rear defroster kind of not working

[novo64]

Well My rear defroster on a 2000 rodeo LS only heats up the top cross wire. It is not that big of a deal right now since I live in Florida but I will be moving soon. Does anyone have any ideas or should I just suffer without it.

[2eyefishclaw]

sounds like the grid was cut when the rear window was tinted

[novo64]

is there anyway to fix it i.e. re-solder or test it.

[directory]

no real fix--although i would nbever use the rear defroster again. a TSB was issued that tells of a problem with the rear windows shattering due to the drefroster not working correctly after tinting.

disconnect and live with it--i have. not worth $800+ to me....add ice melt window wash to the wash reservior to help you.

[660Ryder]

I have the same problem... I might try this when I get home from school this summer; right now I'm working on a new alternator and thermostat...

http://autorepair.about.com/cs/doity.../aa112302a.htm

[trooperbc]

novo64do you have *added* tinting to the window?
there are repair kits available at the bigboxpartsstores to repair the electrical wires. you will need a voltohm meter to find exactly where the break(s) is(are).
i don't know about the tsb about added tinting, so find out about that if yu have it.

//bc

[2eyefishclaw]

yes it can be fixed using a soldering iron you will need flux for solder to stick
but if it is cut the big problem isnt going to be the defrost its the rear window shattering I would be concerned with go back to the place that tinted the window and demand that they replace it
I personally have replaced at least 20 rear windows for customers who have had their windows tinted I have even had a rear window explode in my hands while trying to repair the defrost

[novo64]

well the problem is, I bought it used and don't know where it was tinted. I also haven't had a chance to use it till recently and only the top grid line heats up. I am moving to Thailand in about a month and don't think I will need it to much over there. I was just wondering if there was an easy fix for it. hopefully without breaking the rear window.

[Gizmo42]

You can get a grid repair kit from any autoparts store. Its a conductive paint that you use to connect where the grid is cut/broken (also works well for over clocking AMD Throroughbred CPU's ) You have to either get the tint removed or cut it along the grid lines so they arent covered by the tint.

Use a multimeter (digital peferebly). Turn on the defroster and with the negative probe on the left side of the grid (when looking at it from the inside) move the positive one along the grid line. You will see the voltage go up. Where you lose voltage is where the break it, you might have more then one in the line so test all the way across. Use the conductive paint to bridge the gap.

When I got my rodeo 5 lines didnt work. I fixed them before I got tint done and still had 1 not working. A few months ago another quit, dont think I got enough paint on the line. So far no problems with cracking or shattering on mine and we've had over 60" of snow and below 0 deg temps for the last month so its been used alot.