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HOW 2  Fit JDM self retracting door mirrors to a UK spec gen 6 Celica

Incorporating;

how 2   Remove a door panel

how 2   Disassemble a mirror

how 2   Create a Super mirror



Why?

All Celicas have electrically adjustable mirrors, but Japan kept the best goodies for themselves, which means exclusivity, along with the fact that anything motorized is fun. Add Marky's envy into the equation and the only sane conclusion is that these things are COOL     If you think of the front of a car as looking like a face, then this is the equivalent of being able to waggle your ears!


What you need


* A pair of Japanese spec mirrors. If your existing ones are OK you only need the motorized units as all the other bits are interchangeable.
* A Japanese control unit. It's essential you get the plug that fits in the back of the control unit, cut from the Japanese loom with wires attached. The UK plug does not fit, it's completely different.
* Various bits of wire, crimps, cable ties, sleeving, tape etc. depending on how professional you want the install to be and you own abilities.

Seriously, this job does require that you can do basic auto-electrical work without blowing up or setting light to you or your car. Although I didn't myself, if you're not totally confident with electrics then it's best to disconnect the battery before you start. You also need to be able to remove various bits of plastic trim with out breaking them. If you've never done this sort of thing before then you probably ought get someone who has to help you.


The short version

* Join the wires from the new mirror's adjuster motors into the existing loom.
* Add two wires from the new control to each mirror for the retractor motors.
* Play with the new toys until the battery goes flat.


The long version

Having decided whether you need to rebuild your mirrors or go with straight Jap ones, you can fit whatever you've chosen back onto the doors.

A pair of wires is needed to connect the retractor control to the passenger side mirror. That is, from the driver's door, into the car, across the car, and into the passenger door. This probably the worst bit of the job. The existing wiring loom connects to the doors through flexible rubber hoses, These can accommodate extra wires, but the ends are difficult to get to.
To get to the door side, remove the door speaker (4 screws and the plug on the top).
To get to the car side, the kick panel needs to come out (pull the trim strip off the edge by the door, take out the single screw from the far edge of the kick panel, prise up the front of the plastic sill trim, and the panel will come out).
It's then a matter of trying to fish wires through holes that you can just get to with your fingers but can't actually see. How I do it is to fiddle a piece of stiff wire (welding rod or thin coat hanger) through from one side, and then attach the wires to it with electrical tape and pull it back through. Be careful when poking stiff wire anywhere that you don't damage the existing wiring.
Once inside the car, the route for the wires isn't too critical. They're low current power lines so there's problem with interference like there is with audio wiring. I just tucked them up underneath the dash and behind the centre console and cable tied them in a few strategic points to stop them falling out.
View with passenger side kick panel and glove box removed

Connecting things up.
I spliced the new wires in behind the existing plugs and fitted new plugs and sockets that I got from RS. I did this so that everything can be removed and original units can be plugged back in if necessary. Of course you can just cut the old plug off the loom and attach the new wires to the old ones if you want to.

The old and new wire colours for the control units are the same so you just join colour to colour.

Control unit
Power
 =
 GY
Chassis
 =
 W/BK
Common feed
 =
 LG/R
Right Vert.
 =
 LG/BK
Right Hori.
 =
 LG
Left Vert.
 =
 BR/Y
Left Hori.
 =
 BR/W
Retractor +
 =
 R/Y
Retractor -
 =
 BL/W



The mirror wires are not the same colours though
UK Loom
Jap mirror
LG/R
 Common
 R
LG
 Hori.
 BR
LG/BK
 Vert.
 BK
BK
 Heater
 Y
W/BK
 Heater
 Y
R/Y
 Retractor+
 BL
BL/W
 Retractor-
 GR
Colour code
GY = Grey
W = White
BK = Black
BL = Blue
BR = Brown
R = Red
Y = Yellow
GR = Green
LG = Light Green

From here on it's just a matter of putting everything back. Easy!


Gloating

Lastly, and I'll let you struggle with this one, you need work out how to post a picture of the mirrors actually moving  on the forum. Because as we all know........."no pic, no mod"