1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

rear defrosters

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Old Nov 15, 2002 | 02:20 PM
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rear defrosters

only one of mine works, the passenger side works, but the drivers side is cold as ice. What could possibly cause this?
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Old Nov 15, 2002 | 02:34 PM
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well, don't mean to state the obvious, but let's start there ... is the wire/connection broken in any way?
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Old Nov 15, 2002 | 10:34 PM
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nope, looks fine, just like the other side
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Old Nov 15, 2002 | 10:41 PM
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I've started a few threads about this very problem over the span of the last half year, with no good replies. both my S and GS don't have a rear defroster, the S used to then it just stopped working. Its annoying. Is there a relay or something for the defroster? I should look into this further.
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Old Nov 15, 2002 | 10:42 PM
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i've been lookin everywhere to see where those to wires go exactly... well at least i'm not the only one, but this is a pain in the *** at 600 in the morning when i can't see out the back at all
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Old Nov 15, 2002 | 10:52 PM
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Yep, i hear ya, seeing as we're both going through the same weather right now, its a royal pain. I have been trying to fix it on and off for a while and can't figure out what the hell is wrong with it and why it just stopped working one day. argh.
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Old Nov 16, 2002 | 12:09 AM
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Mine just quit after working fine...
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Old Nov 16, 2002 | 12:17 AM
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this is messed up, anyone else have working rear defrosters that just stopped working too? it must be a conspiracy.
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Old Nov 16, 2002 | 02:19 AM
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The wires are disconnected to mine....

Jeff
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Old Nov 16, 2002 | 02:29 AM
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Im glad im not the only one that has a piece of **** rear defrost
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Old Nov 16, 2002 | 02:29 AM
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Just make sure you have a can of de-icer
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Old Nov 16, 2002 | 04:15 PM
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Originally posted by yayo420
Just make sure you have a can of de-icer
Or a snow scraper
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Old Nov 16, 2002 | 04:19 PM
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how hard would it be to get the print off the window?
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Old Nov 16, 2002 | 04:29 PM
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My problem is not snow on the outside, but the inside of the hatch fogging up as I drive...
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Old Nov 16, 2002 | 04:38 PM
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Mine does not work either, i hate it.
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Old Nov 16, 2002 | 05:35 PM
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Mine works great! I've never had a problem with it.
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Old Nov 16, 2002 | 06:17 PM
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that was true of mine until about a week ago
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Old Nov 17, 2002 | 01:19 PM
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Re: rear defrosters

Originally posted by bubba211
only one of mine works, the passenger side works, but the drivers side is cold as ice. What could possibly cause this?
I'm confused. You say the passenger side works, but don't the resistive elements go all the way across the rear glass? If there is a break in one or more of those elements, then that particular element will not heat up, period. One wire that leads to the rear defrost grid is +12V, I forget which side right off hand, but if you do not have +12V on one wire AND ground on the other when the unit is turned ON. Then the entire thing won't work. You have to pull a bunch of the plastic trim off to get to where the connector for the leads is. The other thing that happens with these is that the coiled leads that attach with a spade lug to the grid itself are rather heavy so eventually they pull the soldered connector right off the grid, like they were on my car. They can be resoldered with a bit of metal preparation, a dab of fresh rosin flux helps, too. At the other end of the system we have a fuse and a switch which can also go bad. I took the coiled leads on my car all the way off, disabling the whole damn thing. Fog-X works great if it's applied properly, but it doesn't usually get all that cold here, just wet. We'll see this winter if I regret this decision. I can always restore the system later if I need to.
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Old Nov 17, 2002 | 02:17 PM
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Originally posted by Manntis
My problem is not snow on the outside, but the inside of the hatch fogging up as I drive...
Same here.
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Old Nov 17, 2002 | 05:38 PM
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Re: Re: rear defrosters

Originally posted by Wankelguy
I'm confused. You say the passenger side works, but don't the resistive elements go all the way across the rear glass? If there is a break in one or more of those elements, then that particular element will not heat up, period.
hehehe ... everything you said is true ... on paper, but i guess these cars have minds of their own. i had an Rx-7 many years ago where only one side of the defroster worked ... both before and after the wire on the driver's side broke. so go figure ...
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Old Nov 17, 2002 | 10:28 PM
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Mine just quit working and after 2 hours of chasing everything, I found the one wire on the back of the switch broke, a lil bit of soilder and it was fixed
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Old Nov 17, 2002 | 10:42 PM
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Mine works I guess...But my rear wiper doesnt . Also, before my wiper wold try and work, but then the washer wouldnt...Now the washer trys to work, but the wiper wont try and work. Also, at one point in time, no matter how I moved the rear wiper switch, it would make my front windshield wiper move . Oh well, it works the way it "should" for now, even though half the stuff doesnt actually work, it just tries to.

~T.J.
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