Heated Mirrors

[Guest dormat925]

The bulb in the heated switch is not working for My Heated Mirrors on my 96 OBW. How hot should the mirrors feel if they are working? wiht it being summer time I'm not sure if it is the mirrors or the warmth of the outside. Should the little heat symbol on the mirror itself light up?

tia

Matt

[Guest Sydfloyd44]

The light on the mirror itself does not light up. As far as "feeling" for heat, the mirror is heated similar to your rear window.

This website will show you what the heater actually looks like. This is what we use to replace these mirrors since the heater plate is actually glued to the back of the mirror. Seeing it should help you understand better.

 

www.burcoinc.com/Related_...i_heat.htm

or

www.burcoinc.com/Replacem...mplete.htm

 

First pics show the person pulling the backing off the heater plate to expose the adhesive and it is being attached to the back of a mirror.

Sounds like it is just an issue of the bulb in the switch. Or... Does something else need to be "on" in order for it to work? My sube doesn't have this feature so I am not familiar. Some cars like some of the new bmw's need the rear defroster activated in order for the side mirror heaters to work. Just a thought but not likely for a sube.

 

Hope this helps!!

[Pascal Giasson]

My heated mirrors work on my 97 Outback. I have what looks to be a small light on the switch but it does not light up. Is it suppose to light up? If so is it difficult to replace or do I need a new switch?

 

Thanks

[Manarius]

My heated mirrors work on my 97 Outback. I have what looks to be a small light on the switch but it does not light up. Is it suppose to light up? If so is it difficult to replace or do I need a new switch?

 

Thanks

If you would take the switch apart, you would know for sure. Odds are that you can replace the bulb.

[gbhrps]

Your lighted switch has a burned out bulb. You can carefully take apart the switch itself and replace the bulb, as you can do with all of the dash lights and the lights for the HVAC unit. You can buy the bulbs from the dealership (expensive) or buy them from Radio Shack (cheap). Take the old one with you to the electronics store or Radio Shack and compare it to their bubble pack that has 2 bulbs for about $3.00. They come with a much longer pigtail than is needed, but you can just cut it off to the length needed. In some years and some applications the old bulb may have a bluish rubber condom on it to cast that bluish glow when lit. Simply slide it off the old bulb and slip it onto the new one. The socket that the bulb sits in (it'll be either rubber or plastic, depending on the year of the car) will have the pigtails of the bulb fit through a pair of holes and then wound around the outside of the socket, and the extra wire cut off. Just follow the example of the old bulb. Its straight forward, not rocket science, but depending on the switch take care when taking the switch apart. Keep it upright, and remove its cover slowly, since interior contacts may spring out and get lost. Good Luck!

[Pascal Giasson]

Got the replacement bulb from "The Source" in Canada. Pretty strainght forward replacement. Poped the mirror switch out with a screw drive and then twisted out the bulb holder and replaced the bulb like the previous post suggests. Thanks for the help.