I don't think that my rear demister or wingmirror demisters shut off automatically. I get a smell of burning plastic if I forget to turn them off. Anyone else have this ? My previous car turned the demister off automatically after a while. Has anyone else experienced this?

The rear demister should go off after 10 minutes.

Not experienced it personally but you obviously have a problem if the rear demister is on any longer than stated above.

Definitely longer than 10 mins. Looks like a trip to the dealer with my list.

Yup, sounds like it to me. I don't know if it's controlled by a module that incorporates the timer and a relay behind the dash somewhere.

I'm not sure if the timer part is incorperated into the switch or if it's a seperate module behind the dash, but if you get a burning plastic smell, then get it looked at asap.

A new switch would be my starting point.

I don't think that my rear demister or wingmirror demisters shut off automatically. I get a smell of burning plastic if I forget to turn them off. Anyone else have this ? My previous car turned the demister off automatically after a while. Has anyone else experienced this?

Am I right in saying that the wingmirrors ain't on a timer?

The Mk1 way of it being on the rear window demister switch was a much better idea, hence would knock them both off after a period of time.

I think the side mirror demisters are separate to the rear window demister. I agree easy to put them on and forget to turn them off as no warning lights etc.

Correct, the wing mirrors are not on a timer. At this time of year I just leave mine on all the time, doesnt seem to have done any harm for the 3 months they have been in the on position.

my Lupo never suffered, nor has my Fabia by leaving the mirror ones on

on the Fabia you can hear a relay clicking then the rear window demister turns off.

it's about 15ish mins

Correct, the wing mirrors are not on a timer. At this time of year I just leave mine on all the time, doesnt seem to have done any harm for the 3 months they have been in the on position.

Errr am I missing a switch or just being thick :confused:? My wing mirrors aren't electrically heated (AFAIK), they're just warmed by air from the heater via ducts in the dashboard and doors?

My Fabia's were electrically heated on the rear demist switch, a much better way of doing things (actually clears them!)

All UK Mk2 Octavia models with electric mirrors should also be heated. They aren't heated by the air ducting, the air to the doors comes out of the vertical slots near the A pillar to enable a clear view of the door mirrors.

There are 4 settings on the mirror control kn0b: 'L' 'R' '0' and the little heater symbol opposite to the '0' position, this is the one that does the heating.

IIRC the car switches the mirror heaters off if the outside temperature is something like 16 degrees C.

doesnt seem to have done any harm for the 3 months they have been in the on position.

nor the 3 years mine have been on for

Wish my rear window heater would stay on, hate having to keep switching it back on again when it times out, or maybe i'm just odd... or have a fetish or something..

Billy

Wish my rear window heater would stay on, hate having to keep switching it back on again when it times out, or maybe i'm just odd... or have a fetish or something..

Billy

I know what you mean, the Mk1 was great because once you pushed the switch in it would stay on forever.

I might alter mine if it's possible.