Exterior Mirror Heaters

Operation of the exterior mirror heaters is fully automatic and not controllable by the driver. Exterior mirror heater operation is determined by ambient air temperature and windshield wiper status. When ambient air temperature reaches a pre-determined level, the automatic temperature control (ATC) module broadcasts an exterior mirror heating request to the door modules over the medium speed controller area network (CAN) bus. On receipt of this message, the door modules provide feed and ground connections to both exterior mirror heater elements.

The amount of time the exterior mirror heaters are operational increases if the windshield wipers are switched on. This ensures the mirrors remain mist free in damp and wet conditions, where there is an increased risk of misting.