# GM Tow Mirrors



## bolake (Oct 4, 2014)

2015 GMC 2500HD Had up grade to factory GM tow mirror at GM dealership. They are heated, power, turn signal, marker lights, also have the 2 clear small lights that are in the outside mirror frame that shine to the back of the truck. The 2 lights turn on with the cargo box lights. Mine go off when you go from park to reverse. Others have said there's stay on with the cargo light switch on and put in reverse. Anyone have any information on this?


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

bolake;2132329 said:


> 2015 GMC 2500HD Had up grade to factory GM tow mirror at GM dealership. They are heated, power, turn signal, marker lights, also have the 2 clear small lights that are in the outside mirror frame that shine to the back of the truck. The 2 lights turn on with the cargo box lights. Mine go off when you go from park to reverse. Others have said there's stay on with the cargo light switch on and put in reverse. Anyone have any information on this?


What?

I guess the better question is why do you want them on in reverse?


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## Motorman 007 (Jan 11, 2005)

Those mirrors weren't an option until halfway through the '15 model year. I couldn't get them on mine. That's why you see some of those trucks referred to as 2015.5


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## UltraLwn&Lndscp (Oct 20, 2013)

My understanding is they were available with "2015.5" and beyond. When cargo lighting is enabled they come on when in reverse. Mine work as advertised, but are worthless plowing because of my stake body. Nice for other situations in the yard, shop, etc.

OP I am not sure why yours do not. If I follow, you had them installed after original purchase. Correct?


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## UltraLwn&Lndscp (Oct 20, 2013)

Philbilly2;2132348 said:


> What?
> 
> I guess the better question is why do you want them on in reverse?


They are factory LED reverse lights, in the mirrors. They are bright.


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## tom18287 (Nov 22, 2008)

yes they only come on in park or reverse. they are BRIGHT. they kick ass when backing up a trailer. i love them.


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## cat320 (Aug 25, 2000)

My truck is a 2015.5 it came in with the std mirrors they added the early version trailer mirrors they have heat and power adjust but turn signal does not work . I wanted the one that comes now but seams like it will not work or just be a plug and play type deal .


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## tom18287 (Nov 22, 2008)

cat320;2132529 said:


> My truck is a 2015.5 it came in with the std mirrors they added the early version trailer mirrors they have heat and power adjust but turn signal does not work . I wanted the one that comes now but seams like it will not work or just be a plug and play type deal .


that is correct...before i bought the truck i tried buying another one that came with the older tow mirrors and i told them if they swapped mirrors id buy the truck. they wouldnt bite. between the runninglights and backup lights they said it was too expensive.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

UltraLwn&Lndscp;2132451 said:


> They are factory LED reverse lights, in the mirrors. They are bright.





tom18287;2132516 said:


> yes they only come on in park or reverse. they are BRIGHT. they kick ass when backing up a trailer. i love them.


Let me get this right... it is a LED backup light... in the mirror... and how exactly does this help with backing up a trailer?

Aren't you looking at the mirror? Wouldn't that dilate your eyes and cause you to loose some of your night vision?

I just can't wrap my head around how a rearward facing bright light on a mirror would do anything but hinder your vision...


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## William B. (Jul 22, 2004)

Philbilly2;2132696 said:


> Let me get this right... it is a LED backup light... in the mirror... and how exactly does this help with backing up a trailer?
> 
> Aren't you looking at the mirror? Wouldn't that dilate your eyes and cause you to loose some of your night vision?
> 
> I just can't wrap my head around how a rearward facing bright light on a mirror would do anything but hinder your vision...


It's angled straight back, not towards you.


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## bolake (Oct 4, 2014)

UltraLwn&Lndscp;2132448 said:


> My understanding is they were available with "2015.5" and beyond. When cargo lighting is enabled they come on when in reverse. Mine work as advertised, but are worthless plowing because of my stake body. Nice for other situations in the yard, shop, etc.
> 
> OP I am not sure why yours do not. If I follow, you had them installed after original purchase. Correct?


Yes had them installed after purchase. Found out like posted here, mine is a early built(bought Aug 2014) That's why mine won't work in reverse.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

You could probably wire them to your reverse light signal. Not hard to do


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## bolake (Oct 4, 2014)

Whiffyspark;2132735 said:


> You could probably wire them to your reverse light signal. Not hard to do


Would you have a link or some other information for how to do.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

bolake;2132739 said:


> Would you have a link or some other information for how to do.


No it's the same principle as wiring in back up lakes. Maybe a Chevy specific forum would have it. Tow mirrors always seems to be a big mod after a year or so


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## Motorman 007 (Jan 11, 2005)

bolake;2132720 said:


> Yes had them installed after purchase. Found out like posted here, mine is a early built(bought Aug 2014) That's why mine won't work in reverse.


I purchased mine in July of '14. Did the mirrors you got just plug and play and what features do they have? Power folding? Where did you get the mirrors and at what cost? Thanks!


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

William B.;2132703 said:


> It's angled straight back, not towards you.
> 
> [


Angled but straight back... interesting concept Will :laughing:

I guess I will have to see it first hand to get it. For some reason this concept seems like wiping before you poop to me. I guess I have never thought of having lights up by your line of site helps for backing up. Thumbs Up


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## bolake (Oct 4, 2014)

Motorman 007;2132824 said:


> I purchased mine in July of '14. Did the mirrors you got just plug and play and what features do they have? Power folding? Where did you get the mirrors and at what cost? Thanks!


GM dealership install genuine GM mirrors through them. All features except power fold. Only thing is my rear back up lights only works with cargo light on and in park because of mine is early built. They said no harness available to change to 15.5 models where the light stays on when in reverse. Mirrors $900plus 3 wire harness $300


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

Probably helps a lot with tinted windows.


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## William B. (Jul 22, 2004)

Philbilly2;2132828 said:


> Angled but straight back... interesting concept Will :laughing:
> 
> I guess I will have to see it first hand to get it. For some reason this concept seems like wiping before you poop to me. I guess I have never thought of having lights up by your line of site helps for backing up. Thumbs Up


Swing by your local dealership and take a look.


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## Cosmic Charlie (Feb 1, 2009)

http://www.silveradosierra.com/exterior/tow-mirrors-t512761.html


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## tom18287 (Nov 22, 2008)

Philbilly2;2132828 said:


> Angled but straight back... interesting concept Will :laughing:
> 
> I guess I will have to see it first hand to get it. For some reason this concept seems like wiping before you poop to me. I guess I have never thought of having lights up by your line of site helps for backing up. Thumbs Up


you cant even see if they are on when you are in the drivers seat. ALL of the light is concentrated back. they will literally light up a whole entire job site. backing up a trailer in the dark, you can see everything. for like a hundred feet behind you. they are outstanding.


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## Motorman 007 (Jan 11, 2005)

This whole mirror thing is a nightmare. I spent at least an hour reading through some posts on another forum that was loaded with great information and numerous guys who have done this and came away unhappy. The bottom line is for those of us with the DL3 mirrors (heat, turn, power fold, puddle lights, and auto dimming mirror) this conversion can't be done AND get all the features of the new camper mirrors to work. I'm not spending $1000+ and not have my mirrors power fold like they do now.


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## tom18287 (Nov 22, 2008)

Motorman 007;2133623 said:


> This whole mirror thing is a nightmare. I spent at least an hour reading through some posts on another forum that was loaded with great information and numerous guys who have done this and came away unhappy. The bottom line is for those of us with the DL3 mirrors (heat, turn, power fold, puddle lights, and auto dimming mirror) this conversion can't be done AND get all the features of the new camper mirrors to work. I'm not spending $1000+ and not have my mirrors power fold like they do now.


I hear you. I couldn't find what I wanted with the mirrors so I ended up buying a truck out of Pennsylvania. It actually worked out great and I saved a couple grand.


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## Newdude (Dec 4, 2006)

bolake;2132329 said:


> 2015 GMC 2500HD Had up grade to factory GM tow mirror at GM dealership. They are heated, power, turn signal, marker lights, also have the 2 clear small lights that are in the outside mirror frame that shine to the back of the truck. The 2 lights turn on with the cargo box lights. Mine go off when you go from park to reverse. Others have said there's stay on with the cargo light switch on and put in reverse. Anyone have any information on this?


When was your truck built? Early trucks (pre august 2014) you have to run a diode between the cargo and reverse lamp circuits to make them come on in reverse. On trucks after August 2014, you can enable or disable the cargo lamps, and they automatically come on in park, reverse and neutral.


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## Cosmic Charlie (Feb 1, 2009)

Motorman 007;2133623 said:


> This whole mirror thing is a nightmare. I spent at least an hour reading through some posts on another forum that was loaded with great information and numerous guys who have done this and came away unhappy. The bottom line is for those of us with the DL3 mirrors (heat, turn, power fold, puddle lights, and auto dimming mirror) this conversion can't be done AND get all the features of the new camper mirrors to work.* I'm not spending $1000+ and not have my mirrors power fold like they do now*.


many owners agree with you ...


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## bolake (Oct 4, 2014)

Newdude;2133626 said:


> When was your truck built? Early trucks (pre august 2014) you have to run a diode between the cargo and reverse lamp circuits to make them come on in reverse. On trucks after August 2014, you can enable or disable the cargo lamps, and they automatically come on in park, reverse and neutral.


 Contacted a shop today that does accessories and they said they will do exactly that.


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## chuckraduenz (Jan 4, 2009)

I like the tow mirrors. I have them. i don't like the fact that one switch controls my cargo lights, mirror lights and the under rail bed lights. be nice if they had different switches. not all on one switch.


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## tom18287 (Nov 22, 2008)

I agree. I also wish that they just came on in reverse automatically. They really are awesome


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## bolake (Oct 4, 2014)

Newdude;2133626 said:


> When was your truck built? Early trucks (pre august 2014) you have to run a diode between the cargo and reverse lamp circuits to make them come on in reverse. On trucks after August 2014, you can enable or disable the cargo lamps, and they automatically come on in park, reverse and neutral.


When you run between circuits do you do it in the fuse box?


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## chuckraduenz (Jan 4, 2009)

its under the dash on the bcm. the diode jumps from the reverse light wire to the mirror light wire. so they will come on in reverse. but they will always come on in reverse since the diode is there.


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## bolake (Oct 4, 2014)

chuckraduenz;2133975 said:


> its under the dash on the bcm. the diode jumps from the reverse light wire to the mirror light wire. so they will come on in reverse. but they will always come on in reverse since the diode is there.


That's something like the accessories shop talked about, didn't say where but talked about diode and also putting in a switch to turn on/off, so the cargo lights won't come on with the mirror lights.


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