BMW i3 Mirror Issues: Heating & Auto-Dimming Failures

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2019 BMW i8 (also had a chance to work on the i3 too). I've got some experience working on cars, mainly electrical stuff. Last winter, I faced almost identical mirror problems on my i8. The symptoms were exactly like yours, no heating, no auto-dimming. Took it to my regular workshop and turns out it was just a loose connection in the wiring harness going to the mirror. The plugs had worked themselves loose over time, causing intermittent connection issues. The fix was pretty straightforward, they cleaned the connectors and properly secured the wiring. Cost me about 95 Euro for the whole job. Much better than replacing the entire mirror assembly, which I initially feared might be necessary! Could you share a bit more info about your car? Like: Did this start suddenly or gradually? Are both mirrors affected? Any other electrical issues in the car? This could help pinpoint if you're dealing with the same problem I had.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Mine started quite suddenly after a cold spell, and yes, both mirrors are affected. No other electrical gremlins that I've noticed. My i3 has 73605 KM on the clock and just had its service last month, but this wasn't flagged as an issue then. I'm relieved to hear it might just be a connection problem rather than needing full replacement. I'll definitely get my mechanic to check the wiring harness first. The diagnostic codes did hint at an electrical issue, so your experience seems spot-on. Did you notice any warning lights on the dash before getting it fixed?

Hey again! Yeah, I remember my i8's mirror issues quite well. Interesting that yours started after a cold spell, that's exactly what happened with mine too! It's pretty common for these connection issues to show up in cold weather because the temperature changes can affect how tight the connections stay. And about warning lights, funny you should ask! I actually didn't get any warning lights on the dash initially. The only way I knew something was wrong was when I tried using the heating and dimming functions. The error codes only showed up when the workshop plugged in their diagnostic tool. Since you mentioned your car was just serviced last month, I'd definitely have a word with the service center. Sometimes these connections can get disturbed during routine maintenance without anyone noticing. In my case, I actually found out that a previous service might have left one of the connectors slightly loose. Quick tip from my experience, while you're waiting to get it checked, try gently pushing on the mirrors when they're not working. If the functions suddenly start working, even briefly, that's a pretty good sign it's just a connection issue like mine was. Just don't push too hard! Let me know how it goes when you get it checked out. I'm curious if it turns out to be the same problem!

Thanks so much for all this detailed info! That's really helpful about the cold weather connection, makes total sense now why it started acting up. I just tried your tip about gently pushing on the mirrors, and wouldn't you know it, the passenger side mirror actually flickered to life for a second! I'll definitely call the service center tomorrow and mention what happened, especially since it started right after their work. The fact that your fix was relatively simple and cheap is super reassuring. I was honestly dreading having to replace the whole mirror assembly! Thanks again for sharing your experience, it's saved me a lot of worry and probably some money too! I'll be sure to update the forum once I get it sorted out, just in case anyone else runs into the same issue with their i3. Take care!