My Octy has the heated symbol on the wing mirror control, but I can't figure out how to actually switch on the heated mirrors... can anyone help?

Rotate the switch 

 

you have to set it to the heat symbol.

 

not sure if its always on, or switched by the button on your dash for the rear window heater. (If I remember it correctly, it switches on when turning on the rear heater)

Edited 7 March, 20197 yr by DJSmiley

3 minutes ago, DJSmiley said:

you have to set it to the heat symbol.

not sure if its always on, or switched by the button on your dash for the rear window heater. (If I remember it correctly, it switches on when turning on the rear heater)

Nope. It's actually independent of the rear heater.

1 hour ago, Gissin said:

Rotate the switch 

He's not wrong.

No need to switch on the rear screen heater.

I leave my mirror heaters switched on year round as the heating element seems to be made made from a material that is temperature sensitive and adjusts to conditions. In really cold weather the glass quickly gets quite warm and can melt ice yet in the summer is always cold.

Useful at other times when it is raining or has dew on the glass, as it clears the glass quicker. Current consumption is too low to warrant turning it off.

 

9 minutes ago, pikpilot said:

No need to switch on the rear screen heater.

I leave my mirror heaters switched on year round as the heating element seems to be made made from a material that is temperature sensitive and adjusts to conditions. In really cold weather the glass quickly gets quite warm and can melt ice yet in the summer is always cold.

Useful at other times when it is raining or has dew on the glass, as it clears the glass quicker. Current consumption is too low to warrant turning it off.

 

 

Are they heat sensitive? I've seen plenty of Mk2 with discoloured mirrors from leaving them on too long, including my father in laws, although that's a PFL.

Mine are always on and are completely clear after ~163k.

 

I'm sure I've read they only work under a certain temperature (15'C?) so it's more like mostly on rather than always

9 minutes ago, langers2k said:

Mine are always on and are completely clear after ~163k.

 

I'm sure I've read they only work under a certain temperature (15'C?) so it's more like mostly on rather than always

I mean that would make sense.. Wonder how the old man did it then. But then again he's got 300k kms on that thing so God knows what its been through. 

All assuming that they actually work and the elements and wiring connections are all good............

Sadly if you want the passenger mirror to dip on reversing you have to make an active choice. My switch is set to dip the passenger mirror and I only rotate to heat the mirrors when necessary.

12 hours ago, pikpilot said:

No need to switch on the rear screen heater.

I leave my mirror heaters switched on year round as the heating element seems to be made made from a material that is temperature sensitive and adjusts to conditions. 

 

 

Could be a Positive Temperature Coefficient heater  (PTC) inside. As the temperature increases the resistance also increases so in summer when the ambient temp could be 20+ the resistance is so high the heating is negligible. 

1 hour ago, 26DIPP said:

Sadly if you want the passenger mirror to dip on reversing you have to make an active choice. My switch is set to dip the passenger mirror and I only rotate to heat the mirrors when necessary.

Sorry, what is this?

 

Thanks everyone!

When you select reverse the passenger mirror dips to show you the curb you are destroying your passenger side rear wheel with.

6 hours ago, SuperbTWM said:

 

Could be a Positive Temperature Coefficient heater  (PTC) inside. As the temperature increases the resistance also increases so in summer when the ambient temp could be 20+ the resistance is so high the heating is negligible. 

 

That was my view too in a previous post on the subject. There is a significant increase in glass temperature below 0°C

I've an 07 plate L&K and the heated mirrors only function when the heated rear window is on ....

This is the way it should be wired!!!

That would be a bad way to design how it operates IMO.

 

The heated rear glass would take a good bit of battery power i would think and very often i need the heat on my mirrors but not my rear window.

 

Not actually sure if mine do still work tho.........