Gentex K31 - auto dimming mirror w/ map lights, compass, outside temp. -- installed. - Toyota Yaris Forums

IsLNdbOi · 11-08-2008, 05:23 PM

My dealer just installed a Gentex K31 auto dimming mirror w/ map lights, compass, and outside temperature.

Overall I'm happy with it. Looks like it mounted directly to the stock mirror's mount. It's a nice mirror. It's wider than the stock rear-view mirror and I can see the entire hatch window from passenger side to driver side and then some.

The map lights on it are LEDs, but they strangely used green and yellow LEDs. I guess those colors make it easier to read a map in the dark? Only other problem I have is that the mirror's base extends down past the dotted spots on the windshield:

I told them that I do not want any of the base exposed / visible below that dotted area so they setup another service appointment for Monday morning to see if they can have their glass / window repair guys move that stock mirror mount up a little bit so that the mirror's entire base is within that dotted area.

Anyone know if it's actually possible to remove that stock mirror mount without damaging the windshield?

I don't know if that that's actually possible without leaving some mark or trace behind where stock mirror mount once was or without cracking / breaking the windshield.

Both mirrors (top one is the Gentex, bottom one is the stock):

Off:

On:

Its weird colored map lights (that's a white sheet of kleenex to show the lights' colors more accurately):

From the back seats:

Sodium Duck · 11-08-2008, 05:48 PM

Usually a map light is red, but you can use different colors. Taken from the REI website:

A red, blue or green lens (or filter or bulb) is an option for consulting a map or chart at night. Red light preserves your night vision but decreases your ability to read. Blue and green lights increase your ability to read but decrease your night vision.

Revsson · 11-09-2008, 01:01 AM

Interesting mod.
Where did they mount the temp sensor? I would like something for inside and outside.

IsLNdbOi · 11-09-2008, 01:16 AM

They said they mounted the temp. sensor in the same location temp. sensors are mounted in Toyotas that come with thermometers from the factory. They didn't get more detailed than that though.

CTScott · 11-09-2008, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IsLNdbOi

They said they mounted the temp. sensor in the same location temp. sensors are mounted in Toyotas that come with thermometers from the factory. They didn't get more detailed than that though.

What did it cost? I really miss having an integrated thermometer...

b_hickman11 · 11-09-2008, 11:13 AM

You do not need to take your car back to have the mirror moved. You do not have it adjusted correct. Rear view mirrors are adjustable 2 ways. There is a joint on the back of the mirror(which is the common place to adjust it), and there is a joint where the arm meets the window mount. Just grab the arm and push up on it, not the mirror. BTW, how much did they charge you. When I bought my 08, I traded in my 05 Tacoma which already had a Gentex mirror in it. So I took it out before trading it in and put in my Yaris for FREE!!!!

Sodium Duck · 11-09-2008, 11:30 AM

He's saying that his problem is they glued it to the windshield too low. They have to remove it and try to remount it up higher, above the tinted area.

IsLNdbOi · 11-09-2008, 02:41 PM

They didn't have to glue anything. The stock mirror uses a wedge mount, not a camlock mount. The Gentex can be mounted on either type of mount.

The stock mirror's "button" where the wedge (its base) mounts to, is too low for the Gentex and so the Gentex's wedge juts out from the dotted area of the windshield.

They're going to try removing the stock mirror's button tomorrow so they can place it higher up on the windshield so that when the Gentex is mounted on it, its base is fully within that dotted area of the windshield.

Cost to install was free since it's one of the things I asked for during negotiations for the car. Not sure if I'm completely satisfied with the Gentex though. It doesn't look like its map lights are user replaceable (I don't like the LED colors they used) and the part of its harness that comes out of the headliner and plugs into the mirror isn't sleeved so you see the black and red wires when looking into the car from outside.

I may get a CIPA 36500 mirror. It has the same features as the Gentex, BUT its harness is sleeved or wrapped in some type of spiral wrap so the wires aren't individually visible. Also, the temp. and compass display are below the mirror and not taking up any of it.

b_hickman11 · 11-09-2008, 07:46 PM

Well I installed mine on the factory mount and it looks fine. The top of the mirror almost touches the headliner. You said it was "free" but more than likely you paid for it somehwre on the paper work. How much was the mirror? I bet they charged the hell out of you for that...

IsLNdbOi · 11-09-2008, 09:08 PM

A friend gave me the mirror. During negotiations, I asked my dealer if they would install it for me for free. They did. This Gentex is also a dealer added accessory that they sell in their parts department so they knew how to install it. They've installed a couple of them in other Yarii before and said that I was the first to have a problem with how the mirror's wedge goes down past the dotted area on the windshield.

There's a little arm that goes between the mirror's wedge and the mirror. Both ends of the arm have a ball that goes into a socket (one end on the mirror's wedge and the other end into the back of the mirror). Looks almost like the stock mirror's arm. The wedge of the Gentex slides right onto the button that the stock mirror's wedge used. The position of this button is what needs to be changed. It needs to be moved up a little so that the Gentex's entire wedge will be within the dotted area of the windshield.

b_hickman11 · 11-10-2008, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IsLNdbOi

A friend gave me the mirror. During negotiations, I asked my dealer if they would install it for me for free. They did. This Gentex is also a dealer added accessory that they sell in their parts department so they knew how to install it. They've installed a couple of them in other Yarii before and said that I was the first to have a problem with how the mirror's wedge goes down past the dotted area on the windshield.

There's a little arm that goes between the mirror's wedge and the mirror. Both ends of the arm have a ball that goes into a socket (one end on the mirror's wedge and the other end into the back of the mirror). Looks almost like the stock mirror's arm. The wedge of the Gentex slides right onto the button that the stock mirror's wedge used. The position of this button is what needs to be changed. It needs to be moved up a little so that the Gentex's entire wedge will be within the dotted area of the windshield.

So your factory mount was not installed in the correct place in Japan? Or are the LB's different from the Sedans? I have 2 Sedans and both mounting brackets are inside of the dotted area.

IsLNdbOi · 11-10-2008, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b_hickman11

So your factory mount was not installed in the correct place in Japan? Or are the LB's different from the Sedans? I have 2 Sedans and both mounting brackets are inside of the dotted area.

The factory wedge button in my LB is in the same location as every other LB on the lot.

The K31's base is just huge. Once it's slid onto the factory wedge button and screwed down, the base extends past the dotted area as seen in my pics. above.

I went to the dealer this morning and their glass guys couldn't get the stock wedge button out. They'd have cracked the windshield if they did. I'll be returning this Gentex and will be trying a CIPA model 36500 mirror instead. Has the same features as the Gentex and hopefully doesn't have a large base like the Gentex.

b_hickman11 · 11-10-2008, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IsLNdbOi

The factory wedge button in my LB is in the same location as every other LB on the lot.

The K31's base is just huge. Once it's slid onto the factory wedge button and screwed down, the base extends past the dotted area as seen in my pics. above.

I went to the dealer this morning and their glass guys couldn't get the stock wedge button out. They'd have cracked the windshield if they did. I'll be returning this Gentex and will be trying a CIPA model 36500 mirror instead. Has the same features as the Gentex and hopefully doesn't have a large base like the Gentex.

Have you tried switching out the base with another Gentex model? The base of my Gentex sits more than an inch into the dotted area. Maybe you could just get a base off of a different Gentex model and it wouldnt be as low. There is a guy on ebay that sells all kinds of wiring harness's, wiring diagrams, mirrors, and parts for Gentex. You should try to contact him. Here is his ebay name: wembleysells

Revsson · 11-09-2008, 09:45 PM

There probably is a safe way to remove that mirror mount and move it up. My old 92 Chevy truck had the mirror mount fall off twice. I bought some "special" glue at the auto parts place and glued it back up. It's possible that I didn't get the windshield
perfectly clean. I'm sure the glass and window guys know what to do and should get
you what you want.

That Gentex is a little pricey for me. Is there a system we could take out of an older
Toyota, like b_hickman11 had, that would be cheaper? I suppose any junkyard would
charge an arm and a leg for a used Gentex, right?

IsLNdbOi · 11-09-2008, 09:52 PM

Some Toyota and Lexus models come w/ these Gentex mirrors from the factory I think. My aunt's Lexus RX330 came with a Gentex w/ compass. If you can find one in a car from a junkyard, you'll need to try and get the harness / wiring out as well for the mirror.

b_hickman11 · 11-10-2008, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IsLNdbOi

Some Toyota and Lexus models come w/ these Gentex mirrors from the factory I think. My aunt's Lexus RX330 came with a Gentex w/ compass. If you can find one in a car from a junkyard, you'll need to try and get the harness / wiring out as well for the mirror.

This is true. I jacked the Gentex mirror off of my 05 Tacoma before trading it in and installed it in my 08 Yaris!

IsLNdbOi · 11-10-2008, 09:42 PM

I considered that so I called Gentex. They told me that it wouldn't work because the K31's base has a small circuit board in it that controls some of the K31's function. I popped the base's cover off and surely enough, the small circuit board was in there.

b_hickman11 · 11-10-2008, 09:45 PM

Well that sucks. Do you like all of the features? Maybe you can find a different one with less features. Does the LB have the 2 map lights mounted on the headliner like the Sedan does? If so, you could do away with that feature...Just a thought.

11-08-2008, 05:23 PM	#1
IsLNdbOi Drives: Polar White - 5 Door '09 LB Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 1,285	Gentex K31 - auto dimming mirror w/ map lights, compass, outside temp. -- installed. My dealer just installed a Gentex K31 auto dimming mirror w/ map lights, compass, and outside temperature. Overall I'm happy with it. Looks like it mounted directly to the stock mirror's mount. It's a nice mirror. It's wider than the stock rear-view mirror and I can see the entire hatch window from passenger side to driver side and then some. The map lights on it are LEDs, but they strangely used green and yellow LEDs. I guess those colors make it easier to read a map in the dark? Only other problem I have is that the mirror's base extends down past the dotted spots on the windshield: I told them that I do not want any of the base exposed / visible below that dotted area so they setup another service appointment for Monday morning to see if they can have their glass / window repair guys move that stock mirror mount up a little bit so that the mirror's entire base is within that dotted area. Anyone know if it's actually possible to remove that stock mirror mount without damaging the windshield? I don't know if that that's actually possible without leaving some mark or trace behind where stock mirror mount once was or without cracking / breaking the windshield. Both mirrors (top one is the Gentex, bottom one is the stock): Off: On: Its weird colored map lights (that's a white sheet of kleenex to show the lights' colors more accurately): From the back seats: Last edited by IsLNdbOi; 01-06-2009 at 07:39 AM.

11-08-2008, 05:48 PM	#2
Sodium Duck ╚══════════RN Drives: 2008 Liftback Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Western Mass. Posts: 999	Usually a map light is red, but you can use different colors. Taken from the REI website: A red, blue or green lens (or filter or bulb) is an option for consulting a map or chart at night. Red light preserves your night vision but decreases your ability to read. Blue and green lights increase your ability to read but decrease your night vision. __________________ 42.88

11-09-2008, 11:30 AM	#7
Sodium Duck ╚══════════RN Drives: 2008 Liftback Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Western Mass. Posts: 999	He's saying that his problem is they glued it to the windshield too low. They have to remove it and try to remount it up higher, above the tinted area. __________________ 42.88

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11-09-2008, 01:01 AM	#3
Revsson View User's Garage Drives: 2009 Meteorite Metallic LB MT Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Wisconsin Posts: 810	Interesting mod. Where did they mount the temp sensor? I would like something for inside and outside.

11-09-2008, 01:16 AM	#4
IsLNdbOi Drives: Polar White - 5 Door '09 LB Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 1,285	They said they mounted the temp. sensor in the same location temp. sensors are mounted in Toyotas that come with thermometers from the factory. They didn't get more detailed than that though.

11-09-2008, 11:13 AM	#6
b_hickman11 Drives: 08 Sedan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Tyler, TX Posts: 899	You do not need to take your car back to have the mirror moved. You do not have it adjusted correct. Rear view mirrors are adjustable 2 ways. There is a joint on the back of the mirror(which is the common place to adjust it), and there is a joint where the arm meets the window mount. Just grab the arm and push up on it, not the mirror. BTW, how much did they charge you. When I bought my 08, I traded in my 05 Tacoma which already had a Gentex mirror in it. So I took it out before trading it in and put in my Yaris for FREE!!!!

11-09-2008, 02:41 PM	#8
IsLNdbOi Drives: Polar White - 5 Door '09 LB Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 1,285	They didn't have to glue anything. The stock mirror uses a wedge mount, not a camlock mount. The Gentex can be mounted on either type of mount. The stock mirror's "button" where the wedge (its base) mounts to, is too low for the Gentex and so the Gentex's wedge juts out from the dotted area of the windshield. They're going to try removing the stock mirror's button tomorrow so they can place it higher up on the windshield so that when the Gentex is mounted on it, its base is fully within that dotted area of the windshield. Cost to install was free since it's one of the things I asked for during negotiations for the car. Not sure if I'm completely satisfied with the Gentex though. It doesn't look like its map lights are user replaceable (I don't like the LED colors they used) and the part of its harness that comes out of the headliner and plugs into the mirror isn't sleeved so you see the black and red wires when looking into the car from outside. I may get a CIPA 36500 mirror. It has the same features as the Gentex, BUT its harness is sleeved or wrapped in some type of spiral wrap so the wires aren't individually visible. Also, the temp. and compass display are below the mirror and not taking up any of it.

11-09-2008, 07:46 PM	#9
b_hickman11 Drives: 08 Sedan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Tyler, TX Posts: 899	Well I installed mine on the factory mount and it looks fine. The top of the mirror almost touches the headliner. You said it was "free" but more than likely you paid for it somehwre on the paper work. How much was the mirror? I bet they charged the hell out of you for that...

11-09-2008, 09:08 PM	#10
IsLNdbOi Drives: Polar White - 5 Door '09 LB Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 1,285	A friend gave me the mirror. During negotiations, I asked my dealer if they would install it for me for free. They did. This Gentex is also a dealer added accessory that they sell in their parts department so they knew how to install it. They've installed a couple of them in other Yarii before and said that I was the first to have a problem with how the mirror's wedge goes down past the dotted area on the windshield. There's a little arm that goes between the mirror's wedge and the mirror. Both ends of the arm have a ball that goes into a socket (one end on the mirror's wedge and the other end into the back of the mirror). Looks almost like the stock mirror's arm. The wedge of the Gentex slides right onto the button that the stock mirror's wedge used. The position of this button is what needs to be changed. It needs to be moved up a little so that the Gentex's entire wedge will be within the dotted area of the windshield.

11-09-2008, 09:45 PM	#14
Revsson View User's Garage Drives: 2009 Meteorite Metallic LB MT Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Wisconsin Posts: 810	There probably is a safe way to remove that mirror mount and move it up. My old 92 Chevy truck had the mirror mount fall off twice. I bought some "special" glue at the auto parts place and glued it back up. It's possible that I didn't get the windshield perfectly clean. I'm sure the glass and window guys know what to do and should get you what you want. That Gentex is a little pricey for me. Is there a system we could take out of an older Toyota, like b_hickman11 had, that would be cheaper? I suppose any junkyard would charge an arm and a leg for a used Gentex, right?

11-09-2008, 09:52 PM	#15
IsLNdbOi Drives: Polar White - 5 Door '09 LB Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 1,285	Some Toyota and Lexus models come w/ these Gentex mirrors from the factory I think. My aunt's Lexus RX330 came with a Gentex w/ compass. If you can find one in a car from a junkyard, you'll need to try and get the harness / wiring out as well for the mirror.

11-10-2008, 09:42 PM	#17
IsLNdbOi Drives: Polar White - 5 Door '09 LB Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 1,285	I considered that so I called Gentex. They told me that it wouldn't work because the K31's base has a small circuit board in it that controls some of the K31's function. I popped the base's cover off and surely enough, the small circuit board was in there.

11-10-2008, 09:45 PM	#18
b_hickman11 Drives: 08 Sedan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Tyler, TX Posts: 899	Well that sucks. Do you like all of the features? Maybe you can find a different one with less features. Does the LB have the 2 map lights mounted on the headliner like the Sedan does? If so, you could do away with that feature...Just a thought.