2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Heated mirror problem??

[.44 mag]

Looks like my passenger side mirror heater took a dump. The one on the drivers side still works fine. What's the best way to check it out? Do I need to replace the whole mirror, or just an element of some sort?





Thanks for any input.

 

[JGK]

The heating elements are glued to the back of the glass. Typically, the glass is poppped out and replaced. One way of checking it is to pop out both and swap them (don't mount them in the mirror housing, just plug in the heating element) and turn them on. You'll have to figure a way to see if one or the other is heating (infrared remote temperature gun, put an ice cube on the glass, leave them overnight to frost or fog up, etc. ).



You could also check the continuity of the heating element with a meter. If its not an open circuit on the bad one, then compare the resistance between the good one and bad one to see if there's a big difference.



-Jay

 

[BigPapa]

Hey Jay, don't mean to hijack the thread, but I put some heated mirrors off a '98 on my '95. All I have is the heated mirrors, no switch, relays, or circuit of any kind. Can you suggest what I need to make them work?



Thanks,

Scott

 

[JGK]

My '98 had the factory heated mirrors so I haven't had to do anything. It would be simple enough to run a hot lead and ground wire through the door and mirror base to provide power. I'd probably find a switched hot lead somewhere under the dash to run a relay and provide power for the mirrors from the battery (I have a Painless Wireing fuse block behind the knee bolster for various accessories with some switched and others not; this would work). Then its a matter of mounting a switch. The thing is, the factory set up is timed to switch off after several minutes so I don't know what you'd do about that - well, I do, but its much more complex. You'd just have to remember to turn them off after a little while. Maybe include a pilot light by the switch to remind you they are on.



-Jay

 

[BigPapa]

Thanks Jay. Sorry . 44 mag.



Scott

 

[SSolderitch]

a rear window defrost switch. my neon had 5 wires to it, 1-ground, 2-hot with key (20a? fuse), 3-dimmer circuit for lamp, 4 & 5 to rear window heater. I know because I taped into 1,2 & 3 for a volt gauge. The parts books shows a heater is avib for $18(?) + the labor at the glass shop (someone should do a "how to" with pictures)... . I just tested the 2 pins and found a open circuit, so I replaced the mirror assembly.