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DIY: OEM Autofolding Mirrors w/ Reverse Tilt!

91K views 77 replies 45 participants last post by  GermanClassics 
#1 ·
I told everyone I would get around to it, and well I finally have, so here it is. OEM way of autofolding mirrors with Reverse Tilt. I am sure this retrofit is possible for 6 pin mirrors as well just probably a slightly different wiring configuration.

1 - A set of Autofolding mirrors (This DIY is for 12 pin mirrors)
1 - Autfolding switch (6 pin) - P/N # 61316901383
2 - Memory Modules - P/N # 61356916054 (You need 2 of these , and they run around $60-70 each)
12 - Pinouts for the 12 pin plugs - P/N # 61130006663
2 - 12 pin plugs - Consists of 2 - P/N# 61131383650, and 2 - P/N# 61131383736
6 - Door Harness male pinouts - P/N # 61130006664
1 - Fuse connector - P/N# 61138377731
3 - Ground and K-bus connectors - P/N # 61131387144
5 - t-taps
1 - 5 Amp fuse
Assortment of different colored 6 gauge wiring









Old Switch:





New Switch:





Tools need:

Wire crimpers/soldering iron
1/4" Drive Ratchet with 8mm socket
Philips Head Screwdriver
Assortment of Torx Bits

Step 1:

Disconnect the battery

Step 2:

Remove Front the door panels, instrument clustor, knee bolster, and hood release lever trim panel.



Remove these 2 top torx bolts to remove clustor:



Step 3:

Working at the drivers side start but disconnecting the door harness, this is accomplished by removing the one 8mm bolt securing the rubber gasket for the harness. Once removed, tilt back and remove just enough to lift p the locking mchanism that secures the 2 connectors together (Similar to the seat connectors)









Step 4:

Next what I did was installed 3 male pins P/N # 61130006664 into vacant slots Pins 23, 24, and 25 (Behind the hood release panel)

Pin 23 <---> Run wire Fuse positon 57
Pin 24 <---> Run wire to Pinout 14 at the Instrument Clustor and tap pinout 14 (Red/White/Yellow wire this is the K-bus signal)
Pin 25 <---> Ground

and installed on the female side 3 pins (The harness that comes from the door) P/N # 61130006663 to pins 23, 24, and 25 at the door harness itelf

Pin 23 <---> Pin 1 @ White Plug
Pin 24 <---> Pin 2 @ White Plug
Pin 25 <---> Pns 7 and 8 @ White Plug

Before I go any further here's a breif schematic of how the memory module is setup:

To the White plug on the module:

Switch <---> White Module

Pin 2 <---> Pin 4
Pin 3 <---> Pin 11
Pin 4 <---> Pin 10
Pin 1 <---> Pin 5

Ground Pins 7, and 8 on the white plug (What I did was spliced them together and connected them to Pin 25 on the door harness connector, then I grounded the interior door harness connector at Pin 25

Door Harness Connector <---> White Module (Drivers Side Memory Module)

Pin 23 <---> Pin 1 (12V from Fuse 57 (5 amp fuse)
Pin 24 <---> Pin 2 (K-bus signal)

To Black plug on the module:

Just connect the 12 pin harness from the mirror to the black plug on the module.

Step 5:

In order for the car to distinguish what signals what, I decided to it was best to disconnect all 6 pins at the switch that went to the door harness. Now since the new autofolding switch only uses 4 pins I simply tapped 4 of the wires at the switch and ran my new wires like I mentioned above.

Switch <---> White Module

Pin 2 <---> Pin 4
Pin 3 <---> Pin 11
Pin 4 <---> Pin 10
Pin 1 <---> Pin 5

I taped off the ones I disconnected and tucked them away.













K-Bus Signal @ Clustor:
 
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20
#2 ·


Running wires through rubber boots and installing pins:









Pins 23 - 25 installed:





Grounding Pin 25 here under carpet:



Getting ready to plug harness back together:



Plug in Both 12 pin Plugs to Drivers Side Module:



Step 6:

Remove Glovebox (Only held in by 6 philips head screws)



Step 7:

After doing the drivers side, the passengers side will be much easier, once again remove the 8mm bolts and the trim panel that covers the harness in the cabin.

Once you have both ends of the harness exposed, the wiring goes as follows:

From Door Harness <---> White Plug (Memory Module Pass Side)

Pin 23 <---> Pin 1 (12V from Fuse 57 (5 amp fuse)
Pin 24 <---> Pin 2 (K-bus signal)
Pin 25 <---> Pin 7 ONLY Ground

From the body harness on the interior:

Pin 23 <---> Run to Fuse Position 57 and splice with wire ran from drivers side
Pin 24 <---> Run to K-bus terminal behind glovebox
Pin 25 <---> Ground







Running wires of Passenger Side Door:



12 pin Plug Completed on Passenger Side:



Step 8:

Working at the fuse panel:

Connect wires you ran from the passenger and drivers side, splice together and connect to Fuse 57 using this connector:



Notice F57 is Vacant:



Now it's not:




Now Connect the K-bus wire for the Passenger side on top of the fuse panel were the K-bus terminal is located (All the Red/White/Yellow dotted thin 18 guage wires).


Step 9:

Clean up and assemble everything back together, everything is the reverse of removal.


I know it seems a bit confusing but it's really simple, and now you will have Reverse Tilt Functions as well as Autofolding mirrors. Anyways enjoy!

And Heres a small video I made of the autofolding in action:



Jared
 
#5 ·
Thanks

Thanks again for your great DIY's :bow:




I have a little question. When you wired your reverse light did the passenger tilt-down miror worked?
Nope they didn't, because I did not have the required mirror modules in the car like I just mentioned in this DIY. They are key in the sense that they supply the the K-bus signal which will also signal reverse tilt when called upon.

But it does reverse tilt now.

Jared
 
#6 ·
haha this is still a bit confusing to me cuz i haven't done anything like this before. These are the original OEM mirrors from Europe? And did you also install the remote auto fold to your key or is that seprate? All in all how much did it cost you to get the original parts from the dealer and, how long did it take for you to recieve them.
 
#8 ·
These are ebay mirrors Replica M3 ones, but if I where to just swap them out for OEM ones they would work the same for the mirror pinout would be the same granted they were 12-pin.

As for cost couldn't tell you for I didn't really keep track, but and estimate is about:

$250 for the mirrors
$140 for the mirror memory modules
$20 for the 12 pin plug connectors and pins
All the ther stuff I had from previous DIYS like fuse panel connectors, fuses, wiring etc..

what if you have manual seats? will the reverse tilt still work?
It should but I am not 100% sure, I know supposedly memory seats and reverse tilt are suppose to work on the same signal. But I think people have mentioned they have reverse tilt with manual seats.

Jared
 
#11 ·
I think reverse tilt is still a possibility for 6 pin mirror owners that don't have reverse tilt at the moment. Probably a little different wiring procedure but it can be acheived for sure. If I were able to get my hands on a working 6 pin autofolding mirror (So if anyone wants to lend/donate me one ;) ) I could figure it out no problem.

And just wait I have rear heated seats coming up next, I actually prewired them to vacant fuse positions while I was in the fuse panel this weekend.

Jared
 
#12 ·
god damn nice diy
hopefully someone local does this and can do this to my car!
 
#15 ·
Im not really sure for I never really used that function of mirror settings or I may just not have it, so I can't be 100% sure but I don't see why it would not work to be honest.

Jared... Amazing work as always! Damn... I may have to buy myself some of those autofold mirros and hawk my manual fold ones... I'm dying for reverse tilt... The real question is: do you think we'd actually be able to get my glovebox back in again? Hahah.
Thanks, I thought tweeter was going to fix that issue? Anyways if you do want to do this, then we'll fix /clean up the wires at the glovebox at the same time.

Jared
 
#14 ·
Jared... Amazing work as always! Damn... I may have to buy myself some of those autofold mirros and hawk my manual fold ones... I'm dying for reverse tilt... The real question is: do you think we'd actually be able to get my glovebox back in again? Hahah.
 
#20 ·
Are your mirrors Autofolding as in do they have the motor in them to autofold? If so you may be prewired but I'm not sure, you would have to take a look at fuse # 57 and see, post a picture here if you can, but more than likely you may need to add the fuse panel connector. Also do you have the mirror memory modules behind the doors panels?

Jared
 
#23 ·
A ribbon cable is essential wires in a sense, you would just need to figure out what pinouts from the ribbon connectors do what. You could cut the ribbon cable in halve and splice the wires to a connector.

Thats a lot of work just to get mirrors to autofold :D Hopefully I don't have to do that because I already have memory mirrors with reverse tilt, so what else do I need?
You may already have the mirror memory modules, but you will still have to access the fuse panel for F57 in order to do it the OEM way at least or you could go the simple way and find any old 12v source.

Jared
 
#26 ·
Yup you would still need the memory modules and the wiring should be exactly as I posted granted you have 12 pin mirrors like in the DIY.

i have a 330i 2001. with memory and autotilt.

i bought the autofolding mirrors from eurospec, they are painted and installed...it was just plug and play...the mirrors work fine. i have 12 pin mirror...i ordered the switch from bmw. do i need to rewire...or will the switch plug and play...how can i check so i can prepare before my part comes in?

argh i never thought these mirrors would be so much trouble to work...

as i understand it...i also have to rewire if i want the mirrors to be conected to my remote control.
I don't follow, does your car already have mirrors that fold and reverse tilt? If so no other wiring modifications should be needed unless of course you are swapping between 6 pin, 12 pin or ribbon cabled mirrors.

Also I keep hearing this key working with mirror memory setting feature, I'm not sure exactly what it's all about to be honest (Someone inform me). I t most likely would need coding work to be done at the dealer for it to work though.

Jared
 
#25 ·
i have a 330i 2001. with memory and autotilt.

i bought the autofolding mirrors from eurospec, they are painted and installed...it was just plug and play...the mirrors work fine. i have 12 pin mirror...i ordered the switch from bmw. do i need to rewire...or will the switch plug and play...how can i check so i can prepare before my part comes in?

argh i never thought these mirrors would be so much trouble to work...

as i understand it...i also have to rewire if i want the mirrors to be conected to my remote control.
 
#27 ·
i bought auto folding mirrrors from eurospec...they are twelve pin...my car was twelve pin.....i then bought the switch from bmw... my car did not originally have auto folding mirrors. it only had the auto tilt feature when i put it in reverse..but i purchased autofolding mirrors and installed them.... not sure if that cleared anythign up?
 
#36 · (Edited)
so were your mirrors originally 6 pin and your new ones were 12 pin?(just asking because you say you bought 2 12 pin connectors.)
My car is 6 pin and i want to retrofit the autofold.
the new ones i got from euro spec are 12 pin, so do i just need to do exactly what you did? I dont have power seats or the reverse tilt.
Any help to make this job more clear for when I do it would help, thanks.
 
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