Added Auto-Dimming RearView Mirror with Compass and Temperature

[IceShaver511]

I added a Rearview mirror with compass and temperature to my 97 Malibu LS



I got it out of an 02 GMC Yukon Denali XL

Parts you will need:
20 Guage wire
1/2" Wire Loom
Dimming Mirror with Compass and Temperature with plug and pigtail.
(connector has 7 pins 1234567, 3,4, and 5 are not necesary to be hooked up)
Temperature Sensor(Mounted behind grill, infront of Radiator
Butt Connectors
Female Spade Connectors, and Male spade connectors
ShrinkWrap
10 Amp fuse

Steps:

1. Take passenger side DoorSill Rug trim off, fold back rug, lift black rubber with foam backing to expose rubber plug.

2. Run 2 individual 20 Gauge wires through rubber plug on passenger side floor/firewall panel for the Temperature sensor.

3. Remove grill, by pulling the center of the plastic plugs up, all four plugs then pull up, and grill will come off.

4. Run Wire through wire loom, then run the wireloom covered wire to behind the grill and infront of the radiator. Put shrinkwrap on the wire before connecting wires. Connect wires previously run to the Temp Sensor(make sure you know the color of the wire so you can match it to the proper wire for the plug that goes into the mirror itself). Heat shrinkwrap and secure sensor.

5. Run wire under carpet, up sidr of the car, up the a-piller, and to the center of the winsheild. Connect the proper wire of the temp sensor to the Last 2 pins on the RightSide of the mirror wire connector XXXXX67

6. Run power and ground from fuse box, up the side of the car, and up the a-piller and to the center of the winsheild. Connect the ignition power wire to the first pin on the LeftSide of the mirror wire connector 1XXXXXX(see asterisk). Connect the ground wire to pin 2 on the left side of the mirror connecter X2XXXXX.
*I made a special fuse holder that let me steal power from the open Sunroof fuse spot, by pluggin making a wire with a male spade connector (cut down a little so it will fit in a min-atc fuse plug), a coupe inches of wire, and a female spade connector on the other end, put it on one of the regualr 10 Amp ATC fuse, and attach another female spade connector to the mirror ignition wire and attage it to the open prong of the fuse.

7. Re-assemble and you are done.

[ZipLock]

That sounds like a cool upgrade. Where did you find the mirror? Junkyard? Cost?

[IceShaver511]

I got it at a Junkyard.

Cost breakdown:
Mirror & Sensor: $10
Wire: $4
Connectors: $ 4
WireLoom: $2

Grand Total: $20

[IceShaver511]

Some installed pictures:

[burly]

That is really cool. I would like to do that myself. When you went to the junkyard to get the parts, how hard was it to remove them or did they remove them for you ? If you had to remove them, what all was involved in locating and removing the proper hardware? Also, how difficult was it to run the wiring up the A-pillar and across the headliner ? I am planning on installing the speakeres, fog lamps, mirror and foglamps at about the same time if I am able to get all the parts while I am home for break, and need to come up with a installation order. Thanks and good job on your installation!

[BeatnikTermite]

This is great. I do have two questions though.

Why did you not wire it to an open fuse slot rather than rig one up?

Did the replacement one fit in the area for, and on to the tapered bracket of, the original mirror?

[burly]

I did end up doing this myself and the mirror did fit just fine on the existing mount. As for an open fuse slot, I used the sunroof which was unused, however, I didn't want to remove the fuse block and wire my stuff into it and then put it back together so I did something similar to IceShaver511 for power.