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Ok, let's start fixing some flaws that I've noticed over the past year of using this car. As I mentioned earlier, I have no idea why Kia hasn't installed auto-dimming interior rear view mirrors in Forte, when K3/Ceratos have them even not in the top trims.
The advantage of an auto-dimming mirror compared to a manual one, is not only that it automatically adjusts, but it dims gradually, based on the light coming from behind you. For instance, if you have your rear windshield tinted, it won't dim to its maximum, allowing you to see what's going on your back.
Browsing this site for those who have installed such mirrors, I often came across the solution with installing mirror with home link. However, I don't need the home link functionality. Additionally the M7F62-AU000 mirror is pricey. I don't want to pay $200+ for the mirror. I know it shouldn't be priced higher than, let's say, $40.
Recalling my experience with Volkswagen and Ford, I'm aware that many of the same parts are shared across different models within the same brand. I believe Hyundai/Kia do the same, cutting the costs with this.
While getting one of the oil services at the dealership, I've noticed an auto dimming mirror installed on Telluride. I took a photo of the back of the mirror to search for it online. The part number is: 85101-A4000
After googling this part number, I discovered that this mirror installed in numerous Hyundai/Kia models. You can find it in Seltos, Sorento, Sportage, Telluride, and others. Surprisingly, according to the non-US OEM Kia catalog, it comes with K3/Ceratos as well!
As this mirror is quite popular, it can be found and purchased anywhere from eBay to AliExpress with prices varying from $20 to $80. As I was not sure if I would be able to install it, I opted for the cheapest option on eBay, priced at just $17.50 with free shipping. The mirror was from Sorento.
However, if you deep dive into the source of manufacturing of this mirror, you discover that this mirror is not exclusive for Hyundai/Kia. It can be found in Nissan, Toyota, Peugeot, and others, as this mirror is manufactured by Gentex, and its real part number is: GNTX-1126. So, if you're looking for auto-dimming mirror for less, it worth searching it using Hyundai/Kia part number as well as Gentex.
Ok, now when we have this mirror at hand, it's time to test it. According to the Kia's wiring diagram, it requires a 10 pin connector with pins:
The #9 backup signal pin is optional. The thing is that the mirror can deactivate when you're backing up. I decided not to utilize it for now. I just need the auto-dimming, nothing more. Probably, later I'll add this signal wire coming from MR11 connector.
To test the mirror, we need a 9V battery and two wires for pins #8 and #10. I've tested the functionality of the mirror at home. And it works. First, the green indicator turns on. Then, when you cover the sensor on the mirror's back and put the light in front of it, such as using your phone's flash, the mirror turns dark green.
Now, let's move to the car. The OEM non auto-dimming mirror has 2 wires in pins #1 and #3. Initially, I considered to reuse them, relocating them to #8 and #10 pins. However this won't work because the Kia Connect system, which operates through these wires, use only 3.3V, whereas auto-dimming requires 12V.
Personally, I found Kia Connect useless. Therefore I disconnected the original connector, wrapped it with cloth tape and hided it beneath the ceiling. This way, I can easily revert everything back if necessary.
The mirrors have identical brackets, so to remove the old mirror, you simply need to unscrew one bolt and gently pull it towards the ceiling.
Before installing the new mirror, we need to find where to get the ground and VCC+ wires. Similar to the dash cam installation, the closest and most suitable location is the overhead console. Actually, the K3s and Ceratos equipped with this mirror from the factory have its wiring integrated with the overhead console. So, we're following the OEM solution. Additionally, we don't need to route the new wires to the fuse box, as seen in other installation methods.
Ok, let's remove the overhead console and test if mirror works in the car properly. We'll merge new wires with the same 12 pin connector we used during the dash cam installation.
Unfortunately, I didn't have a spare red wire available for VCC+, so I had to use the solid blue, that I had on hand. Now, we need a new 10-pin connector for the auto-dimming mirror. Initially, I considered to reuse the existing one from the old mirror equipped with the Kia Connect system. However, adding two additional wires into the existing connector would cause issues: while auto-dimming mirror would work fine, the old one wouldn't as this mirror has #8 and #10 pins soldered. Connecting such a connector with 4 wires to the Kia Connect mirror would cause the multimedia system consistently attempt to call Kia support, blocking other multimedia functions. Additionally, if you decide to replace the auto-dimming mirror with the old one in future, you'll need to remove the additional two wires from the connector.
Hence, I decided to simply purchase the same connector with wires from AliExpress. It only cost $7, and if you ever need to replace the mirrors, all you need is just to disconnect the connector, nothing more. The connector came with all 10 wires filled, so I removed 8 of them, leaving only the two, that I needed in pins #8 and #10.
Then I merged the wires, connected the connector, and reassembled everything. The result looks exactly like the OEM solution, because essentially, it is.
Considering the price of this retrofit, I believe it's a bargain. And that's all for today. Thanks everyone for reading, and safe travels. Love your cars!
PS: After buying this mirror, I've found the frameless version on eBay, installed in newer Hyundai models. It's part number is: 85110-L1100. Any volunteers interested in giving it a try?
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