Bruch

Hello,

Newly acquired '97 A4Q
I'm trying to figure out if I have heated mirrors, without actually pulling the mirror and looking at the wires. Yes, maybe a little lazy but I have lots of other things to do on the car.
My understanding is that they are part of the "Cold Weather Package" that year, so if you had heated seats, you should have heated mirrors and locks. I have the heated seats but my mirrors don't heat up like my other older Audis. Do they still come on when you turn on the rear window defogger?

Thanks in advance
Bruch

Nate (ETKA+Scumbag)

They turn on automatically. Probably no longer functional after 12 years or if the glass is discolored.

Replace the glass and they'll work again.

Bruch

When you say "they turn on automatically", do you mean they are on anytime the car in running? Or do they come on automatically in conjuction with some other system. For instance the rear defogger on B3&4.
The mirror glass is not discolored, but of course the mirrors could have been replaced some time in the past with non-heating units by mistake.

BTW, the heated mirrors are about my favorite option. Convenience at its best.

Bruch

tmanley

Really, the glass has something to do with it? My 96 a4 has discolor glass on the bottom....is that why mine are not working. Wow..didnt know that. So they should work if I replace the glass with non discolor glass......will have to try it as I cant lose cuz I hate the discoloration anyways!!

But why does the glass effect the heating element??

bilbravo

If it is like the auto-dimming feature, then the glass is more than just "glass". In my mirror that ruptured, the glass also contains a vessel with a colored liquid which is pushed to the front when it detects light from the rear and it's dark outside. I would imagine buying new glass for the side mirrors means you are buying a gadget that is a heating element, auto-dimming if applicable, all attached to the glass. Just a guess though I've never looked inside the side mirrors.

Nate (ETKA+Scumbag)

I've found mine to come on around 45 F and below. There is no manual override for them.

I agree that heated mirrors are great. I wish more cars had them.

Nate (ETKA+Scumbag)

Because the heater element rusted and discolored the glass backing.

Glass is clear unless something reflective behind it makes it a mirror...

Bruch

Oh...Ok, thanks. I got the owner manuals with the car, and could find no clue regarding the HM operation. A continuity check would certainly rule out the mirror itself.

Thanks for all the info.
Bruch

David.Norton

Checking the schematic for my 98 the heaters are powered off of the load reduction relay, and are just on all the time the car is running. I think that is why they burn up after a few years.

Bruch

That definately would explain premature burnout. Sounds like an opportunity to increase the life by adding a switch.

Back in my Chevy days, we would add a switch to the heater blower, because they ran all the time on mid 70s trucks. After 2 years of that, the motors would start to tick and then quit all together.
Thanks for looking it up.

Dave