How do heated windows work?
From the outside, your vehicle's windows are exposed to environmental aggressors, including: stone chips, road debris, dirt, bird droppings, snow and ice.
From the outside, your vehicle windows are exposed to harsh environmental factors, including:
- stone chips
- road debris
- Mud
- Bird droppings
- Snow and ice
Benefits of heated windows
Although you cannot prevent the elements from entering the environment, snow and ice can be combated by heating the windows. Blowing the inside of the glass can be effective if the air is already warm, but it may take some time to heat up in sub-zero temperatures. Often you don't want to wait that long to start driving.
Even if the outside temperature is above freezing, the inside of the windows may fog up due to dampness and humidity. Misted windows interfere with your view in the same way as ice and snow on windows, making driving unsafe.
Almost all rear windows of cars and SUVs are heated, and some trucks are too. The mesh on the rear window is known as the rear window defroster. It is a thin electrical element through which current passes. The resistance in the element causes it to heat up, causing the glass to heat up. The heat melts a small amount of ice and snow and defogs the rear window.
The fixed side windows and power mirrors on some vehicles, as well as a few select windshields, are now equipped with the same type of electrical network. While rear defroster grilles are usually visible as long horizontal lines on the glass, the side windows, windshield and power mirrors use a very thin element that is barely visible at all, even up close.
How heated windows work
Heated windows are operated by a button or switch and use a timer to turn off the heat after a set period of time. This is usually 10 to 15 minutes of work.
The rear defroster will stop working if the grille is broken and this is the most common problem for rear defroster grilles. If the electrical contact on the rear defroster is broken or the defroster line is scratched through, the rear defroster will not be heated electrically. The network can be repaired, and electrical contacts can sometimes be restored.
