting but they are not. This mirror mounts to the same bracket as all the others do despite its different appearance. There was talk of grinding tabs down. I feel this is unnecessary. I've not held one of these yet so I am not 100%. I might buy one to see for sure.

Originally Posted by Silverdogz

It appears that I just need to remove pins 4 and 7 from the car's harness connector. Or remove the BT unit in the trunk.

good reference, thanks. i might try grinding the pins down on the mirror connector as mentioned in that thread, because with the new mirror installed, the bottom of the plastic housing is 5mm off from the windshield glass.

Originally Posted by wfx32

good reference, thanks. i might try grinding the pins down on the mirror connector as mentioned in that thread, because with the new mirror installed, the bottom of the plastic housing is 5mm off from the windshield glass.

You didn't mount it right then. You shouldn't have to grind anything.

Originally Posted by Silverdogz

You didn't mount it right then. You shouldn't have to grind anything.

checked and it seems ok. do you see anything wrong in these pictures? aside from the problem gap from the windshield of course.

Originally Posted by wfx32

checked and it seems ok. do you see anything wrong in these pictures? aside from the problem gap from the windshield of course.

I just did mine, I have a bit of a gap, but it's about 1-2mm. I suppose you could grind it down, but I just don't think it's worth the effort to get it to mount flush to the windshield.

On another note, you gotta recalibrate these things. Mine was opposite out of the box and in the wrong region.

Originally Posted by Silverdogz

I just did mine, I have a bit of a gap, but it's about 1-2mm. I suppose you could grind it down, but I just don't think it's worth the effort to get it to mount flush to the windshield.

On another note, you gotta recalibrate these things. Mine was opposite out of the box and in the wrong region.

agree it's not worth trying to get the plastic flush with the windshield. actually i like it without the plastic housing entirely. just need something to hide the wires. i think i calibrated the compass to region 10 according to that pdf in post #1.

So if anyone is reading the thread this is the pinout I would use.

Pin 3: Switched 12V
Pin 8: Alarm
Pin 9: Alarm
Pin 10: Ground