Rear window heater acting very oddly?

Hi folks,

Does anyone know why my rear demister on my '03 TD4 will only demist on the first and last rings? (i.e. the wires on the top and bottom of the screen appear to work, the others in the middle don't)? I've had a look at the connections but as there's just one spade for all the rings I guess it ain't gonna be that. I remember that on my 90 there was an earthing problem on a relay that caused problems with the demister but just a few rings?? It beats me!

Any help greatly appreciated!

you need to look closely at the individual tracks printed across the rear screen, the ones that aren't working will be broken somewhere along their length, usually by a scratch or similar.

both Maplins and Halfrauds sell a repair paint, which you sand off a bit of the damaged track, and then paint over it with the repair paint to restore connectivity.

Top tip, use two strips of masking tape very close together to give a neat finish.

Good Luck

but as there's just one spade for all the rings I guess it ain't gonna be that.
Surely there should be 2 connections??! One "in", one "out"?

monkeydog said:

but as there's just one spade for all the rings I guess it ain't gonna be that.
Surely there should be 2 connections??! One "in", one "out"?

Click to expand...

there are, bottom right of the screen, below the level of the rear door trim, one positive, one negative.

if none of them worked, it would be a common cause such as a fuse, relay, wiring or spade connector. However, if two of them work, it must be damaged tracks on the ones which are not working.

Listen to Optimus Prime - he has the correct answer.