I got a 2005 Prius with the AM package (side curtain airbags included) recently. I would like to replace the regular rear view mirror with the auto-dimming homelink mirror. I found a couple of online toyota websites where I can get it for ~$195/-.

I called and both of them stated that the auto-dimming mirror with homelink has a conflict with side curtain airbags. These are their notes from Toyota and they recommend against it. The people I talked to advised me against it as it could be a safety issue but it is upto me if I want to buy it and get it installed. When I told them that there are other packages that Prius offers where both come installed, they stated that maybe there is a different way of wiring INTERNALLY at the factory itself that prevents this from happening.

I noticed quite a few Prius owners with side-curtain airbags have replaced the mirrors. I really would like to get it but am afraid the side curtain airbags may not deploy due to the conflict.

I would appreciate your comments!

That is a bit strange, my friend has the #2 Canadian package (side air, keyless, homelink) and there isn't (or shouldn't be) any problem. That's the first I've heard of a conflict like that.

2001 Prius Photos       2005 Prius Photos
'97 Prius Simulation Prius inner workings

I have a package 5, which comes with the side airbags and the auto dim Homelink mirror. This isn't an issue specific to the mirror or the airbags, but how the two might interact in an accident if wiring for the mirror isn't routed correctly past or behind the airbag mechanism.

Early on, Toyota did offer the aftermarket (dealer installed) Homelink mirror option to all unequipped vehicles, however it became clear that when taking down trim around the door frame, headliner and anything else that had to be removed to route wiring from the mirror to the power point assigned to it, that the wiring had to carefully be placed behind and aside of the airbag mechanism.

I guess Toyota didn't necessarily trust their dealers to get this done correctly, and considering the tight clearances under the trim and headliner I can understand that even the most careful dealer might end up with wire in the way of the airbag deployment path. As such, it became a factory installed option in those packages, and then only available aftermarket for packages which didn't have side airbags.

It has been said:
Hybrid drivers come in 3 flavors, greenie, techie and cheapie. Pick any 2.
2005 Prius, Melinium Silver over gray, package 5 (AI)

Weird. The HCH doesn't come with it either. They all have standard side curtain airbags and I wonder if this is the case. Nobody could explain why this is. I ended up getting the Auto Dimming mirror with the stupid compass.

Support the Troops - Drive a Hybrid!

It is pretty simple really. In the factory, cars that are part of packages that include the auto-dimming mirror and curtain airbags will not have any possibility of having a wireing/airbag deployment conflict becasue the trim and headliner are some of the last items to be installed on the vehicle, and long after principal wireing harnesses and airbags are installed. It is a whole lot easier to install wireing and airbags in the same locations when none of the trim is in place and you have all the room in the world to lay wire and get it into the correct path.

Aftermarket installation of the mirror requires running wire that is not installed at the factory. That wire shares paths with the side airbags and also requires the removal or partial removal of a number of trim pieces, including trim which must break away when the airbags deploy. I recall reading the tech instructions online for aftermarket install of the self dimming mirror prior to the Toyota directed exclusion of curtain airbag equipped vehicles from the aftermarket installation. Not only was the installation pretty complex and required disassembly of about half of the interior, but there were many warnings about tucking wire back away from the exposed and stowed curtain airbags. Although a competent installer should be able to do the job, there is a chance that even the best installer might put it all back together in such a way that the side airbags might not deploy correctly or at all if there were interference from a stray wire or an improperly re-installed trim panel.

So, the issue isn't the item, mirror or airbags, but rather the work necessary to get the two to not conflict with each other.

It has been said:
Hybrid drivers come in 3 flavors, greenie, techie and cheapie. Pick any 2.
2005 Prius, Melinium Silver over gray, package 5 (AI)