Boxster's Frozen Mirrors: Quick Fix or Major Repair?

Hey there, I actually dealt with a similar issue on my 2019 Porsche Cayman last winter. My passenger side mirror stopped defrosting completely. Took it to my regular mechanic, and it turned out to be a faulty cable connection where the wiring harness meets the mirror assembly. The connector had corroded over time, and some moisture got in there. The fix wasn't particularly complicated, they had to replace the wiring connector and reseal it properly. It wasn't a serious mechanical issue, more of an annoying electrical gremlin that's pretty common in these models. Took about an hour to diagnose and fix. I'd suggest finding a Porsche specialist if your regular mechanic isn't familiar with these cars. They'll know exactly where to look and what to test first. These mirror heating issues are usually either the connector/wiring or the heating element itself, in my case, the heating element was fine, just wasn't getting power. Hope this helps!

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful to know it was just a connector issue in your case. Do you remember roughly how much they charged you for the fix? Also, has everything been working fine since then, or have you had any other electrical gremlins pop up?

Hey again! Glad to give you an update, after I got my Cayman fixed, the mirror defrost has been working perfectly! The total bill came to 155€, which included diagnosing the problem and replacing that corroded cable connection. Honestly, it was worth every penny to not have to deal with foggy mirrors anymore. Since getting it sorted, I haven't had any other electrical issues pop up. The mechanic did a great job sealing everything up properly to prevent future moisture problems. It's been about a year now, and even through this past winter, the defrost function has been working like a charm. I got lucky that it was just the cable plug that was defective and not the heating element itself, that would've been a much pricier fix! If you're still having trouble with yours, I'd definitely recommend getting it checked out by a Porsche specialist. These kinds of electrical niggles are usually pretty straightforward for them to sort out. Let me know how you get on with yours!

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! Finally got mine checked out at a Porsche specialist yesterday. Turns out my issue was pretty similar to yours, a corroded connector due to water seepage. The mechanic was super straightforward about it, and the whole thing cost me about 180€, which wasn't as bad as I'd feared. I was really relieved it wasn't anything major. The specialist showed me the old connector, and you could actually see where the corrosion had built up. They even applied some extra waterproofing while they were at it to prevent future issues. Tested it this morning, and both mirrors are defrosting perfectly now! Really glad I asked here and got your advice about going to a Porsche specialist. My regular mechanic probably would've charged me more and taken longer to figure it out. Sometimes paying a bit more for someone who knows these cars inside out is totally worth it! Thanks again for all your help!