So when I got the car the heated windscreen only worked on the drivers side. I checked what I think are the proper fuses and they were fine, then after getting the windscreen replaced for a while both sides worked. I remember looking at the windshield they replaced and seeing on the passenger side plug off the windshield it looked like it had at some point gotten pretty hot. The connectors were discolored.

In any case after a few months I noticed the passenger side stoped working again. Now the drivers side has stopped. With winter coming and the lack of a defrost function without the AC running I would really like to get this resolved.

Any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks,

SWM!

 

SWM, if you can get a multimeter to the plug in question, see if you get any voltage there when you activate the windscreen defroster. if you get voltage, odds are the plug you are seeing has developed a high resistance connection and essentially you are developing all your heat at the plug and not in the windshield. The fix for that will be to get a new plug that can handle about 30 amps.

If you get 0 VDC, check to make sure that fuses F14 (left hand side of windshield) and F15 (right hand side of windshield) are good. You can prove the fuse good by measuring 12 VDC when the defroster is active at the 2 points on the top of each fuse. if you have 12 VDC only on 1 side, then the fuse is blown.

If you get 0 VDC on both fuses, then your relay is toast (R5).

If you get to the point that you have replaced the relay and you are still having issues, then let me know and we will have to dive a little deeper into the car. But, I will be willing to guess that your problem lies at the plugs.

 

That's more or less what I was worried about. I'm afraid it's almost withoput pulling the dash, impossible to get to the plugs, they're wire is only about 8" long off the windshield and way tucked up in the corners on the inside.

I'll jump in and let you know. I need a tutorial on multi meters, I can't figure out which squigly mark it should be set to.

 

Thanks Thermo, I'll be looking at the driver side defrost which wasn't working on my X-Type this morning - here's hoping its a quick fix!