Positive and Negative Wires in Rear View Mirror

[Shawn2018GT]

I have an 18 Premium GT Convertible.
The rear view mirror wiring has 5 wires: brown/yellow, blue/black, green/orange, and 2 pale blue wires.
I want to hook up dashcam power to it, but I don't know which one is switched positive and which is negative, let alone what the other 3 could be for.
Anyone know what the schematics show for these 5 wires??

Thanks for any help.
Shawn
Denver CO

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[ORRadtech]

Google is your friend.

 

[Elp_jc]

I powered my detector from the 2 leftmost (closest to the driver) wires on the connector, so I used a different negative. Or maybe my 2019 is different; who knows. At any rate, since the positive is the same I used, and the one which provides the power (obviously), your camera or detector is going to cut out when you select REVERSE, so you know. I don't think there's a way around that, since the only electrical function the mirror has is the auto-dimming one, and to clear up the mirror while in reverse, power to the mirror needs to be cut off. Hope this helps.

 

[17Magnetic5.0]

Why not just use a fuse tap from the interior panel. I have mine tapped into the window switch fuse and it works great then I just ran it up to the pillar and out across the windshield. That’s in the case you don’t want to tap an actual wire and if it works for you of course as you have a convertible.

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

Why not use the drivers visor, it has power for the lighted mirror, and the garage door opener if you have one and it is not switched, it's hot all the time.

 

[Elp_jc]

Why not just use a fuse tap from the interior panel.

It can't get any easier than the mirror man; the connector is right there . And you don't splice anything; just insert the taps from behind, and that's it. Fully reversible in seconds. You don't use the detector in reverse, so it's a very minor 'issue', even with a camera. But yes, if you want uninterrupted power, you need to go to the fuse box. What I don't like about the fuse box is you need to pass the cable in front of the 'A' pillar airbag... but not sure if our Mustangs have it or not. If not, then no objection .

 

[17Magnetic5.0]

It can't get any easier than the mirror man; the connector is right there . And you don't splice anything; just insert the taps from behind, and that's it. Fully reversible in seconds. You don't use the detector in reverse, so it's a very minor 'issue', even with a camera. But yes, if you want uninterrupted power, you need to go to the fuse box. What I don't like about the fuse box is you need to pass the cable in front of the 'A' pillar airbag... but not sure if our Mustangs have it or not. If not, then no objection .

fair enough. I was more concerned because I thought people were splicing into those thin cables. As far as the A pillar airbag it’s there but doesn’t get in the way since there plenty of space to the side of it to get the wire up. I guess in my case it was necessary to do it since I have a dual camera setup with one in the rear and had to pass the wire up there anyways.

 

[ORRadtech]

I powered my detector from the 2 leftmost (closest to the driver) wires on the connector, so I used a different negative. Or maybe my 2019 is different; who knows. At any rate, since the positive is the same I used, and the one which provides the power (obviously), your camera or detector is going to cut out when you select REVERSE, so you know. I don't think there's a way around that, since the only electrical function the mirror has is the auto-dimming one, and to clear up the mirror while in reverse, power to the mirror needs to be cut off. Hope this helps.

I don't remember which wires exactly I used but I used the video I posted for direction. I did use a DVOM to verify polarity first. My detector does NOT turn off in reverse. 18 Premium convertible EB, not a gt, but I don't think that makes any difference.
And, yes, the mirror tap is the easiest I've ever wired anything around the mirror and I've been mounting stuff there since the mid 70s.

 

[Elp_jc]

My detector does NOT turn off in reverse.

Well, do you have an auto-dimming mirror? And if yes, do you have any other function on your mirror, like HomeLink, compass, etc? That might explain that, since an auto-dimming mirror has to turn off in reverse by law. And in my car, that's the only function the mirror has, so no power in reverse. I think I tried every wire (not that many), and only the one I used had power, but maybe I missed a combination if you have the same mirror than I do. Please let me know; I'm curious now. Ha ha.

 

[ORRadtech]

Well, do you have an auto-dimming mirror? And if yes, do you have any other function on your mirror, like HomeLink, compass, etc? That might explain that, since an auto-dimming mirror has to turn off in reverse by law. And in my car, that's the only function the mirror has, so no power in reverse. I think I tried every wire (not that many), and only the one I used had power, but maybe I missed a combination if you have the same mirror than I do. Please let me know; I'm curious now. Ha ha.

Yes, I have an auto dimming mirror. No, there doesn't appear to be anything else special about the mirror.
It looks like I used the bottom set of three wires with the positive being on the outside (drivers side) and the negative being the wire farthest from the positive.

Looking from the bottom up. The red wire is farthest to drivers side.

 

[m3incorp]

I have my radar detector wired via mirror tap. Now you are going to make me go out and check if it actually turns off in reverse....I really don't think it does.....but I'll see.

Well, do you have an auto-dimming mirror? And if yes, do you have any other function on your mirror, like HomeLink, compass, etc? That might explain that, since an auto-dimming mirror has to turn off in reverse by law. And in my car, that's the only function the mirror has, so no power in reverse. I think I tried every wire (not that many), and only the one I used had power, but maybe I missed a combination if you have the same mirror than I do. Please let me know; I'm curious now. Ha ha.

 

[m3incorp]

So....I had to go verify. Car in reverse; radar detector is still on.

 

[Elp_jc]

It looks like I used the bottom set of three wires with the positive being on the outside (drivers side) and the negative being the wire farthest from the positive.

So....I had to go verify. Car in reverse; radar detector is still on.

Hey, thanks guys. Looks like I chose the wrong negative wire then, since the positive is the same. Not going to mess with it now, since I'd need to undo my installation to be able to get to the plug, and then redo, and re-level everything. Plus I fatigued the leads already, and it might break with another attempt. But will write down this info for future use. Thank you again for confirming the correct wires to tap for others to avoid my 'problem' . At least I found the wire that cuts power to the mirror in reverse. He he.

 

[Shawn2018GT]

WOW! Thanks for all the great suggestions. I'm not familiar with a mirror tap, but will look it up.

 

[nrm101]

I have an 18 Premium GT Convertible.
The rear view mirror wiring has 5 wires: brown/yellow, blue/black, green/orange, and 2 pale blue wires.
I want to hook up dashcam power to it, but I don't know which one is switched positive and which is negative, let alone what the other 3 could be for.
Anyone know what the schematics show for these 5 wires??

Thanks for any help.
Shawn
Denver CO

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