auto-fold mirrors

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bobc @ May 4 2007, 01:35 PM) [snapback]435517[/snapback]</div>

Hey Bob, any idea what keeps the driver's side from folding all the way. I like the mod except for that.

- Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bobc @ May 4 2007, 10:35 AM) [snapback]435517[/snapback]</div>

Whew. Ok, then. Sounds like I'm finally up to speed after just a few short days.

 

Tom,

No, I don't know why they're asymmetrical.

I have some time this weekend to get a few odds and ends done on the car. I'll take a look and see if I can figure out why it's designed this way...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ May 1 2007, 09:49 PM) [snapback]433697[/snapback]</div>

All cars in Japan have folding mirrors. The parking spaces are so small, the driver lets people out of the car first and just then has enough room to slide out. And the roads in the suburbs have no shoulders, so when you park on the side of the road, you fold your mirrors in to avoid them being snapped off by passing vehicles. I think folding mirrors are a good idea and all cars should have them.

Dave

 

I was just thinking about this yesterday, but how would the auto-folding feature work for those who have the Coastal auto-door locks? Would the mirrors fold in as the doors lock when you start driving, or do the mirrors only fold when the car is turned off? I would think it has that feature to ensure the car is off before folding the mirrors, but just making sure.

 

And what does all this cost? Can the folding mirrors be installed on any year Prius?
I like the mirror turn signals on the newer models. I'm assuming the wiring is not there for these turn signal cowels to be installed on the older ones, right?

 

Tom,

I now know why the mirrors don't fold closed as we would expect them to. Or, at least I think I know.

By looking at your car, you'll notice the two mirrors, when in normal driving mode, are angled out from the car differently. The passenger's mirror is angled off of the car body at a more acute (smaller) angle than the driver's side mirror. You can actually see this if you stand in front of the car and compare each mirror.

Because the Japanese have Right Hand Drive (RHD) cars, I'm hypothesizing that these angles are reversed on their cars. The mirror on the RH side of the car is angled farther out than on the passenger's side.

If we had the same mirror mounts (The black, triangular pieces on the outside of the car) that they have on the JDM cars, then the mirrors would fold symmetrically and fold in close to the car body.

So, the next logical thought would be to pick up the JDM triangular mounts.... I don't know if this would be good or not: With these mounts, our driver's side mirror would then be at this acute angle. It would mean that the mirror glass may have to be severely angled inside the housing for it to be set at normal viewing.

I thought tho, that I would srping for a pair of these to see if they worked or not with NA cars. But, as fate would have it, one cannot by the JDM (or NA) black triangular piece separately. Via Edward at Sigma, the whole mirror, including the glass, has to be purchased.

If anyone is planning on buying the Signal mirrors via Sigma, let me know. We could then buy the whole mirror assembly and you can get the usual signal mirror pieces and I'll get the rest of the parts and pay the cost above and beyond the usual signal mirror cost.

Cheers,
-bob

 

I ordered my auto-fold module and auto-tilt module from sigma yesterday.

I also took the liberty of taking pictures of my JDM mirrors (folded).

I noticed that my folded mirror angle is different than that of bobc's. Mine is a bit closer to the car body. Now, when I first installed my passenger side mirror, I noted a more angled fold, very similar to bobc's driver side angle. So, I decided to Dremel the inside of the plastic casing which stops the mirror casing from folding closer to the car body. I wish I had taken a picture back then, but I didn't. I will do so when I get my modules.

Vince. B)

 

this looks really interesting. if i wanted to add the auto folding mirrors at the same time as the jdm signal mirrors, could i do that? where can i order?
anyone around washington dc know any place that can do the install for me? thanks in advance
dan

 

Well,

I just got my autofold module from Sigma today. I can't read Japanese, but the illustrations were pretty much easy to follow. But, I'm already STUCK and am in limbo with this mod. There seems to be a connector in the Prius manual (it is pictured as having 20 pins) that I can't find in my door. AND, the module didn't come with any connector that I think needs to be inserted in the back of the motor for both mirrors as posted by bobc in previous posts. I'm currently LOST in this modification.

I sent an email to Sigma asking about possibly another wire harness that is needed.

Meanwhile, I PM'd bobc to ask for any help he can provide.

Has anyone else proceeded to do this mod?

For now, my auto fold mod is on HOLD.

Vince.

 

I got a response from Edward at Sigma. Unfortunately, he told me that they have not done the install themselves and they only "buy" what others order online from Japan.

Out of frustration, I also subscribed to the Toyota Information System for a day to try and look for a possible clue as to a type of harness that the autofold mirror might use, particularly with the Lexus cars. But, I had no luck at all. Most of the wiring diagrams posted for the Lexus cars do not show those for the mirror.

I think my next attempt is to ask some of my friends in California to see if I can have someone who is Japanese translate the installation instruction that came with the module.

I did install the module in the driver side door. I attached the module and all, and have no problem with the car thus far. The only thing is, I am still stuck with the final installation.

Vince.

 

Has anyone found or formulated a step-by-step guide (complete with pictures) for the installation of the JDM LED Signal Mirrors with the Auto-Folding Module offered by Sigma Automotive?

While the challenges to completing this modification look to be great, I know it can be done:

 

I'm curious about this as well.

 

I would have thought some people would want the auto-folding mirrors to tuck the mirrors in on some long drives to reduce aerodynamic drag and increase MPG.

 

Do you suppose that this might be because the hardware is JDM on an American car? American cars are left-hand drive. What this means for the outside mirrors is that, on my 2017 Prius Prime Advanced for example, the left-side (driver's side) mirror housing cants out about 78° from the door, whereas the right-side mirror housing (passenger side) mirror housing only cants out about 64° from the passenger door, to accommodate for proper mirror positioning on a left side seating position. (If the driver sat in the exact middle of the car, the housing cant angle would be identical). Presumably, since Japan's vehicles are right-hand drive, the mirror housing angles are reversed, in order to accommodate a driver sitting on the right.

Noting that there is about a 14° difference in the angles, Putting JDM hardware on an American car would double these angles, resulting in the roughly 30° difference you are noting when your mirrors are folded.

Does this sound about right?

Personally, my ADD would drive me nuts seeing my driver's mirror out 30° away from the window and my passenger mirror hitting the window when they are both closed! I just couldn't take it!