[mai8u]

By mistake I bought a rear view mirror (51169256135) for cars with alarm S302A. My car does not have S302A and I should have bought the one without LED (51169256134).
My question is can I still have this mirror installed on my car or will this have problems?

[tturedraider]

You can still install it. Did your other mirror have automatic dimming? I’m guessing not. If the mirror you bought has automatic dimming you might have a problem, because on a mirror without automatic dimming twisting the clown nose is how you manually switch the mirror. On the other hand, if the mirror you brought has automatic dimming your car might still have the electrical connection to plug in the mirror and end up with a mirror that dims automatically.

[freakystyly]

I've installed a frameless rear view mirror from a F44. It was a huge PITA to swap but worth the effort. The issues I ran into was that the mounting bracket and plugs were different. So I had to swap both from the old mirror.

The new mirror should be fine with the inactive light. It may pose a problem if it was reversed going from alarm to a no-alarm mirror. I don't think there would be any error codes thrown for "upsizing" options that aren't really there.

[mai8u]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

You can still install it. Did your other mirror have automatic dimming? I’m guessing not. If the mirror you bought has automatic dimming you might have a problem, because on a mirror without automatic dimming twisting the clown nose is how you manually switch the mirror. On the other hand, if the mirror you brought has automatic dimming your car might still have the electrical connection to plug in the mirror and end up with a mirror that dims automatically.

Thanks a lot for your answer. I will try to give more info.

I bought a F20 (Japanese import) and the mirror (see pics) is awfully dark at night and in daylight.



I think it is similar to model 5 depicted here
https://www.bmw-spare-parts.co.uk/bm...8/51/536251C32
but without that bulb led but a kind of squared one underneath the mirror

So I believe it has automatic dimming and it is somehow not working.

The mirror has power signal as it says 'No card' in red as soon as I enter the car (I read it is some card inside the mirror used to pay japanese toll).


I have checked the Fuse number 19 "Electrochromic rear view mirror" as described at
https://car-box.info/bmw/1-series/f20f21-2011-2020.html

The fuse is present. It looks fine and not blown.


based on the VIN my car has no S302A and that is why I am wondering if 51169256135 would have a problem

[visionaut]

From pics of the mirrors you cited, the overall design looks similar, and they share the same main connector type. I assume you’re looking to get a simpler one without the Japanese toll card reader.

There’s no ‘integration or interaction’ between the alarm light and the mirror dimming sensor parts of the mirror. Your car won’t know there’s an extra alarm status light function in the mirror going unused. So I think it’s pretty likely you can use the one that has the alarm light on it, and just not connect that part of it up. Especially if it has its own separate connector.

But you’ve gonna have extra wires from your current mirror that now won’t connect to anything on the replacement mirror (everything related to the toll card reader), no? I have no idea if that’s a separate connector (hopefully it is) or how your car will react to that part of it ‘missing’. You may need to code it out.