[e90yyc]

Got a HomeLink mirror to install in my 2007 328xi. Existing mirror had auto-dimming and alarm pre-wire w/ clown nose from factory.

Here’s where I’m confused: Everything I’ve read seems to indicate I need the retrofit wiring kit (p/n 61120434330) in order to make it work, yet I’ve plugged the mirror in and it’s all working. I’ve programmed to my garage doors and everything.

I don’t know if it makes a difference, but I don’t think my mirror has the compass. (If it does it’s not working.) So, here I am with wires hanging from my roof looking at a connector that already has pins in all the locations they supposedly need to go for this retrofit.

Why? What gives?

[krhodes1]

Makes sense that if you already have an auto-dimming mirror, a Homelink mirror would be plug and play. All Homelink needs is power and ground, and you already have that with the auto-dimming.

Having upgraded my 1-series from regular mirror to one with everything, I definitely needed the harness - my mirror had no wires going into it at all.

Nice easy upgrade for you, and bonus that it worked with your door opener without needing a Homelink bridge.

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by krhodes1

Makes sense that if you already have an auto-dimming mirror, a Homelink mirror would be plug and play. All Homelink needs is power and ground, and you already have that with the auto-dimming.

Having upgraded my 1-series from regular mirror to one with everything, I definitely needed the harness - my mirror had no wires going into it at all.

Nice easy upgrade for you, and bonus that it worked with your door opener without needing a Homelink bridge.

JUST power and ground? What is this... a Civic!? I (incorrectly) figured that being a BMW it couldn't possibly need just power and ground: Surely it would have to be wired to PT-CAN to cut throttle in the event you try to drive into the garage door as it opens, and it probably also needs to be connected to the NASA SpaceLink module to prevent aliens from stealing my code and breaking into my garage. Just power and ground... LOL.

Two out of three of my garage door openers work. The third is a seriously vintage (1979) opener with dip switches, but I'm hoping to one day put a lift into that bay which will necessitate installing a wall-mounted opener, which I'm sure will work with HomeLink.

We recently got a gate installed that operates with "proprietary" openers, and unfortunately I can't program this to work with HomeLink. The company who installed it says they can fit some module that will make it work, but then I lose the ability to control other functions with my regular remote. Wish there was some way I could have both...

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

JUST power and ground? What is this... a Civic!? I (incorrectly) figured that being a BMW it couldn't possibly need just power and ground: Surely it would have to be wired to PT-CAN to cut throttle in the event you try to drive into the garage door as it opens, and it probably also needs to be connected to the NASA SpaceLink module to prevent aliens from stealing my code and breaking into my garage. Just power and ground... LOL.

Two out of three of my garage door openers work. The third is a seriously vintage (1979) opener with dip switches, but I'm hoping to one day put a lift into that bay which will necessitate installing a wall-mounted opener, which I'm sure will work with HomeLink.

We recently got a gate installed that operates with "proprietary" openers, and unfortunately I can't program this to work with HomeLink. The company who installed it says they can fit some module that will make it work, but then I lose the ability to control other functions with my regular remote. Wish there was some way I could have both...

Even BMW couldn't manage to make it more complicated than that!

Mostly because pretty much every auto-dimming mirror on the planet is made by Gentex, and Homelink is it's own licensed thing too. I actually put a generic Gentex Homelink mirror in my Fiata, didn't even need constant power - they keep the settings in non-volatile storage. The Fiata has power to the overhead console when the car is running and for ~10 mins after - no problem at all.