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2010 2011 BMW 5 Series Forum F10 BMW 5-Series (F10) Forums General 5-Series Sedan and Wagon (F10 / F11) Forum Side Mirrors - Heated?
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      01-20-2017, 10:08 AM   #1
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Side Mirrors - Heated?

I got my car back in August of 2016. Living in Southern Ca, haven't experienced much rain. However these past couple of weeks, it has been raining pretty well. I never paid attention to the side mirrors so during the drive, I realized the side mirrors aren't heated as well or doesn't work at all. I've read that heated side mirrors are standard. As long as the car is on, the side mirrors are heated. Just want to make sure I'm reading that right. I want to take it into the dealership for them to take a look at it but wanted to get some info here before I bring it in.
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      01-20-2017, 11:09 AM   #2
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I believe the heated side mirrors are temperature sensitive.
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      01-20-2017, 12:19 PM   #3
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From the owner's manual - "Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated whenever the engine is running". Of course the water doesn't dry immediately but it definitely keeps them dryer than if they weren't.

For a while, BMW used a weird algorithm for heating them where they were half power under a certain temp and got hotter with the wipers on, it was stupid and frankly, they sucked. I am glad they went back to car on/mirror heaters on.
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      01-20-2017, 01:21 PM   #4
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Thank you for the clarification. I couldn't find anywhere in the manual about the heated mirrors but then again I only spent like 30 seconds looking at it coming to work.

Just seems like it doesn't work for me at all. All I see are water drops on the side mirrors and seems like they never fade regardless or it takes a very long time before it finally begins to dry up. My previous GS350 has better heated mirrors as they dried up quickly.
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      01-20-2017, 02:46 PM   #5
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Can't recall if I read F10 manual on this particular issue, or if I recall this information from my wife's car, or my previous one. I was under impression that heated mirrors are on only when rear window defrost is turned on?

Not saying that previous posters are incorrect, but to me it wouldn't make sense that they are on "all the time", and temperature sensitive just seems like unnecessary complexity to the design.
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      01-20-2017, 03:13 PM   #6
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Didn't even realize I had heated mirrors, can't complain given the temps around here this winter. I've been using the hell out of that heated steering wheel though
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      01-20-2017, 08:21 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bbb34 View Post
Can't recall if I read F10 manual on this particular issue, or if I recall this information from my wife's car, or my previous one. I was under impression that heated mirrors are on only when rear window defrost is turned on?

Not saying that previous posters are incorrect, but to me it wouldn't make sense that they are on "all the time", and temperature sensitive just seems like unnecessary complexity to the design.
I also had the feeling that they are on when's the rear defroster is on.
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      01-20-2017, 11:38 PM   #8
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Heated mirrors are not going to do anything for rain. They are there to prevent frost and or ice. That's it. They will still get wet just like your rear window.
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      01-21-2017, 05:14 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alcenos View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bbb34 View Post
Can't recall if I read F10 manual on this particular issue, or if I recall this information from my wife's car, or my previous one. I was under impression that heated mirrors are on only when rear window defrost is turned on?

Not saying that previous posters are incorrect, but to me it wouldn't make sense that they are on "all the time", and temperature sensitive just seems like unnecessary complexity to the design.
I also had the feeling that they are on when's the rear defroster is on.
No, they are on when your car is running. You must be thinking about just about every other brand out there because most only work with the rear defroster. Not BMW though
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      01-21-2017, 02:40 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wrickem View Post
From the owner's manual - "Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated whenever the engine is running". Of course the water doesn't dry immediately but it definitely keeps them dryer than if they weren't.

For a while, BMW used a weird algorithm for heating them where they were half power under a certain temp and got hotter with the wipers on, it was stupid and frankly, they sucked. I am glad they went back to car on/mirror heaters on.
From my understanding heated mirrors although technically "on when the engine is running" are still subject to outside temperature and energy management control. The outside temperature is made available (via the PT-CAN). The relevant module evaluates the K-CAN 2 signal and initiates mirror heating.

Energy management can switch off mirror heating, if the battery SOC is in the critical range and/or a high load on the alternator.
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      01-21-2017, 06:12 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by wrickem View Post
From the owner's manual - "Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated whenever the engine is running". Of course the water doesn't dry immediately but it definitely keeps them dryer than if they weren't.

For a while, BMW used a weird algorithm for heating them where they were half power under a certain temp and got hotter with the wipers on, it was stupid and frankly, they sucked. I am glad they went back to car on/mirror heaters on.
From my understanding heated mirrors although technically "on when the engine is running" are still subject to outside temperature and energy management control. The outside temperature is made available (via the PT-CAN). The relevant module evaluates the K-CAN 2 signal and initiates mirror heating.

Energy management can switch off mirror heating, if the battery SOC is in the critical range and/or a high load on the alternator.
This is how they worked for a few years but not in f10. They are constant now, they didn't use their weird algorithm for the mirrors heating for US F10, I have no idea about other countries work though, OP is in US.

Owners manuals used to say they were on "in certain conditions" when they worked like this:

-10 = 100% -10 to 5 =75% 5 to 15 = 50% 15 to 25=0% 25 to 35=0% 35+=0%

Mirror heating Temperature in °C wipers ON

-10=100% -10 to 5 =100% 5 to 15 = 75% 15 to 25=50% 25 to 35=25% 35+=0%

And of you're right, when the battery is low, along with cutting the seats, steering wheel heat and a bunch of other electronics, it will kill the mirror heating.
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      01-22-2017, 12:47 AM   #12
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Mine work, but not very efficiently.
Audi's have an actual switch to turn on, though not sure if they work better.
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      01-23-2017, 04:15 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wrickem View Post
This is how they worked for a few years but not in f10. They are constant now, they didn't use their weird algorithm for the mirrors heating for US F10, I have no idea about other countries work though, OP is in US.
Are you basing the mirror heating function on the user manual, or additional BMW data?

Over here in the UK we have a temperature based function, like the F01 (on which the F10/11 systems are based) and also fitted to other model ranges like the F3x models. The UK user manuals make the same comment as your US user manuals, reference the engine running. Having additional working parameters, does not conflict with heated mirrors being stated as 'on' when the engine is running.

Quite obvious from use in my car, the heated mirrors are working at low temperatures only.
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      01-23-2017, 09:38 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete View Post
Quite obvious from use in my car, the heated mirrors are working at low temperatures only.
I'm curious how can you tell ? Naive question, but can you feel any warmth to touch once they are on (never tried it myself obviously, maybe tonight on my commute home ) ?
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      01-23-2017, 10:24 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete View Post
Are you basing the mirror heating function on the user manual, or additional BMW data?

Over here in the UK we have a temperature based function, like the F01 (on which the F10/11 systems are based) and also fitted to other model ranges like the F3x models. The UK user manuals make the same comment as your US user manuals, reference the engine running. Having additional working parameters, does not conflict with heated mirrors being stated as 'on' when the engine is running.

Quite obvious from use in my car, the heated mirrors are working at low temperatures only.
I saw when I was coding my F10 that values and perimeters were completely different from when I coded my E92 , so I asked my "go to" BMW service technician (who is also a friend) what the deal was with the mirror heating values. Again, this is only for US, I have no idea about other countries.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bbb34 View Post
I'm curious how can you tell ? Naive question, but can you feel any warmth to touch once they are on (never tried it myself obviously, maybe tonight on my commute home ) ?
You actually can feel a "warmth" when you touch the mirrors. Use the back of your hand so you don't leave fingerprints
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      01-23-2017, 10:29 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bbb34 View Post
I'm curious how can you tell ? Naive question, but can you feel any warmth to touch once they are on (never tried it myself obviously, maybe tonight on my commute home ) ?
I live in an area where we have high humidity many mornings, even into summer. Near the meeting of two rivers.

Simply gauged on how quickly the mirrors demist. Cold days mirrors are very fast to demist, warm days takes time and distance, so no heat to assist the demist.
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      01-23-2017, 03:48 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TTG View Post
Heated mirrors are not going to do anything for rain. They are there to prevent frost and or ice. That's it. They will still get wet just like your rear window.
I understand they will still get wet but I've owned a G37 and GS350 and yea they only turn on when the rear defroster is on but you can tell they're on because the water drops eventually dry up. I have yet to see the side mirrors on my 5 series dry up. Water drops stay there for a long time and I did eventually see them dry up but not for a long while. Rain finally stops today here in So Cal but I'll have to check it out next time it rains again.
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