Hi Tech rear view mirror, what do you got?

[MaicoDoug]

There are available these days a high tech rear view mirror that I'm considering, more junk that will fail in 1.5 years exactly most likely, but hey, some have an inclinometer for measuring incline angles, temp, front & rear cameras. Seems like a good place for an upgrade, so I'm looking for 'yall's input on what you like, have already installed & are dreaming about besides that blond in the convertible behind you that you're attempting to save video of. Seems that most of these are going for $100 +/-.

 

[Jazzer]

How about an example?

Sounds interesting!

 

[Curious Hound]

I have installed auto-dimming mirrors with compass in several of my vehicles. I get them from the junk yard pretty cheap. There is an article in our tech section on how to do it. The compass seems to have stopped working on the one in my Ranger. But I rarely paid attention to it. I mostly like the auto-dimming feature.

 

[MaicoDoug]

Hey guyz, The rear view mirror inclinometer was on ebay 4 years ago, though can't find it lately. Did find this, ali express has a bunch, amazon has some more expensive ones. This one is one of those costs- $100.

https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Glare】WiFi-Digital-Parking-Assistance-Included/dp/B0D3QHGSS7/ref=sr_1_12_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.U1e-FIWJRXbPbZg74iUeAMrWRBl6X8Sa23XUQOhPS-Ja6OHrgZG_iZ7pbqxh7s_QnWKDrFmDZmca2jKxuWROsl44_sRMHrhw0uS4_OBwAJRx6NdiZjBzwjeYU8iCT7NzlHKxnahx75vV3QaZhlwrg212K_aS6ikhupZA0LX-OnD4_chfRG7siaI2JzVWYUc69QglvwGdutZjU49KoRcEXO-07Tmyir815HMNcNhrp-k.bCi2Ug2OV8o7_nMZMIFkaq2BI2gBD9WbgRqJcJc4MvY&dib_tag=se&hvadid=557295045072&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9027892&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=17303323516882230443&hvtargid=kwd-307878537358&hydadcr=19085_13356401&keywords=rear+view+mirror+thermometer&qid=1720396724&sr=8-12-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&psc=1

 

[Jazzer]

Looks nice, but if my experience with Chinese electronics holds, it'll last just as long as the warranty or less. It'd be nice to find one like that in a known good brand.

 

[MaicoDoug]

Found a Gentex (GNTX) 455 with both a compass & temperature, it works. 4 wires. Had to buy a new sensor because I'm really new at this whole "GNTX" thing, after hours on the internet elbowing my way around the "ME" kindergarten, I do believe that my local snapa carries these for half of what I paid online. I'll go down there later this morning and see. Other than that it tested working after a bunch of twisting to make the compass functional again. The diagram below is accurate. # 7 & 6 are the RTD sensor's input, polarity is not important....pins 1 & 2 for this mirror are important: #1 is +12v, #2 is ground or -12v (black wire).

I plan on taking the sensor apart to miniaturize down to the actual component and install it somehow in the foot, but that may be more work than it's worth, simply just want it as simple as possible. As long as the sun is not shining directly on the sensor itself.

Ambient temperature reading is no easy task BTW. Most likely it will be more accurate than the latest NWS data taken from a newly installed unit in the middle of a black paved parking lot, but I digress. Moving down the road it should be fine, normally installed just under the hood next to a headlight.

 

[superj]

those are popular mirrors on the nissan frontier forums. everyone installs them, it seemed back in my frontier days.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

$8 out of a late 90's Tahoe, sensor was like an extra $2. Compass, temp and autodimming.

Compass / Temperature Mirror Install - The Ranger Station

 

[MaicoDoug]

Gentex is vague regarding exactly which of (2) different sensors interface with the model 455. There is the GM sensor pn 15035786 (most common & works 100% w/ the gntx 177) and the Nissan sensor pn 27722-1VAOA, which is the one I need. So after a few hours surfing and a reply from the only person that knows and also sells this stuff on ebay "camsmirrors". I got the 177 to work great, but the 455 has only a single pwr button and seems the display is much brighter, just need the correct sensor because it says at 76f it reading 15f. The centigrade reading is 5 below. So my ebay guy set me straight. Seems that there was quite a bit of info being deleted from internet sources, just try asking Gentex's retail company VOXX, "sorry don't support that model". They sell it with no documentation whatsoever! Their new 455 is called the "ADVGEN20A ". Without any prior sales to you, you get zero help at all. They know what I'm up to digging their old stuff out of junkyards.

Back doing the junkyard crawl this morning before it gets too hot. Must find that Frontier, think I know where the sensor is located, fun, fun. Helped some young fella looking for a part for his chevy that controls the AC, he asks me hey "do you know where this kind of car is"? Told him, I don't work here, so told him lets go, was already at the back entrance all done for that day, but out again I went. You meet the darndest people in junkyards, always a ton of fun!

 

[MaicoDoug]

Installed and looking & working good. That Nissan Frontier was recycled, gone in a day...but after looking for anything nissan related, I did find the correct ambient temp sensor.

Pulling off the A pillar trim of course, the mounting tabs were left in the clips- (why fomoco??) Repaired with a thin cut wafer of the same gauge plastic super glued and clamped until cured. Routed the 20 awg sensor wire up to the front grille area, made a 5mm hole and pushed the sensor into it, mounted.

Also installed one of those 270 degree bar graph voltmeters w/ the dual 5 amp USB charging ports. Has a 10 amp fuse for installing into your old cigarette lighter slot.

 

[MT_PLS]

I installed a GNTX 177 in my truck last week and got half the wiring done. Just waiting for the 7-pin pigtail to arrive via USPS to finish it.
Temp, compass, and auto dimming for a grand total of $60? Hard to go wrong!

 

[MaicoDoug]

Gentex 455- Scrounged out of a Frontier, then they scrapped the chassis before I could find the sensor. There are plenty if you know where to look. Works nice with a 7 pin plug! The original one was corroded bad.

 

[Curious Hound]

Compass stopped working in the one in my Ranger. I’ll need to look into that some time. Auto-dimming is my favorite feature. I’ve never had one with temperature hooked up.

 

[MaicoDoug]

Eric, I have plenty of 2 wire temp sensors, both kinds. Message me & I'll send you one.

The compass rarely requires you to drive around in circles, one or two rotations to get re-calibrated. For me sometimes too~ The 7 pin model, 455, or 177 works well. Goes for Apx $30 junkyard price. My temp was about 70 degrees low, discovered that I had the wrong sensor. I use some pure carnauba wax to "shine it up good boss" and looks and works like new. Stay away from the 16 pin model. Pass on the onstar with the red cross also. Look for the 2 line display model. One line for Temp & one line below it for the compass info. The manufacturers have attempted to integrate these at every possible level making them way too complicated. 2002 - 2008 Avalanche, Silverado, Denali & Escalade. Also Nissan Frontier. The sensors are located in the radiator support area on the front.

 

[Curious Hound]

The compassion stopped displaying altogether in the Ranger. I may just look for a whole new 2-line mirror. I pulled a temp sensor a while back. So that's in my box 9f goodies. Though if I get another mirror, I'll get the sensor from the same vehicle if possible. I've installed these in several vehicles now. Usually just compass and auto-dim.