Upgrading basic outside mirrors to turn-signal mirrors | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Upgrading basic outside mirrors to turn-signal mirrors

Bobs2018ExplorerSport

Elite Explorer
Joined
February 4, 2019
Messages
249
Reaction score
99
Location
USA
City, State
Livermore, CA
Year, Model & Trim Level
2018 Explorer Sport 4WD
Callsign
KD6ANY
Does anybody know if it is possible to replace the "basic" outside mirrors (I currently have just the power and heated-mirror features only) with a new set that also has the light strips installed for use as additional turn and hazard-flasher signals?

My previous Edge has this feature (along with puddle lamps), and I miss having that nice safety feature on my new 2018 Explorer XLT. I would like to add the mirror turn signals if at all possible. (Obviously, it would require the existing mirrors wiring harnesses to already have the unused wiring in place. I'm thinking that the feature can possibly be turned-on in software via ForScan?).

Has anybody tried "upgrading" their mirrors to also support this feature? If so, what can you share about your experience?
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Does your vehicle have the BLIS system or just the small convex mirror in the upper corner? I was wondering if the light strip is only on the mirrors with the integrated BLIS warning light.

Peter
 






Good question!

My existing mirrors only have the little convex mirror in the upper corners...
 






Good question!

My existing mirrors only have the little convex mirror in the upper corners...
That would seem to indicate that your Explorer does not have the BLIS system. It may not prevent you from changing the mirrors but you will lose that small mirror and have an inoperative BLIS warning light instead. I don't know if that signal light strip is available on mirrors without the blind spot indicator or not, Hopefully someone else can answer that. There seem to be a lot of different mirrors available; Outside Mirrors for 2018 Ford Explorer | Auto Nation Ford White Bear Lake

Peter
 






Having followed your link Peter, it looks like the mirrors are all $350+.

I wonder if it would be worth it to simply get the signal lamp separately, which looks to be about $40, and then cut out a hole in the existing mirror assembly for it and then wire it up yourself.
 






InI don't think it would be my preferred way to go but it might be possible. I think I'd want to try it first on a mirror from a wrecked vehicle. In fact it might be possible to get both mirrors that way (recycled).

Peter
 






InI don't think it would be my preferred way to go but it might be possible. I think I'd want to try it first on a mirror from a wrecked vehicle. In fact it might be possible to get both mirrors that way (recycled).

Peter

They're still very expensive to get good condition mirrors. In the next few years, as more Explorers are scrapped, the price should drop.
But, in the meantime, to have turn signals on the mirror, a simple LED strip might have to suffice to be cost sufficient.
 






Oznium has waterproof flexible LED strips you can put inside the mirror assembly and will make the gap between glass and housing glow. They also have bright surface mount options available. Great place to do business with.
 






I wonder how difficult it would actually be to properly wire-up, using either a set of OEM Ford mirrors that already have the LED's built into them, or, a stand-alone set of LED's added to the existing basic mirrors? Especially since the easy-to-understand 12-volt wiring concepts of the "old days" no longer exists anymore (meaning, everything is now controlled by some kind of electronic module, using triggers to activate a low-voltage feature... such as to flash the LED's in a mirror)?
 






I wonder how difficult it would actually be to properly wire-up, using either a set of OEM Ford mirrors that already have the LED's built into them, or, a stand-alone set of LED's added to the existing basic mirrors? Especially since the easy-to-understand 12-volt wiring concepts of the "old days" no longer exists anymore (meaning, everything is now controlled by some kind of electronic module, using triggers to activate a low-voltage feature... such as to flash the LED's in a mirror)?

Well, here is a link to the LED strips mentioned above - Buy the Best Flexible LED Strip Light for Cars from Oznium

Apparently super easy to install...
 






They have several 12v options. They’d just need tapped into your existing signal wiring. (I’d grab it from the trailer wiring harness and run it up inside the truck, if you have a factory harness.)
 






Are you talking about the turn signals on the front of the mirror?

If so, mine has them without BLIS.
 






Are you talking about the turn signals on the front of the mirror?

If so, mine has them without BLIS.
Which features do your mirrors have, if you don't mind me asking?
Power adjust?
Power fold?
Heated?
Memory?
Obviously, the turn signal.
 






Power adjust, heated, puddle lights.

That top corner mirror, but I suspect that's standard.
 






Power adjust, heated.

That top corner mirror, but I suspect that's standard.
The convex (or is it concave?) mirror is standard on models without BLIS. It's either one or the other, but one way or another, you're gonna know if someone is in your blind spot.
 






Convex, just like the ones I always add to all my vehicles.

Peter

PB080258a.jpg
 






Funny you should mention that you install the standard stick-on convex mirrors... my Explorer came with their own little convex mirrors, embedded in the upper/outer corner of each mirror... but, for some reason, I found that (a) they did not appear to be separately-adjustable, and (b) as a result, I therefore couldn't see anything in them that made it any safer for me; that is, the image/view I saw in those didn't cover enough of the lane to either side to make them usable for me.

So, I went out and got myself a pair of those same stick-on mirrors on about Day 2 of ownership, and they perfectly fit just inside the cutout for the factory convex mirrors... and, these cheap mirrors now give me better coverage and visibility on either side than the factory ones ever did!
 






I've used them for at least 50 years Bob. It's the first 'mod' I do.
 






Yeah, I too have used countless sets on my various vehicles over the years!

Once you get your eyes and brain to quickly "read" what you're seeing, as you glance over to them, they really do add a useful edge to driving a little bit safer!
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Funny you should mention that you install the standard stick-on convex mirrors... my Explorer came with their own little convex mirrors, embedded in the upper/outer corner of each mirror... but, for some reason, I found that (a) they did not appear to be separately-adjustable, and (b) as a result, I therefore couldn't see anything in them that made it any safer for me; that is, the image/view I saw in those didn't cover enough of the lane to either side to make them usable for me.

So, I went out and got myself a pair of those same stick-on mirrors on about Day 2 of ownership, and they perfectly fit just inside the cutout for the factory convex mirrors... and, these cheap mirrors now give me better coverage and visibility on either side than the factory ones ever did!
Do you happen to remember which brand you bought?
 






Back
Top