Easy fix for badly working rear window heater / defogger
12-13-2008, 01:26 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: The Netherlands, Zwolle
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Easy fix for badly working rear window heater / defogger
To fix the defogger just take out the switch on the dashboard and clean it.
Mine was working verrrrry slowly, after 15 minutes you saw some signs of defogging. Now it's nice and fast. Just pull off the top of the switch and then use two flat screwdrivers to click out the switch. Pull it towards you and disconnect it from the wires. You can clean the connection points and clean the inside of the switch. Be very careful though upon opening the switch because there are 4(!) springs that will pop out and fly everywhere. There are also two small metal ***** that roll away
It's tricky to put it back together, but doable. Take a picture upon opening it half way.
The turning mechanism is filled with copper colored grease which is making it work rather badly. Clean everything, put it back together and tadaa, working defogger!
If your rear window is not foggy, you can see the effect on your volt meter. When you push it (defrost mode) your volt meter pops down about 1 volt.
I wanted to share this tip because its nice to have that defogger working well in this time of the year. And to give something back to this forum of awesomeness
Mine was working verrrrry slowly, after 15 minutes you saw some signs of defogging. Now it's nice and fast. Just pull off the top of the switch and then use two flat screwdrivers to click out the switch. Pull it towards you and disconnect it from the wires. You can clean the connection points and clean the inside of the switch. Be very careful though upon opening the switch because there are 4(!) springs that will pop out and fly everywhere. There are also two small metal ***** that roll away
It's tricky to put it back together, but doable. Take a picture upon opening it half way. The turning mechanism is filled with copper colored grease which is making it work rather badly. Clean everything, put it back together and tadaa, working defogger!
If your rear window is not foggy, you can see the effect on your volt meter. When you push it (defrost mode) your volt meter pops down about 1 volt.
I wanted to share this tip because its nice to have that defogger working well in this time of the year. And to give something back to this forum of awesomeness
12-13-2008, 10:33 PM
#2
Team Owner
thanks for posting these pictures.
I will ad the most important thing .....ALWAYS disconnect the battery before working on the pod switches. The pod is aluminum and provides an excellent ground and as the tube switches are slid out they can find a ground and smoke the harness up to the CE panel............ BTDT
I will ad the most important thing .....ALWAYS disconnect the battery before working on the pod switches. The pod is aluminum and provides an excellent ground and as the tube switches are slid out they can find a ground and smoke the harness up to the CE panel............ BTDT
12-14-2008, 12:30 PM
#3
Electron Wrangler
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Glad this worked for you - however its a very unlikey failure - so I would not encourage others to consider this a first step for this. Both levels of the rear defrost/defogger are controlled through the relay. The switch is very low current so most issues are in the relay not the switch (or in the rear window traces & connections to them)
Diagnosis should include monitoring the relay O/P's to see if they are switching OK -if they aren't evaluate the switch outputs that control the relay. Only if the switch O/P's are incorrect should you consider the switch a culprit - much more likely is the relay but check both since its more expensive than a switch and awkward to fix as noted.
Alan
Diagnosis should include monitoring the relay O/P's to see if they are switching OK -if they aren't evaluate the switch outputs that control the relay. Only if the switch O/P's are incorrect should you consider the switch a culprit - much more likely is the relay but check both since its more expensive than a switch and awkward to fix as noted.
Alan
