Pictorial DIY Guide: Retrofit Power Folding Mirrors to your E46 BMW (1997 to 2006)!

SOME NEW INFORMATION REGARDING USING RHD MIRRORS ON A LHD CAR:

QUESTION: "Can I interchange RHD power folding mirrors from the UK onto a LHD car that is in the USA? Will I lose the curb tilt function?"

ANSWER: "The Curb Tilt function is determined by the in-door/glove box mirror module ECU units and not by the mirror's motor. However the module seeks out what it reads as the passenger side mirror to tilt it when the gear R is engaged. So you would lose this function on the car.

Also the angled mirror base inside the mirrors are different between mirrors made for RHD and LHD cars. The passenger mirror glass on RHD and LHD cars sits on an adusting mount that is specifically angled with respect to the driver's point of view so when the entire mirror housing body is mounted on the car the driver can only adjust the mirror glass within the parameters of the original mirror housing location-this is why the parts numbers are different between LHD and RHD mirrors.

Basically what would happen is I would put a set of original RHD driverside mirrors onto my LHD car's passenger side location and find that I cannot adjust the mirror glass on the passenger side to a position where I can use the mirror as a passenger side mirror.

That mirror would only adjust as if the driver was sitting in the passenger seat and driving the car.

This is because the car's ECU that controls the mirror is reading your original RHD driverside mirror that is mounted on my passenger side as a driverside mirror and is assuming the driver is sitting in the passenger seat next to the mirror."


LHD car with passenger side mirror shown:


RHD car with driver side mirror shown:

I think the curb tilt function will stay on the passenger side as long as you keep your original modules. The mirrors will be angled slightly different, but electrically there should be no differede.

Also it's worth noting that the LHD and RHD mirrors are the same for the M3

Originally Posted by TerraPhantm

I think the curb tilt function will stay on the passenger side as long as you keep your original modules. The mirrors will be angled slightly different, but electrically there should be no differede.

Also it's worth noting that the LHD and RHD mirrors are the same for the M3

Hey Terra. Good to see you buddy!

You meant same parts numbers and everything between M3 RHD and LHD cars?

I spoke with a BMW guy who sells both RHD and LHD mirrors over in the UK when I was there about this and he went over this with me but I never asked about the M3 mirrors.

Did you just get the housing or the entire assembly?

The RHD mirror glass on the passenger side is different in order to make objects closer than they appear.

He had showed me this. At the end he said I could buy RHD mirrors and swap the internal adjusting motor mounts for the mirror glass between the two side mirrors to get them to mimick the original positions.

But for M3 mirrors I think the mirror glass mounts should be the same all around due to the shape of the mirror housing and glass mirror.

Originally Posted by delmarco

Hey Terra. Good to see you buddy!

You meant same parts numbers and everything between M3 RHD and LHD cars?

I spoke with a BMW guy who sells both RHD and LHD mirrors over in the UK when I was there about this and he went over this with me but I never asked about the M3 mirrors.

Did you just get the housing or the entire assembly?

The RHD mirror glass on the passenger side is different in order to make objects closer than they appear.

He had showed me this. At the end he said I could buy RHD mirrors and swap the internal adjusting motor mounts for the mirror glass between the two side mirrors to get them to mimick the original positions.

But for M3 mirrors I think the mirror glass mounts should be the same all around due to the shape of the mirror housing and glass mirror.

Yeah on the M3 LHD and RHD is identical. And in the UK, both sides use the aspherical mirror glass (considerably wider than the US passenger side mirror).

Even for sedans and non-M coupes, the internal motors are identical. Look it up on realOEM. So the only electrical difference will be the mirror modules inside the door panel. So no matter which mirrors you use, the right side mirror will tilt on LHD cars, left side on RHD cars. Your contact is mistaken.

To sum up: M3 mirror housings are identical between LHD and RHD. Glass is the same for all European M3s (aspherical)

Non-M mirrors are electrically identical between LHD and RHD, but theyre angled differently. This is more noticeable on the coupes. Again, glass is the same for LHD and RHD (both sides are aspherical)

Originally Posted by TerraPhantm

Yeah on the M3 LHD and RHD is identical. And in the UK, both sides use the aspherical mirror glass (considerably wider than the US passenger side mirror).

Even for sedans and non-M coupes, the internal motors are identical. Look it up on realOEM. So the only electrical difference will be the mirror modules inside the door panel. So no matter which mirrors you use, the right side mirror will tilt on LHD cars, left side on RHD cars. Your contact is mistaken.

To sum up: M3 mirror housings are identical between LHD and RHD. Glass is the same for all European M3s (aspherical)

Non-M mirrors are electrically identical between LHD and RHD, but theyre angled differently. This is more noticeable on the coupes. Again, glass is the same for LHD and RHD (both sides are aspherical)

But why would the parts number different? I got that the part numbers reflected that a driverside mirror in the USA for a LHD car will be manufactured at the factory to be a driverside mirror in terms of how the module controls the movement of the glass on the motor mount so that the point of view of the driver is taken into consideration.

Now I'm confused but what he said made sense.

I see how you are also correct though. See here:

I have a late 2003 Zhp with the ribbon mirror, can someone send me a link to eBay or where ever tat sells the power folding, memory, heated RIBBON harness mirror please. I search eBay and they only show regular wires connector. Thx.

Originally Posted by s14realm3

I have a late 2003 Zhp with the ribbon mirror, can someone send me a link to eBay or where ever tat sells the power folding, memory, heated RIBBON harness mirror please. I search eBay and they only show regular wires connector. Thx.

your best bet is to check ebay.co.uk there you will find the powerfolding mirrors.

ive seen the complete system go for sale for 279 GBP but the wiring harness is not good for us since our cars are LHD but you can use the connectors and make your own wiring harness.

I am totally puzzled by all the information. That you very much delmarco, you did a very good job. However due to the huge amount of info, that i think is conflicting, i would like to ask you something. My car has memory seats, however no memory module in the doors (i replaced the window regulator once, thus had the door completely empty) and the window switch has a black bottom. Also, the memory feature means only that the mirror fold on entrance/exit, correct? Could you, delmarco, or somebody else who knows answer my questions? Thank you very much!

Originally Posted by s14realm3

I have a late 2003 Zhp with the ribbon mirror, can someone send me a link to eBay or where ever tat sells the power folding, memory, heated RIBBON harness mirror please. I search eBay and they only show regular wires connector. Thx.

Little chance you'll find mirrors for the ZHP used. You'd need them to be:

1. from Europe as powerfold was not an option in US
2. from an 03-05 sedan with M-Tech package (rare). You need the M-Tech package in europe to match the shadowline trim of the ZHP's mirrors.

Your best bet is to just buy them new as I did. Any US dealer can order them... Or www.getbmwparts.com

I just did this to my ZHP:
http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showt...on-programming)

You need these 3 parts for a ZHP sedan:
51167153117 For vehicles with Fold-in outside mirror and High gloss shadow line: Heated outside mirror, memory bus, left

51167153118 For vehicles with Fold-in outside mirror and High gloss shadow line: Heated outside mirror, memory bus, right

Switch:
61316901383 For vehicles with Fold-in outside mirror and Seat adjuster, electric, with memory: Switch f mirror adjust./fldng bck funct.

is it possible to retrofit power-folding mirrors with 12 pin connectors to cars that came with ribbon connectors??? i got power-fold mirrors with 12 pin connectors and the power-fold mirror switch with purple connectors.

Hi Delmarco,
My car is 323i sedan production year 10/99 with manual seats. It is RHD europen base module.
I'm in the process of collecting parts for converting its manual fold mirrors to power fold.
Which in accordance to u'r writting, I'll be referring to letter A.

I'm a bit confuse on how/where to install the new mirror module and it harness.
I noted that the module is located on the back of the passenger side glove box and it will need a 12 pin connector harness.
Could you please elaborate a bit how is this module connected and its exact location on the vehicle?

Thanks !

i hope somebody can help me with this. Just bought my m3 replica mirrors to install for auto fold. I have a 325ci 2003 and i have power seats and the module is already there, also got the purple plug. plugged everything and both mirrors work but only one on the right folded when i pressed the button, second time i pressed it didnt work anymore and thats where i am now!!! brand new mirrors they dont fold at all!! also how do i ensure once i get them to fold i can fold them with my remote. I am absolutely confused as to how to program the stupid thing!! Thanks in advance for any reply!!!

I have a RHD UK spec E46 without memory seats and manual folding mirrors. The manual mirrors are 6 pin, so I ordered a set of OEM folding mirrors (with the 6pin and 2pins) and switch (yellow backing).

The 6pin connector of the folding mirrors connects to the manual mirror slot and the mirror adjusts fine with the new switch.

However I came into a difficulty as where to plug in the 2pin yellow/white wire connector?

The only reachable same sized connector is the one for the top window sensor.

Any help is appreciated.

Hi,

Had to replace the LH mirror on my '00 323 coupe (6/99 build) recently. The new mirror, from a recycler, fit perfectly on the door, however the mirror wiring has the 12 pin/11 wire connector. I assume it is a power folding, where my car came with the manual folding, with 6 pin 5 wire switch on the door handle.

My question is, if I match/connect the 5 wires from the switch to the same color wires of the new mirror, will this restore the electric mirror control of the LH and RH mirrrors ?

Thanks.

cray

Originally Posted by ryn004

I have a RHD UK spec E46 without memory seats and manual folding mirrors. The manual mirrors are 6 pin, so I ordered a set of OEM folding mirrors (with the 6pin and 2pins) and switch (yellow backing).

The 6pin connector of the folding mirrors connects to the manual mirror slot and the mirror adjusts fine with the new switch.

However I came into a difficulty as where to plug in the 2pin yellow/white wire connector?

The only reachable same sized connector is the one for the top window sensor.

Any help is appreciated.

You will have to get the mirror folding module (this) and wire it up. Cars without memory seats are *not* prewired for powerfolding mirrors.

Originally Posted by TerraPhantm

You will have to get the mirror folding module (this) and wire it up. Cars without memory seats are *not* prewired for powerfolding mirrors.

Yes that is what I need, but I still have not figured all the pinouts.

So far I figured the below fro my own research:

Pin 1 - Driver Mirror (white wire)
Pin 2 - Driver Mirror (yellow wire)
Pin 3 - Fuse Box, position 57 for 12V
Pin 4 - ?
Pin 5 - Ground
Pin 6 - ?
Pin 7 - Passenger Mirror (white wire)
Pin 8 - Passenger Mirror (yellow wire)
Pin 9 - ?
Pin 10 - ?
Pin 11 - Speed Sensor (Pin 21 of ABS Unit)
Pin 12 - To Pin 6 on driver mirror switch

And I'm wondering if the other pins can connect to my remote key when locking/unlocking and the reverse tilt function. As can seen below the mirror module does have available pins to pinouts 4, 6, 9 and 10.

well after buying a 12 pin power fold mirrors not knowing my car uses the ribbon connectors, i went full out and just ordered brand new oem powerfold mirriors ribbon type...

can you guys tell me if i can enable the power fold/unfold function with remote key using BMW scanner 1.4.0?? is so where can i find it to enable it?

whats the part number for the purple switch? how can i order it?

Originally Posted by ruskisky

whats the part number for the purple switch? how can i order it?

read OP its detailed with part numbers, you can order it by walking into dealership or many online stores such as ECS

"x1 Purple Switch f mirror adjust./folding back function P/N: 61316901383 $67.34"

I was in a dealership today, tried giving them those part numbers and they said nothing shows up. Maybe the mistake was on the girl's end because I told her I couldn't give her a VIN, etc. I'll order online since I'm not in a rush