How to identify heated mirrors?

E28 technical advice asked and given! Troubleshooting, modifications and more.
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alps
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How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by alps »

I'm looking to replace my mirror glass and repair the broken attachments, and would prefer to source the parts prior to removing the mirrors from the car.

Is there any way to know if the mirrors are heated or not prior to removing?
John in VA
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by John in VA »

Heated glass has the two spade connectors on the backside.
alps
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by alps »

Thanks - was wondering if there's a way to tell form the front side, or form an options code or something like that.
Blue Shadow
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by Blue Shadow »

Option codes 311, 312 and 314 are the electrically operated and heated passenger, driver and both mirrors, respectively, 314 adding driver's door lock and washer nozzles.

Not going to find these codes on US cars as the US vehicles came with a package of options that were not listed on the build sheet.
For the final year all US E28s should have had heated mirrors.

Realoem believes these models had the US heated mirror
5' E28, 524td, Sedan, M21, MANUAL, USA, (4214) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 524td, Sedan, M21, AUTO, USA, (4224) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 528e, Sedan, M20, MANUAL, USA, (4073) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 528e, Sedan, M20, AUTO, USA, (4083) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 533i, Sedan, M30, MANUAL, USA, (4274) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 533i, Sedan, M30, AUTO, USA, (4284) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 535i, Sedan, M30, MANUAL, USA, (DC74) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 535i, Sedan, M30, AUTO, USA, (DC84) : Outside mirror
5' E28, M5, Sedan, S38, MANUAL, USA, (DC93) : Outside mirror

Without the model year, might not have been on the early 528e, IDK.
Mike W.
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by Mike W. »

I never cease to be amazed by some of the info here, as presented above.

However, I have also seen mirrors with burned out heating elements. I'm not sure what the factory specs are, but my test is to put them in the freezer for a while, the mirror glass itself, then ohm them out. I don't recall the resistance, but it was an easy call between infinite and some.
alps
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by alps »

Blue Shadow wrote: Aug 24, 2021 3:52 PM Option codes 311, 312 and 314 are the electrically operated and heated passenger, driver and both mirrors, respectively, 314 adding driver's door lock and washer nozzles.

Not going to find these codes on US cars as the US vehicles came with a package of options that were not listed on the build sheet.
For the final year all US E28s should have had heated mirrors.

Realoem believes these models had the US heated mirror
5' E28, 524td, Sedan, M21, MANUAL, USA, (4214) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 524td, Sedan, M21, AUTO, USA, (4224) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 528e, Sedan, M20, MANUAL, USA, (4073) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 528e, Sedan, M20, AUTO, USA, (4083) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 533i, Sedan, M30, MANUAL, USA, (4274) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 533i, Sedan, M30, AUTO, USA, (4284) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 535i, Sedan, M30, MANUAL, USA, (DC74) : Outside mirror
5' E28, 535i, Sedan, M30, AUTO, USA, (DC84) : Outside mirror
5' E28, M5, Sedan, S38, MANUAL, USA, (DC93) : Outside mirror

Without the model year, might not have been on the early 528e, IDK.
Wow, great info! I'm not sure how it applies to my '86 535i, and Realoem can't specify from my VIN which one my car has. My guess is that they are heated, given the US market 535i seem to have all been delivered in full spec minus a very few options (heated seats) or iS spec specific options. Not sure that's true but that's my take.
alps
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by alps »

Mike W. wrote: Aug 25, 2021 1:18 AM I never cease to be amazed by some of the info here, as presented above.

However, I have also seen mirrors with burned out heating elements. I'm not sure what the factory specs are, but my test is to put them in the freezer for a while, the mirror glass itself, then ohm them out. I don't recall the resistance, but it was an easy call between infinite and some.
Oh that's a good idea... I'm not well versed in testing electronics but am inclined to learn more over time. I would like to replace my mirror glass anyway as they are deteriorated around the edges.
Blue Shadow
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by Blue Shadow »

the brochure for the 86 says heated mirrors. My 85-5 has em as part of the US build, my 85-€7 has em as an option code.

not hard to loosen the mirror and start to remove it to see if it is wired and if not to see if there are wires present to plug in.

the tabs will rip out of the mirror effectively defeating the heating system. These should have had a dollop of epoxy put on them to make them want to stay with the mirror and not with the wiring when the mirror plate is removed from the car.

ETM says the operation is from 52°F to 104°F or something like that, so it doesn't take much cooling to make the mirror turn on to be able to measure it.
wkohler
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by wkohler »

Every US E28 I've worked on has them. wiring is just jumped off of two of the connectors for the mirror motor, so easy enough to add should one need to.

51161901176 for the driver side mirror
51161885906 for the passenger (wide angle)

If you don't want the wide angle, just buy two of 176 and flip the ring over.
a
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by a »

I dont thinkthe '82 or the '84 I bought for parts had heated mirrors
Mike W.
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by Mike W. »

I don't think my 1-2-85 build car had them either, and they're not on the build sheet I got from somewhere years ago.

I never had problems with the wiring ripping off, but what I did have trouble with was that white plastic lock ring cracking. When cracked, it will lock, but eventually work it's way off. More than once I had the mirror almost fall of, only to be held on by the heating element wires. I finally took to putting on a little dab of Goop glue to keep the lock ring in place. My theory, untested, was I would be able to overcome the little dab and remove it if needed. Not much, just enough that vibration wouldn't loosen it.
wkohler
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by wkohler »

Even my 9/81 528e has heated mirrors. It was a Colorado car when new so it could be one of those things that dealer got when they ordered cars. The only plastic mirrors I have that don’t have the heated mirror wiring are from E12s but it wouldn’t surprise me if they existed.
alps
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by alps »

Well this became a nice little trove of info! Amazing how deep the knowledge is here.

Thanks everyone, though feeling a bit stupid about how easy it is to get the glass out. Remembering this now from my e21 when I installed a right hand side power mirror on the car since it didn’t come with one.
vinceg101
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by vinceg101 »

alps wrote: Nov 21, 2021 10:01 PM Well this became a nice little trove of info! Amazing how deep the knowledge is here.

Thanks everyone, though feeling a bit stupid about how easy it is to get the glass out. Remembering this now from my e21 when I installed a right hand side power mirror on the car since it didn’t come with one.
I recently discovered this also when I changed out my driver's side for a wide angle glass (which I'm still on the fence about keeping or not). The old one proved to be stuck after 35 years, but once out I was kind of shocked at simple and lightly the new glass is held in. I keep having visions of it falling out going down the freeway at 70+ or after I hit some infamous LA pothole.
wkohler
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Re: How to identify heated mirrors?

Post by wkohler »

Sometimes those rings get stuck and obviously the mounting is relatively flimsy on the motor side. Then, if you see the common condition of the white plastic on the motors you can see why it can be so frustrating. At least here in the southwest, that stuff wasn’t made for the long haul.
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