[chiranjitp]

A tale of two DIYs

1) Auto Dimming IRVM:

Our 2016 Ecosport comes with an Auto dimming IRVM, which I personally find very useful during night driving. It was always in my mind to do this mod in my Swift, however lack of expertise & cost kept me from completing it. Then few months back Dbhpian Leoshashi installed an auto IRVM in his Maruti XL6 (link to this wonderful thread: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post5091884 (My first car: 2020 Maruti Suzuki XL6 Alpha MT Review)), XL6 stock IRVM is mounted like my Swift on the roof (many cars have the IRVM mounted on the windshield). The Auto dimming IRVM he used is mounted on the windshield & his installation was really clean. This gave me confidence that this mod should be also possible in my Swift. The cost of the project using Maruti parts would have been between 3.5k to 6k, which is very reasonable for getting an Auto IRVM.

Friend, fellow 06 Swift owner & Bhpian Ashtoncastelino pinged me one day regarding installing Auto IRVM in our cars, he also sent me a Boodmo link for a Honda Auto IRVM. I opened that link & was shocked to see the price (Rs. 422) . I was certain that there was some error on part of Boodmo regarding the pricing or that it was not an Auto dimming IRVM. A normal IRVM from Maruti cost around that much & here was an Auto dimming IRVM for that price, that too from Honda. Then I found out that Bhpian vaasu has used this IRVM on his 4th gen Honda City. I pinged him regarding my doubts, he assured me this mirror is indeed Auto dimming & that it works perfectly.

Part number: 76400T4RJ11

Price: Rs. 422.

Boodmo Link:

https://boodmo.com/catalog/part-76400t4rj11-12566131/

Me & Ashton thereafter placed an order for the Honda IRVM on Boodmo. As for the mount, we decided we will have to get it from scrap. Thankfully Ashton found two mounts in a workshop, he immediately shipped one over to me . I again carefully went through the photos of the mount Shashi used & also went through Dbhpian Laluks's thread (he fitted Auto IRVM in his Fortuner). All of these mount look same, so I am quite certain that at-least all the Japanese manufactures use one design for the IRVM mount. None of them however sell the mount separately, it comes stuck to the windshield. The MGA Celerio Auto IRVM kit (cost around 6k) comes with the mount & glue to stick it to the windshield, so I was quite certain that the mount could be stuck separately without any issue.

Honda City mount (the one we used):



Maruti Celerio MGA mount:



Toyota Fortuner stock mount:



Boodmo delivered the IRVM within one week. The Honda City IRVM connector comes with 5 wires, the red wire is for +ve, the black wire is for -ve. I haven't yet figured out what the rest of the wires are for, I think one of them will be for the reverse signal. I did a trial run from the battery, the Auto IRVM worked perfectly. So, finally I was sure that this IRVM has auto dimming functionality.

The packaging:





The Honda Auto IRVM, looks very sleek:





The connector:





Comparison with the OE IRVM:



Comparison with 2016 Ecosport's stock Auto IRVM:



Next up was to fix the mount properly, the Auto IRVM weighs around 500g. I went to a hardware store & told them my requirement, he suggested me a Fevitite adhesive (all purpose epoxy adhesive). I stuck the mount carefully after taking proper measurements & let the glue dry properly for 1 day. Then finally mounted the IRVM, the IRVM is tightened to the mount with a torx screw. I checked the IRVM, it seemed like a solid fit.

The glue that was used:



IRVM mount stuck to the windshield:





Next up was the wiring, I used a fuse tap for the 12V supply (+ve), the ground (-ve) was taken from a bolt on the A pillar. The wiring was neatly tucked under the roof liner. All the wire joints were soldered properly & a heat shrink tube placed over it. I took the Swift out for a small night drive, the auto dimming function performed flawlessly, like the stock Auto IRVM on our Ecosport. Bhpian Ashtoncastelino has also completed the mod in his 06 Swift VXi, special thanks to him for making this happen.

A pillar trim removed:



Fuse tap:



Final look from outside, could have been a bit cleaner:



Auto IRVM in place:



Auto IRVM in action (this photo was clicked by a rear passenger):

[chiranjitp]

A tale of two DIYs (continued)

1) Clock + Temperature display:

The Swift when launched in 2005 didn't get a clock as OE fitment, though it was provided as a MGA. Finally in the 2008 upgrade, a clock was made standard in ZXi & VDi trims. The Swift Dzire was launched in 2008, it got a different clock which showed time + outside temperature (was standard in V & Z trims). My car when it came from Delhi had a clock in the dashboard, but it wasn't in working condition. I thereafter removed the clock & put in a new trim. I was always looking for the clock, sadly the clock was long discontinued & even Boodmo couldn't ship me one. The Dzire one was however available for sale, but it costs a whopping 5k since it's a SGP unit (i.e imported from Japan).

The clock that came with my car:





Original coupler:



I recently went looking for some parts in a scrapyard, there I spotted a Dzire clock. The condition of the clock seemed good, so I bought it. The Dzire clock displays the time & outside temperature. I was quite sure that I would be able to get the clock working perfectly, but wasn't sure about the outside temperature display. Then it struck me that since my car has ACC (automatic climate control), it must be having an outside temperature sensor. I went through the parts manual & it was confirmed that Swift ZXi gets outside & inside temperature sensors (for the ACC). So, the sensor was there in my car, only thing left was to figure out where to tap in the signal so that the clock is able to read the values.

Swift Dzire's OE clock:





I then found a Service Manual for the European Swift, I went through that book thoroughly. Finally figured out that the temperature sensor is powered by the BCM (Body Control Module), then the signal goes from the BCM to the ACC panel. I had to tap into the wire that goes from the BCM to the ACC panel. After a bit more brainstorming, I was almost certain of the wire that I needed to tap into . The issue was that the service manual I had was of the European Swift, which got more features & more importantly had a different engine than ours.

2006 Swift ZXi's BCM & the wire we need to tap into for outside temperature display:



The connector of the clock had 5 wires, thankfully what each of the wires were for was mentioned properly. First one was for constant battery supply, so that the time isn't reset every time we shut down the car. Second one was for the ACC, so that in accessory mode the clock powers up. Third was for BCM, i.e for outside temperature input. Fourth was for ground. Fifth was for illumination, so that the clocks dims a bit when we turn on the parking lights.

Wiring of the clock:



My car originally had a three pin connector, I assumed they were for the constant 12V, ACC & ground. Somehow the ACC point wasn't working, so I could only connect the constant 12V & ground from my existing coupler. The ACC wire was connected to the fuse-box via a fuse tap (the same fuse tap I used for Auto IRVM). The dimming wire was a bit tricky, after a bit of brainstorming I tapped into the fog-light switch, the fog light switch only gets power after the parking lights are turned on (exactly when we want the clock to dim). The last wire was for the outside temperature display, for that I took a leap of faith & connected into the wire from BCM (that I believed was for the ACC panel). Fingers crossed, moved the car to accessory mode, the clock tuned on perfectly, the temperature display was also working . Cross checked everything, tidied up the wiring using zip ties. The dashboard clock trim needed to be cut as well, I cut it to the best of my skills (not the most professional finish, but will do).

Opening the Dashboard clock trim:



Work in progress:







Dashboard clock trim cut:



Doing a trial run:





Day time look of the clock:





Night view of the interiors:





The OE clock matches perfectly with the interiors, the back-lighting color is also matching. I think it makes the interiors look a bit more premium, especially with the outside temperature display.

Interior looks a bit more premium after these 2 mods (Clock + the Auto IRVM):



Some recent clicks of the Swift:

[Ashtoncastelino]

Indeed , I must say your swift interior is looking complete with that Dzire clock !

Loved the whole setup. The Auto dimming IRVM is by far the best Addition for our 15 year old beauties. Glad we both got the Honda IRVM and worked this project out dirt cheap for an auto dimming IRVM under ₹600

Regards
Ashton Castelino

[~Zombie~]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

A tale of two DIYs (continued)

1) Clock + Temperature display:

How much did the clock cost to you along with connector?
On the back of clock, there are provision for 7 pins, isn't it?
You are pumping in some good effort and money to keep the car spic and span.

[knxvb]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

A tale of two DIYs
===
Auto IRVM in action (this photo was clicked by a rear passenger):

Attachment 2201288

I also have done the same a few days back.

Link to the thread :

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/diy-d...ml#post5136108 (DIY: Installing an Auto-Dimming IRVM in my 2018 Honda Jazz)

[Leoshashi]

Nice job on the IRVM and Dzire's monitor. Honda's IRVM is shockingly cheap. I got to know about it while I was researching about the IRVMs for my project, but then the wiring management wasn't as clean as Marutis.

Try to procure a neat HU from the old Swift/Dzire which gave a flush fitting look. That will complete the look IMHO.

Regards,
Shashi

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

Some recent clicks of the Swift

The NGT & the government have colluded to kill our perfectly good cars after 10/15 years, and your Swift is one great example of how these cars can not only continue to run on our roads, but be rejuvenated and upgraded to better-than-showroom-condition. Kudos to you for taking such good care of the Swift. I am so lucky to have found such a caring owner as you for this car, and I hope everyone finds such new homes for their beloved old cars instead of being forced to scrap them.

Edit: I had installed the clock as an OE upgrade back in 2008, but once the LCD display was spoiled, I couldn't get a replacement anywhere.

The intermittent wiper function would certainly be required in your region, with plenty of rain over many days. Would love to see a video of the intermittent function in action.

[DevOnWheels]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

A tale of two DIYs

1) Auto Dimming IRVM:

Awesome upgrade.

This is a feature every car should have considering the typical habit of most of our road users to keep the headlights always on High mode.

The price surely is mouth watering. Even the simple non dimming IRVMs of the cheapest cars cost more than that and considering its an OEM part from Honda, it's too hard to resist. Infact I am also inclined to have it in my Tigor, but it won't be possible as the display for the parking camera is there.

It's an eye opener for everyone who are looking for auto IRVM, but afraid of the high price of other manufacturers.

Final look from outside, could have been a bit cleaner:

Attachment 2201289

Try to cover the mount with a black Vinyl from outside. Will look clean.

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Nice job on the IRVM and Dzire's monitor. Honda's IRVM is shockingly cheap. I got to know about it while I was researching about the IRVMs for my project, but then the wiring management wasn't as clean as Marutis.

Try to procure a neat HU from the old Swift/Dzire which gave a flush fitting look. That will complete the look IMHO.

Regards,
Shashi

Cant agree more. The old Swift/Dzire HU will make the interior clean and OEM+. The price is 12.5k which is not bad for a OE head unit. Sourcing it from scrap would be cheaper and shouldn't be an tough task as Dzire Vxi/Vdi(highest selling variant) had it.

Regards,
DevOnWheels

[parathmaniraja]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

A tale of two DIYs (continued)

Night view of the interiors:

Attachment 2201505

Attachment 2201506

Nice mod Kudos to you Definitely improved the looks especially at night with all lights.

[Desmosedici]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

A tale of two DIYs

1) Auto Dimming IRVM:

Our 2016 Ecosport comes with an Auto dimming IRVM, which I personally find very useful during night driving. 2201288[/ATTACH]

I have a 2015 EcoSport and was wondering whether I'll be able to fix this IRVM. Its mouth watering at just around 500 bucks and I have been wanting to do this since long but found the Ford IRVM very expensive.

Kindly advise.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Raj

[wooka]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Nice job on the IRVM and Dzire's monitor. Honda's IRVM is shockingly cheap. I got to know about it while I was researching about the IRVMs for my project, but then the wiring management wasn't as clean as Marutis.

Try to procure a neat HU from the old Swift/Dzire which gave a flush fitting look. That will complete the look IMHO.

Regards,
Shashi

I have an HU from my swift Zxi. Let me know if keen =)

[Taha Mir]

Originally Posted by Desmosedici

I have a 2015 EcoSport and was wondering whether I'll be able to fix this IRVM. Its mouth watering at just around 500 bucks and I have been wanting to do this since long but found the Ford IRVM very expensive.

Kindly advise.

I'm also thinking of this mod for my '13 EcoSport.
Some pictures of the mounting points would be helpful!

[chiranjitp]

Originally Posted by Ashtoncastelino

Indeed , I must say your swift interior is looking complete with that Dzire clock. The Auto dimming IRVM is by far the best Addition for our 15 year old beauties.

Thanks Ashton, glad you liked the mods. Without you, all of these wouldn't have been possible.

Originally Posted by ~Zombie~

How much did the clock cost to you along with connector?
On the back of clock, there are provision for 7 pins, isn't it?
You are pumping in some good effort and money to keep the car spic and span.

Thanks ~Zombie~. I got the clock from a scrapyard, hence got it for real cheap. However if I were to buy a new one, it would cost a whopping 5k (since it's a SGP). The clock does have provision for 7 pins, however the coupler only has 5 wires So, I am assuming the clock had some other functions as well, which were disabled for our Indian market.

Originally Posted by knxvb

I also have done the same a few days back.

Awesome to know a fellow bhpian doing the same mod. Since your car was a Honda, I am sure the Auto IRVM fit perfectly in the stock mount.

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Nice job on the IRVM and Dzire's monitor. Honda's IRVM is shockingly cheap. I got to know about it while I was researching about the IRVMs for my project, but then the wiring management wasn't as clean as Marutis.

Thanks Shashi. Indeed it's shockingly cheap, but I am not complaining. Regarding the wiring management, it isn't as clean as Maruti. No matter what we do, some wires will be exposed with this setup. However for me the cost advantage offset these slight drawbacks with the Honda IRVM.

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Try to procure a neat HU from the old Swift/Dzire which gave a flush fitting look. That will complete the look IMHO.

Indeed, the stock HU would complete the interior look. However it's quite difficult (if not impossible) to find one. Still fingers crossed that someday I will get lucky like the Dzire clock.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The NGT & the government have colluded to kill our perfectly good cars after 10/15 years, and your Swift is one great example of how these cars can not only continue to run on our roads, but be rejuvenated and upgraded to better-than-showroom-condition. Kudos to you for taking such good care of the Swift. I am so lucky to have found such a caring owner as you for this car, and I hope everyone finds such new homes for their beloved old cars instead of being forced to scrap them.

Thanks SSDa, after living with old cars for the last 6 years, I have came to realize that a modern car has sufficient life left beyond the 10/15 year mark, sadly NGT/Government thinks otherwise. I try to take care of the Swift, to the best of my ability, the Swift in return goes about its duties reliably.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The intermittent wiper function would certainly be required in your region, with plenty of rain over many days. Would love to see a video of the intermittent function in action.

Indeed it's a very useful feature in our region, where we get plenty of rain. Also since our Ecosport had this feature, I missed this feature in the Swift.

Here's a video of the variable intermittent wipers in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7yhL0QV21c

Made a small video of the auto IRVM:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZlp8LljRPQ

Originally Posted by DevOnWheels

Awesome upgrade.

This is a feature every car should have considering the typical habit of most of our road users to keep the headlights always on High mode.

Thanks Devarsi. Auto dimming IRVM is an important safety feature in my view, hopefully it will become a standard feature in the coming years.

Originally Posted by DevOnWheels

Try to cover the mount with a black Vinyl from outside. Will look clean.

I took your advice very seriously & pasted a strip today itself. Sadly I couldn't stick it from the outside, as my accessories guy told me anything stuck from outside will come out soon. I got a film strip pasted from inside the windshield, makes the installation look cleaner & also helps during day driving.

Originally Posted by Desmosedici

I have a 2015 EcoSport and was wondering whether I'll be able to fix this IRVM. Its mouth watering at just around 500 bucks and I have been wanting to do this since long but found the Ford IRVM very expensive.

Originally Posted by Taha Mir

I'm also thinking of this mod for my '13 EcoSport.
Some pictures of the mounting points would be helpful!

Ecosport has a windshield mounted IRVM (which we want), though I am not sure if the mount design is same. Japanese cars have the same mount, but not sure about the others. If you guys could open the IRVM cover (should slide out) & click photos of the mount, then we can be sure whether the Honda IRVM will fit there or not. The other option would be to remove the stock mount & the stick a compatible mount, but that would mean removal of the OE mount without damaging the windshield.

Originally Posted by wooka

I have an HU from my swift Zxi. Let me know if keen =)

Wow , I would definitely love to have that HU.

[Tokengrip]

Great job on the IRVM. Have been looking to install one DIY on my 2009 Fiat Punto emotion.

Did a quick check on boodmo after going through your post and decided to take the plunge and see if I can make it work. At this price I can afford to take the risk. Thank you for the tip and the inspiration.

[ManasN95]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

Part number: 76400T4RJ11

Price: Rs. 422.

Boodmo Link:

https://boodmo.com/catalog/part-76400t4rj11-12566131/

Thank you so much for this post! Being a Honda City owner myself this is quite the jackpot you unearthed for City owners. I am sure many of us wouldn't know that a very crucial part like an auto-dimming mirror is available so cheap!!

Immediately placing an order for the same, although I am a bit of a novice regarding DIYs. I am guessing a competent garage can do the job for me?