DIY: 08+ STi mirror markers on 08+ Impreza/WRX

[WRBear]

Thanks to monkiboy for his extensive photographic documentation of the install (even if I don't agree with his lack of wire connectors, and using the same colored wires )

The Caps:







The LEDs:





Tools Used:

• Phillips head screw driver
• Plastic trim removal tool or paint scraper (for removing existing caps)
• Mechanics wire/coat hanger (for fishing wire through mirrors and door grommets)
• Small flat head screw drivers (popping out mirror from housing)

Materials Used:

• 18 gauge wire (I recommend 2 different colors, to distinguish your ground and power)
• Ring connectors (for ground)
• T-tap disconnects (Vampire taps) for connecting to power
• Quick disconnectos (need something small, to fit to the LED connections) not sure of the exact size but I got some at RadioShack that worked out. I'll take pictures for reference.
• Electrical tape
• 4 small screws for securing the LED (2 for each mirror--just found some lying around.

1. Remove mirror cap by positioning the mirror pointed down, and popping the 2 clips you'll see visible:





There are a few other clips along the edge, but getting these out will help with the others. Use a panel removal tool or paint scraper to aid in getting the rest out. Shouldn't have to use too much force.

2. I'd say its easier to remove the mirror from the housing while still installed, since there'll be some good support at that time.



If you push the mirror so that it is angled down, you'll be able to pop the top 2 clips out with a small screw driver. You'll see a slight gap between the white plastic, and black clips if you shine a light down there. Just push the screw driver into that gap and pop each one.



The bottom 2 hinges will pop out if you kinda push down and pull forward on the mirror (just be careful of how much acute pressure you apply to the mirror)

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[WRBear]

3. Remove the tweeter panel to access the bolts for the mirror. You may or may not need to remove the door cards to route the wires from the mirror through the door grommet. If you have a long enough hanger and are skillful with it, you may be able to route through the top of the grommet, up through the opening at the top of the door card where the 3 bolts securing the mirror are. It may be difficult to disconnect the mirror harness, however, without removing the door card.



(Image is post LED install, so you will not see those 2 red wires at this point).

4. After disconnecting the mirror harness, you will now have this:



Remove the visible screw. There is another hidden screw, which can be accessed when you fold the mirror in (towards the car). May help to have someone hold the mount point of the mirror while you fold the mirror in (counter-clockwise to the triangle mount). Remove that screw.

5. There are 2 screws under the 2 black circular foam pieces. They are glued down, so just take a flathead to pull them out.



6. This bottom piece of the mount should now have some movement so you can separate it from the rest of the mirror housing.

7. Now remove the screws from the back of the mirror housing.



8. There are 2 screws which will aid in routing the LED wires from the back of the mirror, through the triangular mount area (where the mirror harness comes out of). Just remove the 2 circled green ones, not the circled reds.



9. Don't bother trying to get through the black protecting wrapping--use some mechanics wire (or a very thin hanger) to route up through the that same path. As you should be able to see from the picture.

10. Crimp on some quick disconnects to the LED end of the wires:



Size that worked for me were from RadioShack: 3/16 Quick Disconnects: http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2104017
Though if you have anything smaller it may make it a bit easier to connect.

11. Route the car-end of the wire through the triangular mount. Don't try to get it through the where the mirror harness exits because there is a metal crimp there, which basically makes it impossible to get anything through. There's an opening in the corner, which works fine:

[WRBear]

12. Re-install any of the housing screws you had removed once you have successfully routed all the LED wiring.

13. Now, re-install the mirror to the car, and route the LED wiring through the same opening the mirror harness routes through.



14. Now, install the LED, with the black (ground) on the top connector (when positioned how it will be installed), and the red (power) on the bottom connector.



Edit: (The rightmost wire would be the ground, in this photo--as you can see the red wire marked black slightly)



Find 2 small screws to secure the LEDs.

15. Route the car-end red (power) wiring through an opening in the door, and then through the grommet where the car is hinged to the car. The black (ground) wiring should come out in the area where the mirror harness comes out. We will attach a ring connector to this wire, and attach underneath one of the 3 bolts securing the mirror. You may want to sand down some of the paint to get a better contact to the metter.



You will have to remove both ends of the grommet--one from the door, other from the car. You'll have to pop out the paneling on the inside of the car along the right of the footwell to assist in getting the wiring in the cabin. Just 2 clips--very simple. Use a hanger from the bottom up of the grommet to grab the wire for routing:



16. Once you have the wiring in the car, you want to route it to under the steering wheel. The flasher relay is on top of the relay box (in the cabin, if you open up the fuse panel, its to the right of the fuses). It's a grey square--if you turn your hazards on and feeling around, you'll find exactly which harness we will be removing.



17. The two wires you will be using are:



The white with red strip goes to the left mirror (when facing the car) and the grey wire goes to the right mirror.

18. Put the mirror caps on the mirrors, and you're done!

If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask me or monkiboy--I'll be out of the country this week.

[nonamekevin]

Looks cool. Finished product? Cost of project?

-Kevin

[J.biz]

nice write up!!! so all you got was the sti mirror cap and light or whole mirror from sti??

[WRBear]

Originally Posted by nonamekevin

Looks cool. Finished product? Cost of project?

-Kevin

About $190 shipped for caps and LEDs. Yes I have a pic and a few people took videos of it. On vacation this week I'll see what I can provide.

[Blue_Rex]

That just looks like too much work.

[Parthew]

Looks pretty cool, im confused about the last step, did you just tap into those two wires?

[Zeppelinkix87]

Originally Posted by WRBear

About $190 shipped for caps and LEDs. Yes I have a pic and a few people took videos of it. On vacation this week I'll see what I can provide.

i would love to see end product too!

[WRBear]

Originally Posted by Parthew

Looks pretty cool, im confused about the last step, did you just tap into those two wires?

Yup! That's it. Just tap into those 2 and you're done.

And here's a final product:



I know, ugly grill. Hope to get those pillars painted black before summer, or when I get some money--whatever comes first :/

[CarterMarkham]

I did this a while ago to my 09 Rex, its a pain to feed the wire through all the rubber hose even with mechanics wire. Now I gotta do the same thing to my 11 when it comes in.

[WRBear]

^^ Just get an '11 STi sedan. Done and done

[jayzpadilla]

Very nice write up. Interested in giving this a whirl!

[lovin' it]

Nice write up!!

[CarterMarkham]

Thanks for the credit btw...

[arco]

does anyone know if these mirrors would mount up to the GDs?

[WRXSIG]

are the caps just caps? or does the meat of 08+wrx housing actually have the slot for the Leds?

[Spike13779]

Take a dremel to the bumper plastics behind the grille like i did, it's just flimsy but it isn't needed for any support. Oh and once you remove them youll have to remount the horn lower down on the brace and spray the metal behind it flat black so it looks good.the end
Like so..
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1239145_n.jpg

[Chutes]

Originally Posted by WRBear

And here's a final product:

/

did you have to paint the covers yourself?

[chanomatik]

My local dealership wants the needed parts for twice the price compared to subarugenuineparts.com. The heck?! And I still have to get them painted.

$209 + S&H from sgp.com ain't bad, though. I got a buddy that can paint them for free/cheap and for good, proud quality.

[on3ezy]

Just completed this, looks/works great. I found that wiring through the grommet was alot easier if you make a small slice(just enough to get a coat hanger through) in the middle and wire it halfway at a time, then i just wrapped some electrical tape around once.

[captncal]

Originally Posted by on3ezy

Just completed this, looks/works great. I found that wiring through the grommet was alot easier if you make a small slice(just enough to get a coat hanger through) in the middle and wire it halfway at a time, then i just wrapped some electrical tape around once.

how long did it take you? i just got my 11 rex and i want to get this done? and how much to have the mirrors painted?

[bradze]

subscribed, im determined to do this to my outback

[busyychild]

I wanted to confirm that STi LED+heated mirrors will bolt right up to a 2011 WRX Premium without modification.

My guess is at the least 2011+ WRX Premium/Limited come pre-wired for led turn signals since they they come with heated mirrors already. Just a hunch.

It took nothing more than unbolting my old WRX mirrors and bolting on the STi mirrors. LED, Heat and mirror controls all work.

I bought the mirrors whole off a wrecked STi. I did not piece them together.

FYI, the blinkers were on in the photos. I was good with timing the photos. Neither the mirrors nor front turn signals have running lights.

The goods:






STi on the left / WRX on the right



STi harness plug






WRX harness plug



Door harness plug



I hope this helps somebody.

[rkjunior]

Originally Posted by busyychild

I wanted to confirm that STi LED+heated mirrors will bolt right up to a 2011 WRX Premium without modification.

My guess is at the least 2011+ WRX Premium/Limited come pre-wired for led turn signals since they they come with heated mirrors already. Just a hunch.

It took nothing more than unbolting my old WRX mirrors and bolting on the STi mirrors. LED, Heat and mirror controls all work.


FYI, the blinkers were on in the photos. I was good with timing the photos. Neither the mirrors nor front turn signals have running lights.

This is awesome news. I want to do this to my 2011... Do you have a list of part numbers?