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Old 08-18-2007, 09:33 PM
   [How to] GENK31 Auto dimming mirror w/maplights, temp and compass display
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I found it on ebay for $189. This model is different then the other how to threads. No drilling required. 1 hour to install. This model is ideal if you don't have a garage door opener or if you have the Chemist door opener mod installed like me. That will save you about $200 on the mirror. Additional items requried is a fuse tap. I'm not sure what amperage is required so I used a 10 amp tap. I also routed my temp probe on the left side of the car, but later discovered the new mirror didn't work off the gray wire on the stock connector so I had to route a cable of the right side to tap into the passenger fuse panel. I recommend you only route cables off the right pillar for simplicity. My photos will show routing of the left side.
Kit

Start by taking the visors off using a torx tip.
Pull down on the winshield surround to release the 4 retaining clips.
Remove the right pillar by pulling it off releasing two retaining clips.
Take off the stock mirror with a small torx bit.
Release the plug on the mirror by pressing on the tap in the middle and pulling off.
Pull the kidney shapped panel off the right side of the dash. The door needs to be open to remove. Use a straight slot to get under the edge and pull off.

I've labeled them for your convience.
The stock cables
2 - Ground
6 - Autodimming feature
7 - Constant power.
GENK31 cable
1 - Ingnition powered
2 - Ground
3 - Not used
4 - Temp Probe
5 - Temp Probe
6 - not used
7 - Constant power
The stock connector is the same as the GENK31 connector. Instead of replacing or jumpering/cutting off etc. You can pull the wires using a sharp pointed scribe or awl and press metal are indicated in the photo below and pull wire out.

With the GENK31, the auto maplight dimming feature is NOT included so I removed pin 6 and folded it over. The GENK30 has this feature but costs about $50 more.
I took the supplied connector pin 7 and pulled it out to use on the stock in location pin 1 and separated it from the wire bundle. Do not connect it to the connector yet.
In the passenger foot area there is a fuse panel, pull the carpet back
Insert the fuse tap into fuse slot 18, this is unused and is controlled via ignition. Route the cable removed from the supplied cable up the right side of the dash behind the plastic and drap over the top of the dash. We'll get back to this cable after routing the temp probe.
Temp probe. I connected mine after dropping it through this part of the wheel well under the hood. see photos. This is the same for either side.

Clip onto the plastic on the bottom of the bumper as in this photo. Zip tie the cable to the frame as in the photo.

Route the cables along the harness towards the windshield frame and lift the rubber, pul the holddown and put the cable behind, re-insert the hold down. see photo

Do the same with the rubber close to the door frame and route the cables draping them over the dash.
Tape the temp probe and ingnition wire together with each pin staggered to minimize size when feeding through the original wire mesh. See photos. Remove the tape off either end of the mesh. Insert the taped pins in the end near the windshield frame and pus through to the connector. Remove the tape and insert the cables following guide above.



Slide the sleeve back down to cover the folded over gray pin and tape. Tape the other end. Tape the loose cable is 1 foot spots to the windshield frame and down the pillar staying clear of the slots. tuck the excess cable in the dash opening.
Reinstall the right pillar. Top windshield surround and visors. Press in the connector to the back of the new mirror and mount the mirror. You may have to loosen the torx screw first. Close the hood. Inside the passenger area, connect the ignition wire to the fuse tap and reinstall the fuse panel and carpet.
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Last edited by Deepbluegxp : 08-19-2007 at 06:36 PM.
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Old 08-19-2007, 09:28 AM
  
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What a fantastic job. I am sure we will be having another mod meet for mirrors. My buddy told me about a rear view mirror and backup camera available at best buy. I wanted to take a look at that and then make a decision.

Does the compass allow for setting for magnetic variation of any particular area?

Again, to you and those who dare to go where no one has gone before. Way to Go and a hearty huzzah!
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Old 08-20-2007, 01:55 PM
  
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Deepbluegxp thanks for the great show and tell

This is the mirror I have been looking along with the GENK30. The 30 is a lot more $$, but with the mirror map lights being the only interior lighting, what it like without them coming on with the door opens etc.?

Chuckdoc

Was out of town for last Mod Meet, but if timing works the next I would like to take part.
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Old 08-20-2007, 04:12 PM
   Delay lighting relay option
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For 50 bucks I can sit down and push the interior map light switch on the mirror. Your headlights turn on with the key fob so the interior is no big deal.

The $12 dollar fix to this is
Fix discoverd by Jeff B Wilson found and wiring by BLK GXP on this thread Inside Mirror Replacement... [How To]


Quote:
Originally Posted by BLK GXP View Post
With this relay you should connect #3 to +12v. not sure about the wire color.
Connect #2 and #4 to the gray wire in the stock harness. This wire should no longer be connected to the mirror. It gets grounded by the BCM when the lights are supposed to come on. Connect #1 to the new mirror where the gray wire used to be. Let me know if this works. My relay looks a bit different, but should function the same.



Thanks BLK GXP, that worked perfectly. Following his notes I did a few extra things to make it simpler to hide the relay.

I reconnected the gray wire to the mirror and then I took the left A Pilar off and located the gray and blue w/white stripe (+12). I cut the gray wire apart and tapped the blue w/wh wire.

I labeled the wires in the first photo to goto the corresponding terminals on the relay.
Gray wire cut (1,2) 1 is the gray wire to the mirror and position 1 of the relay, and the same for the rest of the numbers.


I jumped position 4 to position to number 2 as in in BLK GXP's instructions.


With the 18" of extra wire I left, I applied velcro to the back and stuck it inside the kidney panel which you have access to with the door open. I took electrical tape and completely wrapped the relay to prevent arching to metal surfaces in the car.

================================================== =======================================
Now I did one extra thing that was different then the instructions above. The #1 wire I added about 3 feet in length and put a temporary butt splice on it. Later when I have more time, I'll place LEDs in series in the splice. I tested this tonight and it works. The LEDs come on with the door open and go off with the mirror.
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Last edited by Deepbluegxp : 06-09-2008 at 08:44 PM. Reason: Added relay to solve light on when opening door
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Old 09-10-2007, 09:15 AM
  
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Thats an awesome price...but you don't get map lights? I see the garage opener button on it and the compass but what is all that stuff above the compass in the lcd part. Can you show a pic with it on?
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Old 09-10-2007, 11:04 AM
  
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It comes with map lights, they just aren't automatically going to turn on when you open the door. That feature comes with the GENK30 model. There isn't a garage door button on this model, power and two map light buttons.


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Old 09-10-2007, 11:05 AM
  
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is it any smaller than the mirror it comes with (looks about the same)?
The stock one is massive, I wouldn't mind going down a size or two.
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Old 09-10-2007, 11:52 AM
  
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It is the same size as the stock.
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Old 09-20-2007, 09:02 AM
  
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heck yeah...this rules. funny story, i was at the auto glass replacement place (long story), but the short of it is, i was getting my windshield replace and notice the same genk31 unit on display and have been looking to get an auto dimming mirror installed and decided to go ahead and have them install it when they did the windshield. will be getting my car back later today. can't wait to see the unit installed. it's gonna cost me roughly $270 to have it installed. that includes the price of the unit and the 2 hours of install time. your how to step by step seems pretty simple and now i wish i would have just purchased the unit myself and did it at home , but either way, i'm glad to see someone else has had this unit installed. you did a great job and it looks awesome!!
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Mods/Additions:
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Auto dimming rearview mirror (Genk31 - no onstar)
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Old 09-20-2007, 10:41 AM
  
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Deepbluegxp : For 50 bucks I can sit down and push the interior map light switch on the mirror. Your headlights turn on with the key fob so the interior is no big deal.

Its funny, I was reading this thread, and thinking the same thing about dimming the mirror myself for $200. Especially since I do that about half as often as I get into a dark car. Its good that there are lots of different choices, since we all seem to want different things.
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Old 09-20-2007, 08:35 PM
  
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alright just picked my car up and finished my first drive w/ the newly installed genk31. fyi, the dimming on my unit turns a greenish shade. not sure if that's a common color of auto dimming mirrors. i do know in my wife's car, it will dim in brownish shade, but that's a totally different model (some stock auto dimming mirror - not sure who makes it). the led map lights rule!!! didn't seem to bother me when i drove w/ them on, unlike the oem map light. the only draw back of this unit that i could see was that it did not come w/ the "mesh" cover for the wiring that is exposed above the mirror. a quick trip to an auto store took care of that, but i personally feel it should have come w/ something to wrap the wires together in a nice streamline look. all in all, pretty happy w/ my choice.

funny thing though... the compass and temp display is brighter than any of the cars behind me.
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07 (purchased in 11.06) - Black N/A (wish i had turbo)
Mods/Additions:
Mud guards (scratches paint)
KappaShield (semi works ok)
Lowered front plate mount (better than a ticket)
Auto dimming rearview mirror (Genk31 - no onstar)
Stubby antenna (B-series)
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Last edited by used2makegames : 09-21-2007 at 04:55 AM.
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Old 09-20-2007, 08:54 PM
  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRinKY View Post
Its funny, I was reading this thread, and thinking the same thing about dimming the mirror myself for $200. Especially since I do that about half as often as I get into a dark car. Its good that there are lots of different choices, since we all seem to want different things.

I installed the GENK50 last year (~$400) - the only disappointment is the self-dimmer. There are a lot of occasions where I would like it to dim more

All in all, I am very pleased with the mirror
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Old 09-21-2007, 04:31 AM
  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by used2makegames View Post
alright just picked my car up and finished my first drive w/ the newly installed genk31. fyi, the dimming on my unit turns a greenish shade. not sure if that's a common color of auto dimming mirrors. i do know in my wife's car, it will dim in brownish shade, but that's a totally different model (some stock auto dimming mirror - not sure who makes it). the led map lights rule!!! didn't seem to bother me when i drove w/ them on, unlike the oem map light. the only draw back of this unit that i could see was that it did not come w/ the "mesh" cover for the wiring that is exposed above the mirror. a quick trip to an auto store took care of that, but i personally feel it should have come w/ something to wrap the wires together in a nice streamline look. all in all, pretty happy w/ my choice.

funny thing though... the compus and temp display is brighter than any of the cars behind me.

I used the original mesh and mine does tint green. My temp and compass dim when it gets dark.
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