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Heated Mirror Question.

13K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  the_intimidator_02 
#1 ·
I don't normally use my rear defogger, but today my mirrors were iced up and I don't like trying to chip the ice off of the glass. So instead I used my rear defogger to turn the heated mirrors on. The problem is this, the rear window worked fine, but the mirrors didn't even slightly melt the ice on the mirror even after the timer turn the defogger off. Now I have a broken wire for the power windows that runs between the driver's door and body of the car. Obviously the heated mirror wire also runs in that same harness, but if the wire in the driver side door say is broke, would the passenger side mirror also be affected? If not where should I start when I go to trouble shoot this problem?

Thanks

Ty.
 
#3 ·
The LED I wired in does light up, but I tapped into the relay for the defogger to get it to light. Also thanks for the diagram, that will be a great help. I will have to check the fuse then as well, the LED I have wire is before the fuse. I never thought about checking the fuse because I figures that that the rear window would be on the same fuse as the mirror. My bad I guess for assuming and not actually checking.
 
#4 ·
I don't believe you said the year and model of your Taurus. If it has the heated mirror feature, the mirror will say "Heated" (1996-1999 models) or a defroster emblem on the outside upper mirror face (2000-2006).

If your outside mirrors do not have either of these on the mirror face, you do not have the heated mirror feature. The heated mirror wiring attaches to the remote control mirror wiring harness in the door and not to the power window wiring.

I have a 2005 SE and installed outside mirrors with the heated mirror and puddle lamp feature that I purchased from EBAY.
 
#5 ·
It's a '97 and it does have heated mirrors, came originally on the car. The reason I mentioned the wirings for the windows is because the wire that runs from the master window switch to the rest of the windows has a break in it from being pulled on when the door is opened and closed. I thought that possibly another wire in the harness that runs from the body to the drivers door might have broken.
 
#6 ·
One heated glass mirror will work even if the other side doesn't.
There could be a bad connection on the back of the mirror glass or the messed up wiring you mentioned. :)
 
#7 ·
My Taurus (Australian Export) has heated mirrors- but mine also has electric folding ones. I had to take mine apart once to fix the folding function and I must say- it is very easy to break the metal contacts for the heating element on the backside of the mirror because they are very flimsy. The wires for the heating element have their own connector and plug into the back of the mirror itself.

I ended up soldering the broken one back and doing the other side just to be safe. But unfortunately I don't think I have any pics (will check when I get home). Fixing it would involve removing the actual mirror glass itself from the car and inspecting the contacts and wires at the back. You don't need to be removing the door trim or taking the plastic assembely off the car.

Just make sure that you attach the glass properly with some good adhesive or glue when putting the thing back together to ensure it doesn't detatch while driving (I used dabs of epoxy once I was sure the problem was fixed).

Good luck.
 
#8 ·
Well I finally got around to fixing my mirrors. It was a fuse that blew, but not the 5 amp one that is in the diagram or in the owner's manual. The owner's manual is useless IMO for the fuse location. It will tell you a fuse is in a certain section number, but doesn't provide a diagram to show where that section is. Anyhew, I checked all my 5 amp fuses with a test light and all was fine. I pulled the left front door panel off and checked the harness at the plug for the mirror. There was nothing. So for the hell of it, I decided to check all the fuses one by one. I started in the far right row, in the panel under the dash. When I got to top, I found a 10 amp fuse that blew. The fuse was for the rear def. switch illumination. I replaced the fuse, and continued checking the fuses. The rest were fine. I then started the car and turned on the defogger, waited a couple minutes, then I checked the mirrors. They were very warm to the touch. So now I have my heated mirrors again :thumb:
 
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