heated front windscreen gal 2

[blue metal]

another daft question
my car is supposed to have heated front screen
switch on dash ok lights up.

should you be able to see an element across base of screen?
may be a replacement screen and just plain glass

blue metal

[SilverBeast]

You can see very fine wires embedded in the glass about 2-3mm apart running from top to bottom of screen (or bottom to top if your that way inclined!).  They are very slightly wavy.  I was told when I bought it that mine had had the screen replaced and I think that is why I'm nt sure if the auto-dipping rear view mirror works!

[Chrispb]

As silverbeast has said you will see the fine lines running vertically, the element is split in two left and right so you have two feeds and one earth.
The earth is behind the rear view mirror the feeds are from the lower edges.

[blue metal]

Thanks for reply
definitely no elements showing in screen

ah well one less problem to chase up

just aircon and aux heater to check out
electric mirrors fixed
and passenger window sorted.(both switch problems)

cable for obd diagnostics just arrived
so another learning curve.
Yippee!

[Mirez]

A Zetec should have a heated screen as standard so if you can't see the elements (very fine, nothing like the rear screen) then its been replaced. The price difference is amazing so its no surprise that if the previous owner had to foot the bill themselves then they opted for the Ã,£200ish non screen instead of the Ã,£800ish heated version!

Who's the screen made by? It'll be a SEKURIT or AP screen if its OEM, aftermarket ones are quite often Pilkington.

[blue metal]

Mirez
just looked again at screen in bright sun ( :-[back to specsavers)

it has the fine elements you described

will wait till condensation appears and make sure it is working or not
or is there a quicker check?

[Mirez]

A very basic check is with the engine warmed up and idling, turn it on whilst listening and watching the rev gauge. It draws a huge current if working so its like the A/C in that the revs drop a little and then climb back up when first on.

If its been on a while you can feel the temperature difference between the heated and non heated sections of screen (bottom corners aren't heated)

Finally, you can use a steam cleaner or (my favourite) a cup of tea to form condensation on the inside and then run it to see how it clears.

[gregers]

either do above or next time you get some fish and chips chuck them on the dash the steam will soon show up.

[blue metal]

Don't think they would get as far as the dashboard 

seems that we have some lateral thinkers on the forum

[blue metal]

just an update on screen

torrential rainstorm
car interior really foggedup

tried leaving heated screen on
It cleared slowly and then
showed clear screen with steamed up sides
rest of interior still steamed  up
it is working
got to be lucky some of the time!