rear defroster not working

[crash]

a couple of weeks ago I noticed that my rear window defroster is no longer working. button on the dash lights up .. heated mirrors are working.. 2015 1500 crew. power slider also works fine.

any ideas? before I book an 'under warranty appointment' with the worst dealer in existence. I checked the fuse panel under the hood but didn't see a fuse or relay listed. did I miss it or are they hiding it elsewhere?

 

[Ramitiner]

a couple of weeks ago I noticed that my rear window defroster is no longer working. button on the dash lights up .. heated mirrors are working.. 2015 1500 crew. power slider also works fine.

any ideas? before I book an 'under warranty appointment' with the worst dealer in existence. I checked the fuse panel under the hood but didn't see a fuse or relay listed. did I miss it or are they hiding it elsewhere?

do you have the defrost lines on your back window?

 

[Nick_rp]

My 2012 diagram lists the rear defrost relay as K7, it's in the lower right end of the TIPM. And the fuse is J12

 

[crash]

yes ramitiner. element in the window.

thanks Nick_rp. I'll check those positions out when I get to the shop at work this morning ..
i suspect with age, I should also accept that I need bifocals lol

 

[JustStrokeit383]

yes ramitiner. element in the window.

thanks Nick_rp. I'll check those positions out when I get to the shop at work this morning ..
i suspect with age, I should also accept that I need bifocals lol

By element you mean small black lines? my 2019 (classic) has a plug going in to the window but no lines.

The reason i ask is because this morning we had snow and my rear window wouldnt clear at all, but my heated mirrors melted the snow....

maybe the connector came off at the window....?

 

[crash]

By element you mean small black lines? my 2019 (classic) has a plug going in to the window but no lines.

The reason i ask is because this morning we had snow and my rear window wouldnt clear at all, but my heated mirrors melted the snow....

maybe the connector came off at the window....?

yes... sorry, the one with the lines. I didn't know one existed without lines. I learned something new. checked the connection at the window and it's good.

 

[JustStrokeit383]

yes... sorry, the one with the lines. I didn't know one existed without lines. I learned something new. checked the connection at the window and it's good.

well i am not sure that it does exist... cause mine wasnt working, but i have heated mirrors.. i couldnt see ram making a package with heated mirrors and no rear defrost....? ill have to check the connection

 

[crash]

well i am not sure that it does exist... cause mine wasnt working, but i have heated mirrors.. i couldnt see ram making a package with heated mirrors and no rear defrost....? ill have to check the connection

my 2010 had heated mirrors and no rear defroster in the glass.

 

[Nick_rp]

I lack rear heating elements but I have everything else installed in the circuit. Unless there is a new style of hidden rear defrost I'm unaware of. I've never needed to use it though

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[JustStrokeit383]

Wow.. I hope i have rear defrost.. I can see where the wire connects to the back window but i dont have the lines/wires running through the glass..

thanks guys for the help

sorry OP didnt mean to jack your thread

 

[crash68]

By element you mean small black lines? my 2019 (classic) has a plug going in to the window but no lines.

yes... sorry, the one with the lines. I didn't know one existed without lines. I learned something new. checked the connection at the window and it's good.

Ford has what is know as Instaclear/Quickclear which is lineless heated windshields. Due to cost, high current draw and reliability issues it is not widely used.
Truthfully a rear window defroster on a pick up truck is sort of pointless. You don't need to see out the rear window if you know how to use your sideview mirrors.

 

[JustStrokeit383]

Ford has what is know as Instaclear/Quickclear which is lineless heated windshields. Due to cost, high current draw and reliability issues it is not widely used.
Truthfully a rear window defroster on a pick up truck is sort of pointless. You don't need to see out the rear window if you know how to use your sideview mirrors.

True. So did Ram incorporate the lineless heated winshields?

 

[turkeybird56]

Wow.. I hope i have rear defrost.. I can see where the wire connects to the back window but i dont have the lines/wires running through the glass..

thanks guys for the help

sorry OP didnt mean to jack your thread

IF U do not have the "lines" on yer slider window, U have no rear window defrost on the slider. If U have no lines on the back glass also, then U have no rear defrost back there at all. I do not remember seeing a back window with slider that only had defrost on say window not slider, BUT not something I would normally look for. FWIW, just went outside and checked mine just to confirm, I do have rear defrost on MY 19. That WIRE that connects to back window also power for motor that moves rear window too..IMHO

 

[JustStrokeit383]

IF U do not have the "lines" on yer slider window, U have no rear window defrost on the slider. If U have no lines on the back glass also, then U have no rear defrost back there at all. I do not remember seeing a back window with slider that only had defrost on say window not slider, BUT not something I would normally look for. FWIW, just went outside and checked mine just to confirm, I do have rear defrost on MY 19. That WIRE that connects to back window also power for motor that moves rear window too..IMHO

Alright, mine has the power slider... and from the looks this morning the rear defrost button didnt thaw the back window but thawed out the mirrors..

Wonder why they wouldnt just make the "rear defrost" button a "heated mirror" button.. instead of the confusion...

 

[Nick_rp]

Well, the relay and switch works, maybe I can turn it into an AUX switch for a mod down the road.



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[turkeybird56]

Alright, mine has the power slider... and from the looks this morning the rear defrost button didnt thaw the back window but thawed out the mirrors..

Wonder why they wouldnt just make the "rear defrost" button a "heated mirror" button.. instead of the confusion...

Mirrors and rear defrost, same button

 

[crash68]

True. So did Ram incorporate the lineless heated winshields?

Not that I'm aware of, from what I've read it's not a popular option on the Fords. It can cause issues with radar detectors, GPS, etc.

 

[crash]

My 2012 diagram lists the rear defrost relay as K7, it's in the lower right end of the TIPM. And the fuse is J12

finally got reasonable weather to check further. there's no 'J' anything anywhere in the 2015 fuse box aka TIPM. K7 is listed as the starter solenoid relay. I appreciate the help though. looks like I'll have to make an appointment to get the dealer to check it. nothing even remotely resembles the description of rear defroster on the panel lid. they must use some odd acronym for it that I can't decipher.

 

[crash]

a little followup on this one. I finally had an opportunity to get the truck in to the dealer. they said that it's a broken element where it connects. quoted pricing on replacing the entire back window (near $1000 cdn funds with labour). they said it's not covered under my gold 7 year plan 419 warranty. what a joke.

edit: I got a copy of what is covered from another dealer.

now I have to start a case with FCA against the dealership. they also broke the tab on the element when 'testing it' for power. as I had checked the connections before and they weren't broken or disconnected.