I love my 2017 Volt LT...One of the best cars I have ever owned! However the base LT model does not have an auto dimming mirror or homelink capability. I have seen some other posts about installing an aftermarket Gentex mirror with both of those capabilities on a Premier or LTZ, but not on a LT. I did not want to tap into the overhead console, plus I wanted to add a power tap for my radar detector, so here is a tutorial on how i did the install by adding fuse taps to the fuse box. I hope it helps someone out there who wants to do the same thing.
Step 1: Buy an aftermarket mirror from Ebay...I chose a Gentex 536 mirror with Homelink and Auto Dimming. I found one on ebay with a wiring harness included for 79.00
Step 2: Supplies. You will need to buy 2 ATR (micro2) fuse taps and a pack of 10 amp ATR fuses. I bought them at Autozone.
You will need to put two 10amp fuses in each of the ATR fuse taps. You will need to do this since you will be populating currently empty fuse positions in the fuse panel.
If you are going to add a hardwired Radar detector tap, you will need to order a similar power cord as this...I bought this one on amazon for 12.99 for my Uniden radar detector (I believe it will work for Escort too.)
You will need a flashlight, wire stripper, pliers, screwdriver with a #20 Torx bit, and a plastic trim tool.
Step 3: Remove the factory mirror by removing the plastic cover pieces. The large cover very easily pops off with very little pressure..I used a plastic trim tool to pop it off...fingers should do fine as well.
NOTE: I did not tap into the Overhead console/OnStar wiring harness.
You will need to snap out the inner plastic piece to remove it from the mirror.
Once you have the covers off, you can remove the factory mirror with a #20 Torx bit
Step 4: Once the factory mirror is removed, you can begin the install of the new Homelink mirror.
Attach the wiring harness plug to the mirror (I bought a mirror that included the wiring harness and plug)
If you are going to add the radar detector power, this is where you will want to insert the two wire prongs into the plug. You will want to insert the black wire prong into the black wire connection on the plug. The red wire will need to be inserted where the yellow (ACC) wire connection is on the plug. It is important to install the red wire to the yellow connection on the plug so it will turn the detector off when the car is off...
Attach the Homelink mirror to the mount and then Connect the plug to the mirror.
Step 5: Run the wire from the mirror across the headliner, down the A-Pillar and across into the fuse panel below the steering wheel. It should be very easy to tuck the wire into the headliner and along the trim in the door opening. I did use a trim tool to help make it a little easier.
Step 6: Connect wires and plug in the fuse taps
First you will need to find a spot for the ground wire...I was able to locate a metal brace inside the fuse panel that already had a hole drilled in it...I just used a small screw and nut and attached the ground wire.
Next, attach the red (12V constant) and yellow (Acc) wires to the fuse taps.
Here are the open locations in the fuse box to insert each tap: 12V constant = Location F6, 12V ACC = Location F37
12V Constant
12V ACC
Step 7: Test your connections....If good, close up the fuse panel and snap the plastic covers back above the mirror.
Step 8: If you are attaching your radar detector with the hardwired connection make sure the plug is routed the way you want out the back or side of the cover...then you can attach your radar detector with the mount of your choice...I have not decided on a mount yet, so for now I am just using the suction cup mount it came with...
Enjoy your install!!
I hope this tutorial will help in installing your own Homelink mirror..especially if you have a Volt LT like me!
Please feel free to PM me or ask any questions here...I will be glad to help any way I can.
Nice. It's also funny as I did this very nearly identically about a week ago, right down to the add a circuit kit and grounding using the same hole in the metal brace.
Only material difference for me was that I also installed a radar mount (attached to the post behind the mirror) to hold the radar detector below the mirror (I've never had long-term success with suction cup mounting anything to a windshield).
This looks very tempting; only question is does it void any warranties? I'm comfortable working with electronics (hobbyist electrical engineer) but I don't want to void any warranties in case anything else breaks...especially with the record my car has so far.
managerman, that was brilliantly documented! I ran the cables for my dash cams along the weather stripping just like you did, but had trouble at the seam on the A pillar and the seam next to the hood release. I chickened out fearing I'd brake some plastic trim or something with my bare hands.
I'm going to try again based on your success.
Question about that center plate that you removed in pic #6: did you just pull the plate out perpendicular to the rest of the shroud or did you slide the plate out once the shroud was removed from the windshield mounts using your plastic trim tools?
This looks very tempting; only question is does it void any warranties? I'm comfortable working with electronics (hobbyist electrical engineer) but I don't want to void any warranties in case anything else breaks...especially with the record my car has so far.
I don't believe this procedure will void any warranties. However...that is one of the reasons I did not want to tap into the overhead console wiring harness...one screw up there and the fix would not be covered under warranty...
managerman, that was brilliantly documented! I ran the cables for my dash cams along the weather stripping just like you did, but had trouble at the seam on the A pillar and the seam next to the hood release. I chickened out fearing I'd brake some plastic trim or something with my bare hands.
I'm going to try again based on your success.
Question about that center plate that you removed in pic #6: did you just pull the plate out perpendicular to the rest of the shroud or did you slide the plate out once the shroud was removed from the windshield mounts using your plastic trim tools?
Thank you for the nice comments about this post...It is much appreciated...My goal was to help someone else who might want to try this in the future...I really missed my homelink and auto dimming mirror! Very glad to have them back now!
I followed these instructions over the weekend and completed the install in about 15 minutes on my 2017 LT. Thanks to the OP for providing a great write-up.
A couple additional things to help anyone who is out there looking to do this:
-- searching Gentex 536 on eBay will not get you many search results, and most will be NIB and >$100. Turns out this mirror is used on newer Hyundai and Kia models (in particular the Genesis and Equus), so searching with those models yielded many more results (and price points in the $40-50 range). This mirror can also be found on newer Infiniti M and G models. I purchased the wiring kit separately on eBay.
-- note that these versions incorporate the plug directly into the mount (just as shown in the OP's pictures above) -- and everything is hidden under the OEM mounting cover that gets removed in step 1. There are versions of this mirror where the plug is in the back of the mirror housing -- these should work too, but the install is not as clean because you'll have a plug and wire coming out from under the OEM mounting cover.
Last and most importantly (I needed to buy a second mirror because I didn't figure this out until I tried to program my Homelink after install):
-- if you have a newer garage door opener from Liftmaster, Chamberlain or Sears with a yellow antenna cord (and yellow "learn" button), then you need a mirror that is Homelink v4 compatible. If your opener is older, it will have a white antenna cord and learn button that is compatible with Homelink v3. Check the FCC number stamped into the back of the mirror and make sure it says HL4 and not HL3:
I wasted a couple hours trying different programming methods and even calling Homelink tech support -- no where did I find the simple explanation that Homelink had gone from v3 to v4 until I finally stumbled upon this Kia TSB explanation.
Better yet, GM should have just included this with the car. Auto-dimming and Homelink are hard to live without once you get used to them.
i accidentally shorted a wire, and i have no longer power on fuse 37 (ACC).. do you know where the power come from to the socket ?? I used a addacircuit fuse hoder, my two fuses are ok, with a multimeter, no power on the lead in the socket
-- searching Gentex 536 on eBay will not get you many search results, and most will be NIB and >$100. Turns out this mirror is used on newer Hyundai and Kia models (in particular the Genesis and Equus), so searching with those models yielded many more results (and price points in the $40-50 range). This mirror can also be found on newer Infiniti M and G models.
I did. and some of the 536's seem to have different connectors, some have compasses. I have read about 5 threads on this. The install I got, but I am seem to be clueless on the "536" or the are mislabeled on ebay. The actual back of the mirrors have different model numbers. I have searched ebay with those requirements.
I did. and some of the 536's seem to have different connectors, some have compasses. I have read about 5 threads on this. The install I got, but I am seem to be clueless on the "536" or the are mislabeled on ebay. The actual back of the mirrors have different model numbers. I have searched ebay with those requirements.
I think you'll find it hard to locate one without the compass. Most with Homelink also have the compass. Note that the compass has an on/off button and it doesn't take up any real estate on newer mirrors.
I ended up searching Ebay for OBIHL4 (Found in many Lexus vehicles) so that I made sure and got a Homelink v4 version. This mirror does not have the compass, but does have back lit buttons which i really like and look good in the car. I had Bob Prim make me a wiring harness and it all went in clean - plug and play. Best upgrade you can make to the car.
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