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Japanese accessory: Auto Mirror Fold Mod

Discussion in 'Prius v Accessories and Modifications' started by isoya, Apr 29, 2014.

  1. isoya

    isoya Junior Member

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    I have had my Prius+ 7 Seater (UK version of Prius v, lowercase v) for a month now and have already installed some Japanese mods. I have not seen anyone post about these yet possibly because they are only sold in Japan on Japanese only websites.

    The first one I am posting about is a mod that comes in the form of a bypass cable which will trigger the mirrors to fold and unfold on locking and powering on the car. I took a video of it in action:

    Video Demo


    I do fold my mirrors regularly as I parallel park on the narrow streets of London. I frequently forget to fold mirrors and had to Power On again just to fold them. This Mod solves that problem for me.

    Installation is an absolute breeze and it took me less than 5 minutes to complete. It's all done next to the driver side door (in my case its right hand drive). Not even spanner or screw driver involved! Here are the installation instructions screenshots that was on the Japanese site:

    [​IMG]

    The description for the mod cable states that this is for Prius Alpha which is the Japanese version of Prius+ and Prius v. I took the risk to buy it for the Prius+ based on the assumption that Toyota would likely be using the same parts for pretty much identical cars. I did check that the cabling looks identical to the screenshot before purchasing.

    Anyway the risk taken has paid off in my case and I am very happy with the result. I have proven that this works for Prius+ but I can't be certain for the Prius v. If anyone with a Prius v is interested to risk it and test this out, I am happy to walk them through it!

    Happy Modding!
     
    Giedrius Cyras and kithmo like this.
  2. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

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    We don't get to have no power folding mirrors on our v in the USA. :(
     
  3. SwhitePC

    SwhitePC Active Member

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    forget the folding mirrors, get the 7 seater here in the states
     
    DirkG likes this.
  4. Ivan White

    Ivan White Junior Member

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    Thanks Isoya. Where did you buy the module? Might be a good idea here in the states.
     
  5. isoya

    isoya Junior Member

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    Oh really! I didn't know that was the case, that's a real shame... :unsure:

    The Toyota Websites really don't make that clear on their specs page:

    US Site: Heated power outside mirrors with folding feature
    UK Site: Exterior mirrors - Electrically adjustable, heated and colour keyed with integrated turn signal

    Such irony that the US site's description contains both the words 'power' and 'folding' yet the UK one actually comes with the feature with no mentioning...

    Anyhow, let's hope owners of other Prius v variants in other countries can benefit from this post.


    I bought the mod from a Japanese online shop via an exporter. However given the reply from rdgrimes above, it appears that Prius v does not have the Power folding mirrors which is a pre-requisite for installing this mod. I am lucky enough to have this come as Standard on my model.
     
  6. SmellyTofu

    SmellyTofu Average punter

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    I bought the genuine auto fold mirrors. I've yet to install it but it's a lot more complex taking out the door panel than the aftermarket ones (for which they are 2 variants)
     
  7. Saguache

    Saguache Junior Member

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    A) That mirror mod is sofa king cool. I think the first thing I would do if we could get auto folding mirrors in the US would be to hack the trigger on a switch so I could fold them in while underway. For long trips, especially when I'm using ECC for hundreds of miles this would reduce drag, but still allow use when needed. Flip the switch and see behind.
     
  8. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

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    ^^^
    I wouldn't assume that folded mirrors will reduce drag.
     
  9. Saguache

    Saguache Junior Member

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    Yeah sure, I wouldn't assume that either, but until someone lets me drive my v into a wind tunnel we'll just have to make educated guesses.
     
  10. tanasit

    tanasit Member

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  11. Offline

    Offline Active Member

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    Does the bypass cable affect the functionality of the mirror retraction push button switch on the driver's door armrest? Does depressing the button still retract the mirrors while operating the vehicle? Must the button be in the up position for the automatic retraction feature to work?

    I am asking because I am wondering if the bypass cable would work on other Toyota vehicles with power retracting mirrors like my Sienna.
     
  12. isoya

    isoya Junior Member

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    I have tested out the behaviour for you. Retract Button in down position will:
    • Keep the mirror folded even when Powering On or Locking with bypass cable installed.
    • Will fold the mirror whilst operating the vehicle, so you can fold and drive through small gaps.
    Auto fold will only work with the button in up position as the down position overrides everything with fold command it seems. I think this behaviour makes sense. One thing I didn't mention was that the version of the bypass cable I bought has a switch so that I can disable the auto fold without having to remove the cable.

    I am not sure that this cable will work with other vehicles as the Japanese description states that it only works for the connectors in the Prius Alpha. You might have to do some re wiring to get it to work with your Sienna.

    Hope this helps!
     
    tanasit likes this.
  13. Offline

    Offline Active Member

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    Thank you for the reply. The disable switch you did not mention previously is a key element. Can you install the disable switch in an easy to reach location or do you have to remove the kick panel to activate it?

    People have found that it can be necessary to turn the automatic folding feature off in icy weather to prevent the mirror retraction motors from failing when the mirrors are frozen in place by ice build-up. Some cars come with a three position mirror retraction switch - Retract, Off, Auto - to address this issue.

    I will see if I can find electrical connectors in my Sienna identical to those in your Prius+. The "problem" with the Sienna is that it is quite wide - over 6 inches wider than the vehicle it replaced. My main concern is people hitting its mirrors while walking between it and other cars in parking lots and potentially breaking the turn signal lenses in the mirrors.
     
  14. Offline

    Offline Active Member

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    I checked the passenger side (right side) kick panel of my LHD Sienna yesterday and there was no mirror related connector like you have in your Prius+.

    But when I checked the driver side (left side) kick panel of my Sienna a few minutes ago ... EUREKA! ... there is a connector just like the one in your Prius+ with the same wire colors.

    So ... would you please, please tell me more about the switch that allows turning off the automatic mirror folding and tell me where you bought your bypass cable? Someone on the Club Lexus forum said that there are a number of companies selling the bypass cable but I have not found one yet.
     
  15. Offline

    Offline Active Member

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    Nevermind. I found the cable and switch on eBay - advertised to work on a long list of Toyota models with power folding mirrors.

    Thank you for posting this topic.
     
  16. isoya

    isoya Junior Member

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    Kick Panel removal not required to access the switch. I just tuck the switch behind the kick panel and fish it out when I need it. The cable is strong enough to be able to keep it from dropping beyond reach behind the panel. Here it is in my Prius+:

    [​IMG]

    It's actually a 3 position switch:

    Position 1:
    Cable On - Lock -> Fold, Power On -> Unfold
    Position 2:
    Cable Off
    Position 3:
    Cable On - Power Off -> Fold, Power On -> Unfold

    The description for the Off switch feature does mention prevention of the "Frozen Folded" scenario.

    Not sure how similar the cable you got on eBay is to mine (I couldn't find it on eBay...), but do let us know the result!
     
  17. Epiphany2000

    Epiphany2000 Member

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    This is a great mod! (y)

    I fold in my mirrors religiously. I'm sure I do it much more than necessary, but I prefer to be in the habit of folding them in rather than having to remember to do so when I'm parked in a tight space or on a particularly busy/narrow street. I see it as a courtesy to other drivers, as well a a way to reduce the possibility of returning to my car and finding a damaged/missing mirror (which is exactly what happened with the previous owner).

    However, I would not advise folding in the mirrors while driving due to safety issues. Moreover, it is almost assuredly a vehicle code violation.
     
  18. Offline

    Offline Active Member

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  19. isoya

    isoya Junior Member

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    Did you place order already?

    Seems very pricey + shipping compared to mine and comes with no installation instructions with statement saying advanced skills required. Also don't see any mentioning of an On/Off switch.

    IMO, kind of risky for that price if it doesn't work.
     
  20. Offline

    Offline Active Member

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    I haven't ordered yet. Was going to look further. Where did you buy yours?