Is it OK to run the heated mirrors on all the time. Every other car I've ever owned timed out and shut them off after 10-15 minutes.

With the switch in the TL, it never shuts off because I forget I turned it on.

Are there any thermal or cracking related problems for runing the heated mirrors all the time?

Is it tied into the rear defrost timer and I'm just not noticing it?

 

Good question - I'd like to know also.

 

Manual indicates they only turn off with the switch that turns them on.

 

I suppose if they cracked it would be covered under warranty anyways? Well maybe noit

 

I wouldn't worry about it -- its not like there is a toaster behind the mirror or something. They get warm, not hot.

 

True, but those things are not designed for continuous use, so I would be prudent and not use them when not needed.

 

I guess we should be thankful that Acura put the light on the switch as a reminder the mirror heaters are on.

I too wondered about the lack of a timed out for the mirrors.


TL42 - Gord

 

I was told by my dealer that the mirrors could crack if the heater is left on all the time.

 

Has anybody actually had to use them yet? I havn't....

 

I find it very useful in Winter or when it rains.

 

The heated mirrors come in handy when you are putting the
wheels thru one of those "BRUSHLESS" car washes... (sorry guys .. it is too freaking cold up here to do it outside..and I do NOT put her thru one of those car washes with the rotating brushes... EVER !!!!!) and it is cool to cold out. Keeps them from fogging if you can remember to have them on BEFORE entering the wash...

Is it SPRING yet... (damn I hate road salt)

TL42 - Gord

 

same here

 

Use 'em every morning (winter months only) as I'm leaving work .... clears moisture and prevents fogging.

 

Ohh, I have never had the frosted over or fogged up...so no use for them yet... but nice to have anyways

 

i havt used them, but i tried it once and it got pretty warm in about 4 minutes

 

I didn't think I'd get this much response. Thanks!!!

I use mine every day. It seems to help the slush slide off rather than stick on and the mirrors stay cleaner.

I've been trying to remember to turn them off, but I had a good week long streach there where I didn't and they stayed on.

I was just wondering because the temps have gotten SO cold lately. I can't wait to move back south and not have to worry about heated anything.

Thanks again for all the comments.

 

im in southern cali, orange county, and i actually use em quite often in the morning. a lot of dew builds up on my mirrors and they get em good in about 3 to 5 min

 

I do not recommend using them continuously unless there is something on the mirror glass that will cool it (snow, ice, water or condensation.) Leaving them on too long will indeed cause the glass to overheat & crack. I've seen this happen too many times to count.

 

Also, you are using electrical power when you activate you heated mirrors. Anything that consumes electricity will have an adverse affect on your engine's power production and economy. Granted, this is quite small and will not be noticed, I'm sure. But if you were using them in conjunction with the rear window defogger and maybe the A/C, the loss could become noticable.

Just a thought.

 

I'd guess that Acura will switch and use the set up that the RL has. When you turn on/ off the Rear Defrost, the mirror defrost also turns on/ off just like the rest of the automotive world.

 

Good question. There are actually two things that I don't like about the heated mirrors. The first is the fact that they don't turn off when the car turns off. I actually wouldn't want them to turn off by themselves like the rear defrost does - I find myself turning that thing on again constantly. I'd like them to shut off when I shut off the car though.

The second one is the fact that the switch is not illumincated in any way unless they are on. One night I needed to turn them on, and I couldn't find the damn switch. I was fumbling around and accidently turned the VSA off. I had to turn on my overhead light to figure out where the frigging thing was. Why don't they have illumination on the switch like practically every other switch in the car? Grrr.

 

my friend ran the heated mirrors all the time in her VW before,

and the heated mirrors was broken in this September (around several months), the dealer told her need to replace

a pair of new mirrors (500 bux each? ) ~ so i don't think it is good run the heated mirrors all the time...

 

Yep! and they work but you are right....don't forget to turn them off after you mirrors get cleared.

FNT

 

From my experience with previous Acura’s I strongly recommend turning them off.

The paint on the back of my 1995 Legend coupe (purchased new) “egg-shelled” after years of forgetting to turn the mirror heaters off.

The paint on the back of my 1998 RL (purchased used) is “egg-shelled” after four years of trying very hard to remember to turn the mirror heaters off. This one is still under warranty and I may ask the dealer about it.

 

I was driving a while back (early in the morning) and I had to use mine. They do work great, but I turn them off when they are no longer needed.

One thing I did notice tho.... in my car, either the defog button isn't back lit.. or my light is burned out. Is the butten back lit for any of you? It sucked trying to fumble around and find that button in a dark car (headlights were one.. but button wasn't lit)

 

On every Acura I've owned the defog button was back lit.

 

I guess its different for different car makers, this is the 1st car where there was a switch. In my previous car they were on when the car was on, summer...... didn't matter. I had to turn the car off at the car wash or else they would spot. I had the car for three years never had a cracking problem or anything.....maybe acura does use toaster heat on their mirrors.

 

I thought most cars with heated mirrors had the feature linked to the rear defrost.

 

really? from what i understand, thats not the case... now im not claiming to be a DOUBLE E (electrical engineer). but no matter what, the alternator is turning. the magnetic field is being generated only the regulator is allowing power to flow to the battery. if the battery is low (lower voltage then the diode trio) then the regulater flows the power.

here is a pretty cool web site:
http://www.vtr.org/maintain/alternator-overview.html

maybe i didnt read this site or the many other site i have seen correctly (which with me, could always be the case)... but from what i read and understand if the alternator has the same drag either way (providing power or not). and the amt of drag is also based off alternator speed. the faster you spin it the more engine power it consumes. which is why peformance pullies are good at giving gains in power. the accessories get turned slower, which in turn uses less power. but this can cause problems if they turn to slow. not enough power generation, especially if you have a powerful sound system....

anyway if im wrong let me know i always love to learn more use-less info (at least thats what my girl friend calls it)

 

Onager,

Actually, the mechanical load on the alternator varies a lot, depending on the amount of current that it has to produce.

Here's an extreme example: Back in my SCCA racing days, we reinstalled the engine in my ITS Datsun 240Z but hooked up the voltage regulator incorrectly. The alternator was fed full, unregulated voltage, causing it to produce maximum current output all the time. The engine felt flat and unresponsive due to the alternator load. Once we discovered this, we disconnected the alternator wiring entirely. It was still being driven by the engine, but I gained a very noticeable amount of power--I'd guess at least 10 hp (seriously).

I believe the normal alternator drag is worth 2-3 hp. With a fully charged battery and minimal accessories turned on, the drag would be almost nothing. With heated seats, high beams, CD player, fan turned on high, etc., the drag would be fairly significant.

Back to SCCA racing for another example: In showroom stock racing, a common trick to gain hp was to discretely disconnect the alternator and hope that no one caught you at it. A more legal way was just to charge the daylights out of the battery so that the alternator had little to do.

Rick

 

i have always heard about running underdrive pulleys or even using a different belt to bypass the alternator and power steering pump for drag racing (leaving just the water pump). i didnt realize that the load increased that much. from what i have read the alternator always produced power, the voltage regulater just adjusted how much of that was being used.... i will have to do more research