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      11-02-2011, 03:49 AM   #1
clivem2
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Heated mirrors

The mirror heating it seems comes on automatically below a preset temp. Fine for ice but when it's cool and the mirrors are covered in moisture the heating isn't always on. I have the same issue with our new Mini. It seems a step backwards from linking the mirror heating to heated rear window. Is there a way around this?
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      11-03-2011, 01:55 AM   #2
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Hahaha.. I got in the car yesterday with the mirrors all misted up and condensed, and my first thought was why are they not clearing.. I even opened the window to feel the mirrors to see if they were hot, and then wondered maybe I don't have the option.. but then guessed it was actually linked to temp instead..

UK weather has arrived
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      11-03-2011, 03:13 AM   #3
clivem2
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As everything is software driven BMW should include an option on the iDrive to link mirror heating to the heated rear window. I now have to carry a cloth to wipe the mirrors so I can see to reverse out of my drive and to clear the mirrors at the start of morning journeys for something like 10% of the year. This really is dumb.

Next they'll come up with wipers that only operate when rain is falling, if you want to clear condensation you must use a cloth!
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      11-03-2011, 03:26 AM   #4
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First real bad design flaw in the sense of user experience. I will need, and I use in my current car, option to heat only mirrors in the mornings. I live by the sea and there is condensation and fog almost every morning.

As there is no switch for only mirror heating, it would be great to be able to switch on "connect mirror heating to rear window heating" as clivem2 wrote there.

Maybe Lotus could enlighten us if it would be possible to use automatic dimming mirror sensors to "indicate" that mirror heating is necessary due to mist on the glass? Ie. heating is automated and works for issue pointed out here? Of course that would be BMW's task to update software to work this way.
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      11-03-2011, 01:36 PM   #5
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but only with a unique BMW cloth..
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      11-03-2011, 02:45 PM   #6
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umm - as a UK resident I also had one these mornings this week but I was not in the F25. I was able to 'switch on' the mirror heating manually for all of 90 secs to clear the moisture. As the wife drives the F25 the most I will need a forum quick fix (not the cloth) to offer her - I can't beat telling her all the in-built technology forgot to allow for the moitsure scenario on the external mirrors.
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      11-03-2011, 03:28 PM   #7
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Not had misted wing mirrors yet, I always fold them in, does this make a difference?
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      11-04-2011, 03:52 PM   #8
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I find the heated mirrors come on when the rear window demist is switched on although the near side mirror seems quicker to demist than the offside!
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      11-04-2011, 07:03 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76 View Post
Not had misted wing mirrors yet, I always fold them in, does this make a difference?
I've not had a problem with misty wings yet either. Always folded but may not be using it early enough in the morning!
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      11-05-2011, 05:36 AM   #10
clivem2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IHS View Post
I find the heated mirrors come on when the rear window demist is switched on although the near side mirror seems quicker to demist than the offside!
I don't find this to be the case. Maybe the temp was low enough to turn on the mirror heating so it just seemed like the rear window switch operated them?

The manual states the mirror heating works works automatically whenever the engine is running. I take this mean they turn on at a preset temp, probably 3C as this is the standard ice warning temp. Our Mini works this way too.
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      11-07-2011, 07:18 AM   #11
clivem2
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Today I found that the mirror heating comes on at a higher temp than the 3C ice warning. At 5.5C the mirrors were gently steaming (HRW off). I suppose there's a narrow temp band when there's condensation with the heating off so it should be a rare occurrence...my only other slight grumble is that the heating is not very powerful so it takes a while to clear condensation. Presumably as the heating is on all the time under a preset temp, the heating needs to be gentle to save power. I'd prefer high power heating on a separate switch with a timer set for a short time period.
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      11-07-2011, 07:40 AM   #12
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Ditto. It seems to be slow to clear and a bit hit and miss. It also seems to link to level of battery charge as it only kicked in or me today when the aircon ramped up about a mile after start. At this point the interior mirror demisted and the interior ones started to clear. I guess if they got too hot the mounting glue might melt but a switch would be nice.
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      11-07-2011, 07:45 AM   #13
clivem2
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Our 1998 RAV4 had a separate switch and mirrors that were very fast to clear, this was from the era when Toyota knew how to build cars that worked.....
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