GSchneider
BMW Mirror Heat & Auto-Dim Failure, Quick Fix Guide
Mirror doesn't defrost
Fault stored
4 comment(s)
Thanks for sharing your experience! That sounds exactly like what I'm experiencing with my mirrors. I'm glad to hear it was just a wiring issue and not something more serious. Do you happen to remember roughly how much the repair ended up costing you? Also, just curious, have you had any other electrical gremlins pop up since getting it fixed? The door panel removal part makes me a bit nervous, but it sounds like it was worth it to get everything sorted properly.
Hey there! Just wanted to follow up about your question regarding the costs. I had the mirror heating issue fixed last week, the mechanic found it was indeed a faulty cable connection, just like I suspected. The total bill came to 95 € which covered fixing the connection and testing everything worked properly. The door panel removal wasn't as complicated as it sounds, and they did a clean job putting it back together. You'll be happy to know I haven't had a single electrical issue since getting it sorted. The mirror heating is working perfectly now, such a relief with the cold weather we've been having! It's definitely worth getting it done properly rather than trying any quick fixes. The mechanic mentioned these connection problems are fairly common in BMWs, so you're not alone. For the price and the peace of mind, I'd say go for it. Just make sure they check all the connections thoroughly while they're in there.
Thanks a lot for the detailed follow-up! I actually took your advice and got it fixed yesterday at a new mechanic. Really glad I switched, these folks were much more professional. They found exactly what you described, worn-out wiring and some corroded connections. Funny enough, my repair was a bit cheaper than yours, only took them about an hour and a half to sort everything out. The mechanic walked me through what they were doing, which was refreshing after my last experience. Best part? My mirrors are working perfectly now, both heating and dimming functions are back to normal. Really appreciate everyone's help on this. It's such a relief to have it sorted without breaking the bank. Definitely keeping this mechanic's number for future issues, they really knew their stuff with BMWs. Thanks again for pushing me in the right direction!
I had a similar issue with my 2020 BMW 4 Series last winter. The mirrors started acting weird, no heating, no dimming, nothing. After scanning, it turned out to be a faulty wiring harness connection in the door panel. The cable had worn out from constant door opening and closing, causing intermittent contact issues. Had to remove the door panel to access the connection point. The mechanic found corroded pins in the main mirror control connector. They cleaned the connections, replaced the damaged wiring section, and secured it better to prevent future wear. Not a serious issue, but definitely something that needs proper fixing to avoid moisture getting into the electrical system. Took about 2 hours of labor. Working perfectly since then. Make sure whoever fixes it checks both the wiring and connectors, not just the mirror assembly itself. The problem is usually in the connections rather than the actual mirror components.