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mirror lights

7K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  DaveP. 
#1 ·
The mirror lights and blinkers on my 2000 F250 don't and have never worked since the day I bought the truck about 9 months ago. Do any of you guy's know if this may be a simple fix or a common problem. Also another thing I just thought of as I was typing this I have a small red what looks to be a light on the top of my dash in the center towards the windshield I have never seen the light come on and I have no idea what it is for. My only thought was maybe a alarm system or something, do all of the f250's have that light or did somebody install it.
 
#2 ·
2000s didn't come with a factory option for mirror lights. It's aftermarket (or factory purchased for an 03+) and you'll have to look at the wiring. Could be a fuse. Does your light look like this?

This is my red light for the alarm. It only flashes when the vehicle is off and the alarm is turned on.
 
#5 ·
Yep somebody stuck them on and didn't wire them. YOu also can wire in the heat too!!!

It is easy to hook up. You just need to splice into the front wire for the blinkers on each side and find a hot wire for the heated part (ignition only)
 
#6 ·
Yeah they are replacement mirrors, no it isn't hard to get them working, as already said just tie into your parking lights and turn signals, you will need a switched hot wire for the heated mirrors.
The red light is more than likely for a alarm, or could be a dummy light to make people think a alarm was installed.
Can you contact the previous owner?
 
#7 ·
No I not sure who owned it before me I bought it off a used truck lot. Thanks for the info maybe when I have some time I will attempt to get them working figure might as well they are there plus not sure if some of the garages may give me trouble when I go to get it inspected.
 
#9 ·
I completed the mirror wiring on these aftermarket '08+ units.

Wheel Tire Vehicle Hood Automotive tire


Added running light, mirror heat/ground, and turn signal light wires to the adapter pigtail. I used 18GA wire I had laying around - it was a bit tight for this housing.

Electrical wiring Circuit component Electronic engineering Gas Cable


I followed these instructions and these, for the most part, to add the additional wires. My 2001 only had the circular connector with the 3 mirror control wires in the door. The PO had installed the adapter to plug-and-play the new mirrors to the existing wiring. It was just a matter of identifying what pins/slots to fill in the adapter connector, and where to tie these wires into the truck.

Pulling the wires was a bit tricky without a "wire worm" or equivalent. This 18GA wire was pretty stiff and, with patience, would feed through the openings in the door/conduit. The passenger side was easier - more of a direct opening from the conduit through the A-pillar.

This is the driver side:

Hood Motor vehicle Automotive tire Bicycle tire Automotive lighting

Automotive tire Motor vehicle Automotive exterior Bumper Gas


Terminating the pins to the wires and stuffing them in the adapter connector housing is pretty straightforward with the right crimp tool. I used this tool:

Automotive lighting Electrical wiring Networking cables Audio equipment Cable
 
#10 ·
Here is the pinout of the adapter connector that mates to the mirror connector.

Font Material property Rectangle Parallel Number


The two running light wires from the mirrors were routed up to the dash headlight switch. I used a T-Tap on the brown wire running to the smaller of the two connectors. The larger connector has a brown wire too. You could use either one.

Vehicle Fixture Motor vehicle Car Electrical wiring


While the T-tap held firmly to the brown illumination wire for the running lights, the wires for the left and right turn signals are smaller/more fragile. I decided to strip the insulation from these wires with a razor blade, without cutting the wire, and solder/tape the new wires to them. It was too tight to get at these wires under the dash, so I accessed them on top of the steering column.

Computer hardware Gas Audio equipment Electrical wiring Wire


Light green/wht stripe is left signal. White/lt blue stripe is right signal. Liquid electrical tape would be good to use here, but I didn't have any, so used regular tape. Used harness tape to put the wire loom back on.

Hood Vehicle Automotive tire Motor vehicle Automotive exterior
 
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#12 ·
Maybe a couple of hours if working on it straight through, I'm not sure - I did it on a weekend and took breaks to work on others things from time to time and think through how to do those turn signal wires.

I might have to add a mirror heat timer, or a switch at some point, but wired direct for now. I've read some folks have issues with their mirrors getting dirty quicker from water evaporating and leaving deposits more readily on the warm surface. I don't anticipate that to be an issue with my occasional use of this truck.

I went ahead and hardwired the mirror heat for both mirrors to the customer access circuit, fuse #27 on my '01, 10A.

Yellow LEDs installed in mirrors - I'm happy with it.

Tire Automotive parking light Wheel Land vehicle Vehicle
 
#15 ·
I wouldn't want the mirror heat on all the time. Costs fuel. Mirrors may turn yellow. Or may just burn out. Think about it, how frequently do you need mirror heat anyway? Pretty much never, right? Leave the heat disconnected.
I WOULD ONLY WIRE UP THE HEATED MIRRORS TO A SWITCH.....SO THAT THEY WOULD ONLY COME ON WHEN I NEED THEM.....
 
#16 ·
Note that the factory mirror heat for these trucks was on all the time. It's not a big deal.


I was curious how much current the heated mirrors draw. Putting my multimeter in-line with the supply wire for each mirror, engine running, I measured about 1.5A per mirror, at 14.3V. As the mirrors heated up, that current dropped to about 1.4A. This was on a 70 degree day. They might draw more current in the dead of winter. So maybe 4A total current worst case.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Note that the factory mirror heat for these trucks was on all the time. It's not a big deal.
I highly doubt that would be the case. Please provide a wiring diagram or citation that the mirror heat was wired constant-on.

More than likely, the mirror heat is wired to the rear defogger grid, circuit, timer. The heated mirrors came out about the same time as the Super Duty received a heated rear window.

3 Amps at 14 V = 42 watts. 1,000 watts consumed in 1 hour = 1kwHr. Alternators are not very efficient at converting fuel in the tank to electrical energy for use onboard. At $4 per gallon, the cost of 1KwHr in an automotive application is 51 cents per KwHr. So your mirrors being on cost you 2 cents per hour in fuel to run. 10 hour trip costs .20 cents in fuel to run the mirrors you don't need.

OEM engineers know these things. No way would they burn the fuel to wire the mirrors on at all times when mirror heat isn't needed more than a minute fraction of the total time of vehicle operation.

Edit: Here's an attachment of an SAE White Paper regarding alternator efficiency. The Cost basis is on page 3. I provided a citation for my source for the cost analysis for running the mirrors at all times.
 

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#18 · (Edited)
That's true - I think he said about 1.5A each mirror, same as what I measured. That's a helpful video.

Some good switch options out there. Here's one with timer:


Product Font Cable Electronic device Electric blue

Thermasync
Amazon version

You could use a standard rocker switch without a timer too, especially if wired to an on-with-key source. That's what I would do if I decide it's worth it.

Grey Font Material property Logo Electric blue

Source:
 
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#20 ·
Here's a thread on this, and the relevant schematic from an '08 truck.


Rectangle Slope Font Parallel Pattern
 
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#21 · (Edited)
Sorry, that's not right - that 2008 schematic is showing a switched mirror heat. I'll keep looking.

If anyone on here has a truck with OEM heated mirrors and no switch, please chime in.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Thanks, Berrnard. Always good to hear of 1st hand experience.

DaveP - I like a challenge, but I'm coming up short with a schematic so far - my google skills are lacking. I need to get a ford service manual for these years at my fingertips.

To Berrnard's point, here is the relevant 2003 owner's manual section. Not sure on how many years the mirror heat was on all the time with key-on, but it appears to have started in '03, and was switched by '08.

Font Output device Parallel Slope Diagram
 

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#24 ·
Well I'll be dipped in $hit.

Now. I wonder if they are PTC elements, and are not resistive elements?

PTC, Positive Temperature Coefficient, identifies the characteristics of the ceramic element. As the temperature of the ceramic device goes up due to a current flowing through it, the resistance increases. When a predesigned temperature approaches, the resistance of the circuit goes to infinity, effectively shutting off the current and heat.
PTC elements can be designed to "turn off" at a pre-determined temperature. The fuel bowl heater is a PTC element, and is wired to be hot with key in RUN. I've checked it in my 99, it draws no current at 65degF. About 10 Amps at 30deg F. I would bet that the 02 mirrors are PTC as well. Driving across deserts in 90deg F sunlight, they most likely don't draw anything. They are essentially "off".

I try to learn something everyday. Thanks for this.
 
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