Driver-side mirror heater stopped working

It does sound like the mirror heater resistive element has broken, as the two sides have a common fuse. There is a conductive paint that auto stores have which can repair defroster elements as in the rear window. Perhaps it will work on the mirror element as well. It is a bit of a job to get to it, but if it is important it can be DIY'ed.

 

The mirror glass comes out easily, just push the top of the mirror in then grip as much of the bottom edge as you can using both hands firmly pull and the glass with the carrier will pull out then it unhooks at the top.

There are two wires connected to the mirror these can be unplugged. Test for 12 volts at these wires with a volt meter or a 12 volt side light wedge type bulb with the small wires straightened out.

If the supply is ok then it must be the heater, this is almost impossible to get at as it is covered by double sided sticky tape and the black plastic support. The mirror glass "heated" can be bought on line for about $15.

 

Hi guys,
I got the same problem in my prius 2006 "spirit",
Can any one help to find the fuse that controlling the heater element in both side mirrors,
I will deeply appreciate it.

 

You do not give your location but you give the model as a Spirit so I assume you have a UK/EU Prius T Spirit "the same as mine" and that for some totally illogical reason given the climate, does not come with heated mirrors. Please confirm your your location. If you put this in your avatar this will help us to help you.

 

Thank you for the quick response, yes , my location in the UK "right hand" spirit,

 

If you wish to fit heated mirrors you need to buy heated mirror glasses from Ebay "about £12 each side"you will then need to run two wires from the glass through the mirror cases and down through the doors to the drivers side foot well. There is a connection there that is suitable to supply the mirrors. If you need more information where to connect I will supply pictures for doing this shortly.

 

Dear Britprius, you don't know how much I appreciate your advice, yes, installation instructions would be very helpful, thanks.

 

Ooo glass can be had that cheap on ebay would also like to see the instructions see if its easy to do as with winter coming in heated mirrors would be awesome. Would they came on with the front or rear dismister or would a button need bodged.

 

They would come on when you turn on the heated rear window, "the same arrangement as the US version" this has the advantage of auto turn off and no extra buttons to be added "will work with steering controls and voice recognition if you have it.

If you like any post click on the blue like button next to the reply button on that post, "a way of saying thank you without having to type it out".

 

Would I have to but wires throw the door, or the wire harness already there so I just need to buy the mirrors from ebay?

 

To get you started on a job that requires more patience than expertise, you need to get two wire from each mirror head through the mirrors into the doors.

One wire on each mirror only needs to reach one of the three nuts that hold the mirror to the door behind the "tweeter speaker" at the front of the door.Each wire should be fitted with a 6mm ring crimp and then fastened under one of these nuts to ground that wire. This speaker panel comes off with nothing more than a firm pull.

The second wire from each mirror needs to be threaded down through the door and through the rubber cable flexitube into the kick panels on either side of the car. The drivers side wire should be long enough to reach the floor plus 6 inches.

The passengers side wire will need to be threaded behind the glove box and dash board to the drivers side kick panel "an easy job but do tie the wire neatly and away from sharp edges and moving components steering shaft etc" then cut to the same length as the drivers side wire.

The two new wires in the mirror head need to be fitted with spade terminals that will fit the mirror terminals, then pushed onto the mirror terminals in no particular order "available at motorist shops, Maplins, Halfords, or most DIY shops and while your there pick up some skotchlock wire connectors and a 5 amp inline fuse."

The mirror glasses can now be refitted as most of the work is done. I will post pictures of how and where to make the final connections in the next few days as soon as it stops raining long enough for me to work outside to remove panels and take pictures.

John (Britprius).

 

Hi John, still waiting for you to bring some helpful pictures to how to fit the heated mirrors.
regards,
Khaldoon.

 

Sorry for the delay but hope to post on Wednesday evening, I have not been well and have to work outside (no garage) have you managed to thread the wires as instructions. I have found the mirrors on Ebay without backplates at £8-50 each "will stick on your existing after removal of mirror. Ebay item no 330649375870 and the company will do the postage half price if you order both sides.

 

Sorry to hear that you haven't been well, and thank you for the response, as soon as you post the pictures Ill buy the mirrors from eBay, I would suggest to post a video instead of the picture because you use your own voice for further instruction while you fitting the mirrors, still any help you will provide, will be highly appreciated. and I'm still struggling about the wiring. If you could enclose a brief Video about the wiring that would very helpful.

 

Hi John, these are two pictures that I have taken this morning for wiring, one from the door panel and the other from the mirror it self, just to show you the existing wiring in my car in case that it help.

 

I am sorry I do not have recording equipment, but here is a poor picture of where to connect the inline fuse too.

The fuse is connected too the large black wire near the center of the picture which is in the kick panel by the drivers right foot .

A wire from each mirror "threaded down through the doors and flexible conduit in the door jam" is then connected to the other side of the fuse. The two wire "on each mirror" need to run from your second picture to the inside of the door.

One wire on each side only needs to reach one of the three nuts that hold the mirror to the door behind the "tweeter loud speaker" near the bottom corner of the window. The wire should be fastened to ground under one of these nuts as in post 13.

The other wire from each mirror needs to be threaded through the doors to the drivers side kick panel and and both connected to one side of the inline fuse the other side of the fuse is connected to the large black wire shown. Please ask if you need more help.

The mirrors will operate with the heated rear window as in the US.

John (Britprius)

 

The mission accomplished, well done John, I really appreciated,
Thank you.