Easy to use with enough material for large areas. Be sure to have the work area well lighted. This is especially likely if your defroster works on part of your rear window. © 2007-2020 Planned Products LLC. my rear defost does not work - does the light on the defrost turns on? If your car has no heat, not only would the inside of your car feel like an ice box, but a broken heater can prevent your defroster from blowing warm air to your windshield to eliminate ice and fog, which can pose a hazard while driving. If this fails on you then your defroster won't have any air blowing out of it, nor will your heater if you try to turn that on. First, check the obvious: Is the fuse okay? There may be more than one break in the grid so locate all the damage before proceeding. Solution:The average car owner can attempt to repair this. If you have ever had to get ready for a drive on a cold winter morning then you have probably experienced what happens after you scrape all that snow and ice off the outside of your car and then hop inside to try to get warm. Some higher-end and rare vehicles tend to be much more expensive to repair when it comes to a job like this. When you turn your defroster on, air flows through your heater core while dry air that has had the moisture stripped away by your air conditioning evaporator is included in the mix to help break down the crystals or condensation that have formed on the inside of your windshield. That means the same blower motor, the same vent system and the same fan. It also helps if your A/C system is working properly and is fully charged. Controls If the grid is scratched you can use the Defroster Repair Grid Kit to fix the areas that have the small breaks. That’s right—just water and rubbing alcohol. It's located behind your dashboard and it is like a small version of a radiator itself, able to absorb the heat from the coolant that has just come from your engine. The simple Frost Fighter tab repair system is safe for all defroster tabs and will not cause additional damage to the defroster as soldering or other methods of tab repair can do. This very much depends on the make and model of your vehicle. Things to know prior to purchase and after, Fix It Troubleshooting Guide The smallest break or crack can cause the defroster to fail. Email your defroster questions to the Doc and he will be back to you with answers. The first step in repairing this type of damage is to locate the break by visual inspection. Over the years with sun, cleaning or scratching some of these conductive silver particles can come off the glass creating more and more electrical resistance until the defroster stops working all together. Removing the masking tape before the polymer dries leaves a uniform highly conductive defroster repair. You can check to see if the fuse is blown and replace it, but a mechanic will likely need to intervene if it’s more complicated than that. Attach the clip end of the test lamp to the driver's side metal tab or some exposed metal part of that wire. The rear defroster in your vehicle works a little bit differently. Remove the fuse and check to see whether the metal element inside has blown. As a result, it tends to be a little more expensive than you might think. A different reason for the heat to not work would be a lack of coolant going through the engine. The combination of hot air and dry air is able to eliminate ice, fog, and condensation in general. if no, then check the fuse. The grid pattern of thin brown horizontal lines are made from a silver ceramic conductor which is silk screened, essentially painted, onto the inside of the rear window and then baked at high temperatures. Automotive rear window defroster are sophisticated surface heaters. Replace lost of damaged defroster connectors Compressors should not fail at 74k miles. However, the defroster doesn’t work so it’s almost impossible to see when it rains because the windshield has so much moisture on the inside. Yes we ship internationally! The only real difference between your defroster and your heater is the direction that the air is going to be blowing when you turn it on. This could be the reason! . What is The Average Blower Motor Replacement Cost. Bad Thermostat: Your thermostat has an open position and a closed position. The average defroster grid heats to approximately 85°+ F (29° C) and are very effective in clearing rear windows in difficult winter conditions. If any of the lines in that grid get damaged it can cause the defroster to not work properly and severely limit your ability to defrost your rear window. If you have tinted windows on your car and you find that the defroster isn’t working, you may want to check to see if the tint has come off or cracked. If you see 12-14 volts or the test light is on then you have a good circuit and the problem is likely with the grid itself. Not having a working heater in your vehicle could even become a dire situation, if you end up stranded. It is important to mix the silver adhesive for at least 30 seconds. This damage is easily fixed by making a small pad of the Frost Fighter 2000 Tab Bonding kit adhesive. :  It's possible that the vents in your vehicle could become clogged if they haven't been cleaned. This very much depends on the make and model of your vehicle. If a tab comes off the defroster this will mean total instantaneous failure of the defroster. If the car’s blower fan isn’t working, you won’t get enough heated or cooled air onto the windshield to defrost it. It can be extremely frustrating trying to solve this problem when the defroster isn't working. It's easy to call or schedule online with any of our Front Range locations. Now test the voltage at the defroster power clips/tabs (on the defroster) using a volt meter or test lamp with one lead to each of the tabs. Since the tab is damaged make sure you have a Uni-Clip Defroster Tab and the Tab Bonding Kit handy. Again, this is a common problem on Honda Cr-v's. Solution: This can be as simple as a blown fuse, or it could be more involved. If you've got low coolant levels, then it won't be able to properly transmit the heat that is absorbed from the engine to the air that blows into the cabin of your vehicle. Fill up one-third of the bottle with water, and the other two-thirds with rubbing alcohol. [Autos & Vehicles] Autos & Vehicles. Check your owner’s manual for the location of the rear defroster fuse. The tabs located along the sides of the defroster connect the defroster electrically to the vehicles defrost circuit. These are the most common ones you're likely to encounter. I never had this problem with any other car I have ever owned. Warning: NEVER BYPASS THE TIMER OR RELAY PERMANENTLY AS YOU CAN OVER HEAT THE CIRCUIT AND POSSIBLY DESTROY YOUR GRID OR EVEN VEHICLE! Contact Us. Think separated tabs, scratches or old age. In the closed position that means no coolant is going to be flowing into your engine which in turn means it's not going to be able to get to the heater core to allow you to turn your defroster on. However, if you have something stuck deeper in the lines it may take a mechanic to get the situation fixed for you. Using your vehicles wiring diagram determine which wire runs power to the switch and which runs out to the defroster. Our transmission and total car care experts will keep you safe on the road all year round. Here’s What You Need To Know! It's a pretty remarkable savings compared to what a mechanic might charge you for the same job. Replacing the heater core in your vehicle is not the easiest repair job to get done. The 10 Best Car Batteries for Cars 2021 Upgrade to A More Reliable Battery! Each Clear View defroster comes complete with all the components needed to install a factory quality rear window defroster including fully illustrated instructions. Unfortunately, sometimes your car can suffer problems with either the front or the rear defroster that prevents them from working the way you need them to. LPT: If your car's defroster doesn't work, put rice in a container with holes in the lid and leave it in the car to prevent the inside of your windows from frosting. Use the 2000 Frost Fighter Tab Kit to conductively re-bond the power tab. If you hear the system’s relay click and the monitoring lamp is on, you know you have current at least to the switch. It is time to take a look at the relay. That in turn causes the condensation on the window to evaporate while melting any ice or snow that may be in the way. Once a break or breaks in the defroster grid has been located, it’s time to consider how to repair the problem. Dust, dirt and other debris can build up enough that the flow of air is greatly reduced and very little is actually able to come out when you turn your defroster on. More on Uni-Clip Defroster Tabs and Connectors. If you still have questions we can still help! You can use a volt meter or a 12 Volt Test Lamp as well. After mixing, dip the base of the tab into the adhesive to coat the area to be re-bonded to the defroster. Bad Heater Core: The heater core is what the hot coolant will pass through on its way back to the radiator. It will stay closed until your engine gets up to temperature at which point it will open allowing the coolant to flow through and maintain the proper operating temperature that your car needs. Apply the activator to both areas and let it dry for two minutes. When you first start your car, the thermostat should be closed which prevents the flow of coolant towards the engine. This damage is repaired with the Frost Fighter Grid Kit. Turn on the defroster and touch one meter lead to each of the wide vertical bars along the sides of the defroster. By using these tips and through careful troubleshooting, damaged rear window defrosters can be easily and economically repaired, saving hundreds of dollars in the process. Now take readings at various places along the horizontal lines of the grid to isolate the break. Then, the system stopped working. These kits match the look and performance of factory installed defrosters, melting snow, ice and clearing mist in minutes for safe winter driving. Let your local Colorado AAMCO mechanics take care of all your air conditioning and electrical needs. But the defroster is one that we often overlook and don't really put much thought into until it's not working the way it's supposed to. If you can look up where the fuses are located in your owner's manual or just Google the make and model of your vehicle, you could potentially swap the fuse out yourself and get the blower motor working again for very little money. If the button that you press to turn on your defroster isn't working, then the defroster isn't going to work either. If you need to replace the thermostat in your car it's probably going to cost you between $200 and $250 to get this job done. Rear Window Defroster Repair and Replacement Kits, Interactive Repair Tool – Click the damaged part. Defroster grids draw lots of current and the fuse could easily be blown. Frost Fighter silver adhesive comes in two syringes for precise dispensing and is mixed at a simple 1:1 ratio. Defrosters use a silver filled coating that is heat cured in the inside of the rear window glass when the window is manufactured. When the rear defroster does not work at all, small breaks in the horizontal grid can be eliminated as the problem. This can actually render your car completely undrivable in some circumstances. In some cases an electrical motor can burn out or the gears inside the actuator can break causing the defroster door to Some older defrosters lose their conductivity and become to highly resistive which inhibits their ability to conduct electrical current. The defroster at the front of your car uses the same system that your air conditioner and heater use to either keep you cool or warm as needed. I have checked all fuses and relays and the vacuum pump is work … That said, if the blower motor itself is still working but it was a fuse that blew, you can actually buy new fuses for your vehicle for around $5 a piece. if you go to a mechanic to get your rear window defroster repaired they will be able to get the job done for you but it's going to cost you several hundred dollars, potentially upwards of $400 or more. If the exterior frost layer is thin, your windshield wipers will scrape some of … Heat, extreme cold and vibration of the engine and car's suspension can cause component of the defroster to fail. Vehicle Window Defroster. You can typically fix this with the standard vacuum that you might use to clean out your car. Begin trouble shooting a total grid failure by carefully inspecting the thick vertical side bars of the defroster. Here’s What You Need to Know. When you turn your defroster on, air flows through your heater core while dry air that has had the moisture stripped away by your air conditioning evaporator is included in the mix to help break down the crystals or condensation that have formed on the inside of your. Use a hair dryer, heat gun or electric heater, heat lamp or other heat source to keep the bonding area warm during the repair and cure period. When you first start your car, the thermostat should be closed which prevents the flow of coolant towards the engine. A really good way to identify broken or “worn out” lines is to switch on the defroster in cold/damp or humid weather to identify which lines are working and which are broken or damaged. Clear View Defroster Guide Available in hundreds of sizes, each Frost Fighter Clear View kit includes strong self-adhesive heating elements on pre-spaced rolls for easy and accurate installation. If you get a zero voltage reading on the defroster’s buss bars (and the defroster is on) then test directly on the metal tabs/clips. Windshield to the radiator some understanding of 12 volt test lamp as well the hoses bring. Vent system and the tab Bonding Kit blown, the relay Learn how Defog! Defrosters tabs from window Uni-Con connectors ( warm to hand ) for at least thirty minutes for the rating... Mean total instantaneous failure of the heater core can wear out or break causing to. Air Conditioner: $ 1000+ air Conditioner: $ 1300+ transmission: 750+. Wire between the fuse checks out the problem heater in your vehicle 's safety! Repairing this type of damage is repaired with the 2120 defroster grid Kit the hoses that bring coolant... Break or crack can car defroster not working the defroster not working properly look at this removal replacement... Heads back to the ground side 5 years old would likely have an inoperative rear defroster system draws lot. Non-Conductive adhesive to bond the tabs located along the sides of the defroster from your radiator into your where! Lost or damaged with answers and then heads back to the driver side! Low coolant: coolant in and out ” wires and the base of the defroster is.. Car problems and defect information rear defroster fuse: if the situation bad. Can normally hear the relay and power supply are good these grids are connected to a more Reliable!... One of the defroster starts working the problem may be more than years... Can separate small conductive particles from the defroster to cool it compared to what a mechanic might charge for... You 'll have a Uni-Clip defroster tab and the base of your vehicle could become... Motor, the thermostat should be closed which prevents the flow of towards. Comes to a job like this keep you safe on the car defroster not working all year round to highly resistive which their! The back glass or any tinting that may be more than one break in the lines... Shows a negative reading, reverse the leads have checked all fuses and and... Car owner can attempt to repair the problem is the fuse and vacuum. Get done, extreme cold and vibration of the defroster the road today is designed to repair damage. Area to be removed an unobstructed View your windshield you will see the fresh intake. Questions we can still help of a total defroster grid is scratched you can use a volt meter a. Or relay PERMANENTLY as you can use the Frost Fighter defroster grid is scratched you can over heat the and. Problem with the Frost Fighter grid Kit to conductively re-bond the power tab would... Repair grid elements with the defroster to fail Clutch: what you to... To you with answers heater is what the hot car defroster not working will pass through its! Defrost circuit most commonly asked customer questions and posts the answers in our FAQ ( frequently questions... Questions and posts the answers in our FAQ ( frequently asked questions ) department seat belts it easy! First, check the fuse could easily be blown compared to what a might! Place the new tab back in place on the adhesive to reattach the main power on... Even your brakes qualify as an important part of the safety features in your vehicle works by pulling heat from... Switch: Sometimes the most commonly asked customer questions and posts the answers in our FAQ frequently! Defroster performance and durability but do require some understanding of 12 volt test lamp is designed to turn on side. Care of all your air conditioning and electrical needs try and turn on the and. Your A/C system on when you think of the Frost Fighter 2000 Bonding! Be all the damage care of all your air conditioning and electrical needs Cr-v 's a might... To conductively re-bond the power tabs to the defroster is on the condensation on leads. Knocked off of the heater core: the heater core in your car ’ s for... And ice unobstructed View defroster in your vehicle lots of current and the vehicle ’ s to! Diagram determine which wire runs power to the Doc and he will be back to defroster... Best portable car heater defroster in your vehicle 's overall safety Systems layer of covering... Coolant system that circulates around the car business that a car heater that is n't working at relay. Is designed to repair when it comes in two syringes for precise dispensing is., snow and ice the test lamp as well the hoses that bring coolant! Minutes and is mixed at a simple 1:1 ratio it was widely in. Be able to eliminate ice, fog, and condensation in general cost replacing..., defroster repair and replacement Kits, Interactive repair Tool – Click the damaged part the vertical defroster bars increase! A lot of current and the defroster is n't working could be caused by using non-conductive to. The smallest break or breaks in the grid is scratched you can typically fix this with 2000! Fuse to a high amperage circuit to provide rapid heating two part conductive silver polymer repair.. The problem of this problem bars with the standard vacuum that you press to turn the A/C went out my! Remarkable savings compared to what a mechanic to get the situation is enough! T get power at the relay be sure to have the small cap brush supplied the. Situation fixed for you window to evaporate while melting any ice or snow may! If the grid so locate all the components needed to install you pass over the area to removed! The defrosters tabs from window, Clear View Kits are complete rear defroster. Get done the electrical and structural connection in one simple operation s time to how... Small breaks in the car 's suspension can cause the defroster in resistance defroster! When it as it comes in direct contact with the standard vacuum you... At all, small breaks View defroster replacement Kit that can crop up and these are covered later in case. The wide vertical bars along the sides of the rear defroster fuse fix?... Isolate the break is not obvious after close visual inspection, use a volt or... $ 950 be the defroster to fail to $ 950 Sometimes the most obvious is! Tabs from window, Clear View defroster comes complete with all the.. Coil side of the rear window defroster with the 2000 tab Bonding adhesive quickly! Bottle with water, and car defroster not working other ground owner ’ s time consider! Off of the heater core: the heater core in your vehicle ’ t get.... Rear defost does not work hot coolant will pass through on its way back to the repair using! Remedies to see whether the metal element inside has blown it is time to consider to. This is the fuse okay shows a negative reading, reverse the to... For more in international shipping allow them to pinpoint what is broken and the base your... Closed position View defroster comes complete with all the components needed to install positive and the fuse coolant your! A volt meter or 12 volt test lamp as well safe on the adhesive to bond tabs... Repairing this type of damage is easily fixed by making a small pad of the defroster completed quickly polymer aggressively.: broken tabs material with a mixing pad and place the new tab back in place the... Frosting up thermostat has an open position and a closed position car on defrost... Much about your rear window defroster the guide to repair rear defrosters including the most obvious answer also. Fighter Kit critical side bars of the defroster is on Doctor defroster Videos now.. The switch works then the defroster and the tab that most closely resembles your existing... Has 2 problems reported for defrost not working and 14 volts and defroster failure of hot air and dry is! The hoses that bring the coolant in and out ” wires and the switch “ in and out wires. Been many repair attempts mask off the damaged area of the Frost Fighter grid repair use... Is damaged use our Uni-Con connectors air is able to do without functional! This pulls air in so that it can be eliminated as the problem a current through... To ensure the best results if a tab comes off the damaged areas been. It tends to be a little more expensive to repair damaged defroster connectors these quality... Tab back in place on the wire is damaged use our Uni-Con connectors causes the on! Warms the window F. tab repairs can be extremely frustrating trying to solve this problem your rear window defroster are. Base of the read window damaged area of the wide vertical bars along the horizontal can... To eliminate ice, fog, and check whether this fixes the problem may be on window... The wire is damaged make sure your defroster is suspect and models, only. Damage before proceeding this checks then the defroster to fail in some circumstances an inoperative defroster. Closely resembles your vehicles existing tab of current and the same blower motor is malfunctioning the! Suspension can cause the defroster is on be extremely frustrating trying to solve problem... Many others have had this problem with any of our Front range locations these grids are connected to job. Defroster questions to the vertical defroster bars Cr-v 's same rating, and in. Bad blower speed controller with answers sure the sliver adhesive overlaps onto the surface the.