VW Lupo Mirror Heater Failure & Repair Cost Guide

Had the same electrical fault on my 2006 VW Polo 1.4 FSI. The rearview mirror heating failure turned out to be a common issue with these models. Initially thought it was just a fuse, but the diagnostic scan revealed a damaged wiring harness near the door hinge. The cables running through the door frame had worn through their protective sleeve after years of opening and closing, causing a short in the mirror heating circuit. The repair required replacing the complete door wiring harness since individual cables could not be spliced safely. Beyond just the car mirror heating, the worn wiring was a vehicle safety concern as it could have affected other electrical components in the door like windows and locks. The work involved removing the door panel, replacing the harness, and recalibrating the vehicle electronics. While labor intensive, this repair was essential to prevent further electrical issues. The worn wiring harness is a known weak point in several VW models from that era. Would recommend getting it fixed properly rather than trying temporary solutions that might lead to bigger problems later. The symptoms you describe match exactly what happened in my case. A proper repair should resolve the heating issue completely.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the door wiring harness. My case does sound very similar and I will definitely have them check the wiring when I take it back. Good point about not trying quick fixes that could create bigger headaches later. Do you remember roughly what the heater element repair cost you? Also wondering if any other electrical gremlins popped up since getting it fixed? My cold weather visibility is terrible without working mirror defrosters, so I need to get this sorted soon.

Got good news to share after getting the mirror heating fixed on my Polo. Unlike what I initially thought about needing a complete harness replacement, it turned out to be much simpler. The mechanic found a damaged connection at the mirror plug that was causing the heating element failure. Total repair cost came to 95€, which covered testing, accessing the wiring, and fixing the faulty connection. Much better than the full harness replacement I had feared. The winter driving visibility is perfect now with properly working mirror defrosters. Since the repair several months ago, all car electronics have worked flawlessly, no more issues with the mirror heating or any other electrical components. For vehicle safety, it was definitely worth getting it properly diagnosed and repaired rather than trying workarounds. If your symptoms match what I experienced, you might be looking at a similar straightforward fix rather than major wiring work. Would recommend having them check the mirror connections first before assuming worst-case scenarios.

Thanks for the advice. Finally got my mirror heating fixed last week. Turned out my issue was also just a damaged connector, not the full wiring harness. The mechanic found corrosion in the door connection point causing the heating element failure. The repair only cost 120€ including diagnostics and labor. Much better deal than the 400€ estimate I got for a complete harness replacement. Really glad I got a second opinion. Already noticed the difference during cold weather driving, no more foggy rearview mirror issues. The car electronics are all working properly now, and the vehicle safety features in the door are back to normal. For anyone else facing similar mirror heating problems, definitely worth getting the connections checked first before assuming major repairs are needed.