Toyota FJ Cruiser Forum

I've installed a pair of heated mirror pads to my stock mirrors. The cost was about $70.00, and about 3-4 hours. If anybody wants more details, I'll be glad to share.

Yes please do. People are always PMing and Emailing me about doing this.

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Please Click for Sarah's Wish

I bought two heating element pads from "automirrorsonline.com" part number #3804. That is a generic self-adhiesive TRIMABLE pad. I have read they also have a wiring harness with timer and switch available, but I wired into rear defrost button. I also referenced a CD manual I purchased on ebay, for the wiring, and disassembly of the mirrors and interior panels.

1. Door panel and sill removal
there are two phillips head screws covered by caps located, one behind the handle, one behind the pull.
one plasic rivit in the front upper portion of the panel.
simply push the center "in" and pull entire rivit out.
I started on lower corner of panel, and gave a gentle tug straight out. The blind fasteners will start to release. All of mine stayed in the panel, and were reusable.
The door sill on the floor also pulls up with a tug and snaps back in place.
IF you want to attach wiring into defrost harness, the easiest access is in the driver kick panel. It also snaps off with a tug.
Lift door panel up and out, disconnect the electrical plugs, and the panels are free to remove. (must have windows up!)

2. Mirror disassembly
Rotate complete mirror Housing outward. electricly rotate the bottom of the mirror panel, as far out as possible. Apply some kind of protection on lower edge of the black plastic finish ring.
Insert a large standard screwdriver (flat) behind the mirror from the bottom. About 4-5 inches up, there is a wedge shaped pocket for the screwdriver to slide into. You can feel it, if you pay close attention.
Gently twist the screwdriver. (I know, it scared me too) The mirror will pop out at the bottom and release. DO NOT pull mirror straight out. Pull bottom of mirror out to about a 30 degree angle. Gently slide mirror downward to dissengage a pair of plastic fingers. Mirror is free to set aside.
There are three small phillips head screws and one release tab attaching ring in place. Remove three screws and the locking tab in the outer lower corner, and push the tab while gently pulling outward. Watch for a sudden release. There is a small ear in the outer upper corner, to be careful of. The ring should now be free to set aside.
To remove the complete housing assy from the door, there are two 10mm bolts. The access is under the window glass. Remove the two bolts and the assy's are ready to set aside.
To remove the actual mirror glass from the plastic back, use a heat gun or hair dryer to heat the adhesive in the center. You can work an edge of the glass from around the lip on the backing. Proceed carefully. While applying heat to the adhesive, work the free edge of the glass, untill completely free. Try not to apply too much heat, glass may warp slightly. It's not as difficult as it reads. I do not reccomend anything other than your hands and heat to free the glass, pry tools will probably shatter the mirror very easily.
3.Repeat above proceedures on other door.
Congratulate yourself, hard part is done.
4. Wiring
Both elements require both a positive, and ground wire. I made two harnesses, containing both 16ga wires. From inside the kick panel area there is access to the rubber boot, that the factory wiring harness for the door passes through. I used a stiff copper wire to "fish" from inside the doors interior to the kick panel area, then it attached to one of the wire harnesses and pulled back through. Route harness around the window glass, through the hole for the mirror assy. Do not go under window. It will **** you off when the windows won't go down. Or so I'm told. Leave a good length out the mirror hole.
Using the copper "fish" wire, again work the harness through the base of the mirror assy and out the top. Re-attach the mirror assy to the door using the two bolts. Also re-attach the black plastic ring to the assy. Route the wire harness out the opening.
On both doors I grounded the wire to an easily available bare bolt, as close to the doors as possible. The positive from the pass door, I routed under the dash to the driver kick panel area, where I spliced into the positive from the drivers door. With the remaining single lead from the driver door, splice into the yellow/green wire leading to the LA1 connector in the kick panel. This is the hot wire basically coming from the defrost button. To test if you have the correct wire, test with a 12v probe, while defrost is on - it should be hot. When defrost is off the probe should not light. I did not see any other yellow/green wires.
If you wish you can test the ends of the harnesses with the probe. Probe will light when defrost button is activated.
If you're satisfied, you can now reinstall all interior panels and parts.

4.Attaching elements to mirrors.
The elements will probably be larger than the mirror and will need to be cut. Trimable elements can only be cut parallel with the direction of the grid. They should have instructions. Non-trimable cannot be cut. Also look at the two metal tabs that attach the wire harness. Compare with the four attachment points on the platic backing. There cannot be interference when attaching the completed mirror/element/backer assy to the housing. Determine best placement for the element, and trim. Pull paper backing off element and attach to mirror glass. Locate where holes are to be drilled in plastic backing for electric connectors.
I used some caulk adhesive, laid four lines on backing plate and snapped mirror glass back into place to let cure.
Determine length to cut wire harness in mirror housing, and crimp on spade connectors. Attach female connectors on harnesses to the male ends on the completed mirrors.
Slide the two fingers on the mirror assy into place on the housing. Then push down, and snap mirror into place (mirror should not vibrate while driving, if it does, all snap connectors are not engaged).

5. Congratulations!!
Sit back and enjoy the benifits of a happy wife.

Disclaimer: I am assuming, anyone thinking about doing this yourself has a fundamental understanding of auto basics. The elements cost about $35.00 each. It will probably take about 3-4 hours, if you can work inside. No special tools are needed. Honestly it's not that hard, any car guy can do it. The CD manual I mentioned earlier has detailed sections on all disassembly, except the mirror glass from the backing. I highly recomend getting it first. It cost me about $12.00. I do not know or have anything to do with the people selling it. For the price you can't beat the info it provides. Like I stated, I hooked it into the defrost circut. I completed this about a month ago. I wanted to make sure it worked, and did not cause a problem with the fuses. I have not changed any fuses, and have not had any blow. But of course you can wire it anyway you wish. GOOD LUCK

Very good write up. I would have no problem doing this mod with your instructions and I can probably find the appropriate parts of the manual on the net if you'll tell me the sections used. While you have the FJ torn apart you might want to also do this. Mirror turn signals

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Please Click for Sarah's Wish

The CD manual is broke up into about 45 sections. The 4 sections I used are as follows:

Mirrors - MI 8 trough 12

EWD - 224, 225, 226 (this is the electrical section)

Interior - IR 1,2 IR15

Engine Hood/Door - ED 9,10,11