DIY: Swapping rear view mirror with escort 9500 display integration

[MriNiceGuy]

So I bought a Escort 9500 radar detector system with laser jammers for my e93 M3 second hand. After the purchase I realized that the rear view mirror with the display integration was for a e90/e92. There is a major difference. The e93 has the antenna for the comfort access and remote key integrated in the mirror and the e90/e92 has it elsewhere, trunk/roof depending on the model. So if I installed the mirror I bought with the system my key fob and comfort access would no longer work. So I decided to swap the actual mirrors only. They are the same, both had auto dimming. The process was very easy.

[MriNiceGuy]

Mirrors appearance are both very similar with the exception of the led housing. On the e93 it's much lager.

[MriNiceGuy]

I started by separating the bezel from the rear of the housing. I had a plastic pry tool, this helps because it doesn't scratch the housing. I applied pressure to the bottom left, where the home link is, from the front with the mirror facing me. You can see there is a small opening to start from. I then just continued to do so all the way around until they split apart.

[MriNiceGuy]

Once apart there are 3 electrical clips that need to be removed. 1 and 2 will allow you to separate the mirror from the housing, 3 is attached to the mirror and detaching it allows you to separate the board from the mirror. Because the Escort display is glued to the mirror I just needed to swap the mirrors. So the boards had to come off and swap. To remove the board there are 4 small clips that you apply pressure to while you lift up and separate the boards from the mirror.

[MriNiceGuy]

The mirrors themselves are exactly the same, thank god! The only difference is that one has a little of the plastic bracket removed to allow the Escort display to be glued to the mirror.

[MriNiceGuy]

I then cut the wire to the Escort display so I could remove the wire that is feed through the back of the mirror. After that I just swapped the boards, they pop right back into place.

[MriNiceGuy]

Here you can see the difference and why people have issues with added auto dimming mirrors from different models. The e93 has the antenna in the mirror and the e90/e92 has nothing. I believe it would be a similar process to swap out the guts to achieve the same results to add auto dimming from different models.

[MriNiceGuy]

The only other thing I had to do to the housing was to remove part of the bracket that holds the home link in to make room for the Escort display. This is located on the back of the housing. I just took a Dremel and cut the excess off. Then sanded it down and rounded it a little. I don't know if this had to be done but I noticed it was don't on the mirror that I was swapping so I did it.

[MriNiceGuy]

After that all I had to do was route the wire through the back of the mirror where the stock wire was and splice the wires back together.

[MriNiceGuy]

After that I just reassembled the mirror the same way I took it apart. I put everything in the back housing and first and then worked the bezel back around. Hope this helps someone out. It is my first DIY so it is what it is.

[brettcp]

Great write up!

[MriNiceGuy]

Originally Posted by brettcp

Great write up!

Thanks, I think I'm going to post up the install of the the unit too.