Car Defroster Troubleshooting: 11 Common Problems
The car defroster is an essential safety feature, especially during those colder months. If you find yourself in the car with a frosted window and a defroster that isn’t working, you'll need to address the problem immediately. Here are 12 common problems, or steps to go through, in order to troubleshoot the car defroster properly.
1. Buttons and Knobs
Sometimes a malfunctioning defroster is due to buttons or knobs for the heat or defroster that have become stuck. This can be solved easily by turning them back and forth until they stay in the position for the defroster. Sometimes you will realize that you were just off by one setting and the problem is solved.
2. Fuses
A blown fuse could be another common problem when it comes to the car defroster. Testing with a voltmeter and replacing the broken fuse with an identical, working fuse can fix this problem quickly.
3. Missing Terminal Edges
There is a chance that you are missing terminal edges on your window heat grid. If this happens to be the case, you can use a soldering gun to reattach them.
4. Battery
The battery could be the problem if you find that other aspects of the car are not working in addition to the defroster. Jumping the car or replacing the battery can solve this problem. Likely your battery will only need a jump if this is an isolated issue, but if the problem persists and your car is relatively old, a battery replacement might be necessary.
5. Vent Issue
There may be a clog in the vent that blows air onto the actual window. If this is the case, you can try moving the vent shield around and also vacuuming or dusting it.
6. Tinted Windows
While this isn’t a problem that you may think of, it is actually pretty common. If you have tinted windows on your car and you find that the defroster isn’t working, you may want to check to see if the tint has come off or cracked. If so, this may have caused some of the terminal edges to come off and you will need to fix the tint and solder them back to get your defrost working again.
7. Frayed Wires
The wires connecting to the glass may be frayed or disconnected. To fix this, either replace the wires or use electrical tape to keep them from fraying any further. Be sure that there is no harm of a fire occurring.
8. Cracked Window
While it seems obvious, a crack in the window would interfere with the defrosting of the car. While typically you can tell if the window is cracked, there can be times where it is small still and hasn’t run yet. These cracks will obviously need a closer inspection to find.
9. Harness Connector
This is located on the back of the driver’s seat and tends to loosen at times. If this has happened, check to make sure everything is secure.
10. Damaged Grid
A damaged grid may cause you to have a hard time with the defroster. Typically you will want a professional to help you fix this, but it can be done on your own.
11. Bad Electrical Connection
A bad electrical connection can happen because of poor cleaning or buildup. Taking apart the wiring and cleaning with rubbing alcohol will ensure that the defroster works smoothly and that everything is safe and runs great.
