Heated rear window not working

Wh05apk

Need help with this please, my daughters 2003 Yaris rear screen is not clearing, it seems to be getting power, as the connectors on the side are live when switched on, does this mean that the filament has been damaged?
I remember once seeing you could get conductive paint for screens, if I could find the break, would this work?

poppasmurf_bewdley

Doubtful, as usually the element is within the glass.

On a car that age, it will be cheaper to source a complete door from a scrappy rather than pay for a new window, unless it can be an insurance claim.

TadleyBaggie

If both connectors are "live" (i.e. 12V when measured with respect to chassis), then that would suggest there is an earth fault. One side should be connected to the chassis and should measure 0V.

Wh05apk

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

Doubtful, as usually the element is within the glass.

On a car that age, it will be cheaper to source a complete door from a scrappy rather than pay for a new window, unless it can be an insurance claim.

That's what I was thinking, but there would be a risk that the replacement may still not work, also not sure if I could refit the window myself, if I had to pay, that would probably make the overall cost excessive?

poppasmurf_bewdley

Wh05apk wrote: »

That's what I was thinking, but there would be a risk that the replacement may still not work, also not sure if I could refit the window myself, if I had to pay, that would probably make the overall cost excessive?

Don't refit the window, refit the whole door with the window in situ. Try and get one the same colour, but strangely sometimes a completely different colour hatch does look ok.

forgotmyname

If you have a live feed then check the earth.

dieselglider

You shouldn't need a new window, most of the rear heater elements I've seen are surface mount. Try this site for fault finding tips;

http://www.frostfighter.com/fixit.htm

I've ordered the grid fix kit from there as it comes in the same copper colour as the original.

Strange that none of the elements are working, usually one or two at a time will fail. As others have hinted, check for 12 volts supply across the width of the window with a meter, or preferably a test lamp. Maybe it's failing when the hatch is being shut due to the supply wires bending in the conduit and loosing connection.

forgotmyname

Probably cheaper to buy a new windows then spend ages messing with paints and stickers.

marlot

Wh05apk wrote: »

Need help with this please, my daughters 2003 Yaris rear screen is not clearing, it seems to be getting power, as the connectors on the side are live when switched on, does this mean that the filament has been damaged?
I remember once seeing you could get conductive paint for screens, if I could find the break, would this work?

How are you testing it? One side should be at 12v, the other at 0v.

The wires on hatchbacks often fracture where they bend at the joint coming from the car to the hatch. If you've got 12v at both sides of the rear screen, my money's on a failed earth wire at the joint.

Hintza

Most cars have the element stuck on the inside of the screen (it is normally the dog that breaks ours) if ther is a break it normally just isolates that particular row and the rest will work.

So I go with the others who suggest an earth problem, or a fuse or a break in cable somewhere.

Wh05apk

dieselglider wrote: »

You shouldn't need a new window, most of the rear heater elements I've seen are surface mount. Try this site for fault finding tips;

http://www.frostfighter.com/fixit.htm

I've ordered the grid fix kit from there as it comes in the same copper colour as the original.

Strange that none of the elements are working, usually one or two at a time will fail. As others have hinted, check for 12 volts supply across the width of the window with a meter, or preferably a test lamp. Maybe it's failing when the hatch is being shut due to the supply wires bending in the conduit and loosing connection.

Thanks for all your posts, when I can stop my daughter from driving the car, I will have another look at it, as you say, strange that none of the elements are working, which would probably point to a wiring fault somewhere, so hopefully something simple and quick to find.

The Frost fighter website has some useful info.