986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners - View Single Post

lkchris · 11-30-2015, 09:15 AM

It's on my list of to do projects.

It will be very expensive.

Buying new parts from Porsche ...

The interior mirror is around $400
The side mirror glass is around $350
The wire harness for the interior mirror is $35
The wire harness inside the exterior mirror is $35
Porsche says and I agree you need a complete new left door interior wire harness $350

Have been watching eBay and it appears this was a very rarely fitted option and used parts seldom appear

I was extremely lucky I think when I purchased a pair of door wiring harnesses from eBay for $16 thinking I'd cannibalize them for parts to modify mine. Turns out the left one I received is the new "everything" harness with all the wires needed ... meaning auto dimming mirror and memory mirror as well as the usual mirror heat and adjustment. Maybe it's a good thing to check if I (and you) already have this harness installed.

Most eBay dismantlers seem savvy to this and will show the connector on any door mirror offered for sale. Most typically they have 5 connectors, meaning just heat and adjustment. The memory seats/mirror option is more common and some will show more connectors when that was fitted ... but you need all connectors to achieve auto dim. The $35 harness with everything seems the way to go.

There may be an Audi part number for the interior mirror.

There is a TSB for retrofitting this system where you

Fit the new interior mirror
Run wiring harness across windshield moldings and down to relay box and to door harness connector and under drivers seat to obtain reverse gear signal.
Replace complete door wire harness
Replace door mirror components

The OE system includes reverse gear sensing to provide undimmed mirror any time car is in reverse. Of course you don't have to fit the auto dimmable door mirror and can just stop with the interior mirror. The door mirror gets the signal to auto dim from the interior mirror, hence the wiring through the bellows connection in the door.

Rain sensing is another topic altogether and I haven't studied it in any depth. There's likely a retrofit TSB as well.

11-30-2015, 09:15 AM	#2
lkchris Registered User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 730	It's on my list of to do projects. It will be very expensive. Buying new parts from Porsche ... The interior mirror is around $400 The side mirror glass is around $350 The wire harness for the interior mirror is $35 The wire harness inside the exterior mirror is $35 Porsche says and I agree you need a complete new left door interior wire harness $350 Have been watching eBay and it appears this was a very rarely fitted option and used parts seldom appear I was extremely lucky I think when I purchased a pair of door wiring harnesses from eBay for $16 thinking I'd cannibalize them for parts to modify mine. Turns out the left one I received is the new "everything" harness with all the wires needed ... meaning auto dimming mirror and memory mirror as well as the usual mirror heat and adjustment. Maybe it's a good thing to check if I (and you) already have this harness installed. Most eBay dismantlers seem savvy to this and will show the connector on any door mirror offered for sale. Most typically they have 5 connectors, meaning just heat and adjustment. The memory seats/mirror option is more common and some will show more connectors when that was fitted ... but you need all connectors to achieve auto dim. The $35 harness with everything seems the way to go. There may be an Audi part number for the interior mirror. There is a TSB for retrofitting this system where you Fit the new interior mirror Run wiring harness across windshield moldings and down to relay box and to door harness connector and under drivers seat to obtain reverse gear signal. Replace complete door wire harness Replace door mirror components The OE system includes reverse gear sensing to provide undimmed mirror any time car is in reverse. Of course you don't have to fit the auto dimmable door mirror and can just stop with the interior mirror. The door mirror gets the signal to auto dim from the interior mirror, hence the wiring through the bellows connection in the door. Rain sensing is another topic altogether and I haven't studied it in any depth. There's likely a retrofit TSB as well. __________________ Kent Christensen Albuquerque 2001 Boxster 2007 GL320 CDI, 2010 CL550 2 BMW motorcycles Last edited by lkchris; 11-30-2015 at 09:25 AM.