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Repair rear window heater?
number-1 - 12/2/24 at 05:47 PM

Has anyone used a repair kit for a rear window defrosting grid? Any suggestions on a kit to go for as the ones ive seen are bad to poor feedback

Cheers

N1


rusty nuts - 12/2/24 at 07:08 PM

Think the stuff I used years ago was called Electrocure? It worked but care was needed to get it looking neat


Slimy38 - 12/2/24 at 08:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by number-1
Has anyone used a repair kit for a rear window defrosting grid? Any suggestions on a kit to go for as the ones ive seen are bad to poor feedback

Cheers

N1


I suspect the poor feedback is largely based on the people applying it. Any conductive paint should be able to restore the circuit, it would take a bit more effort to get it looking good and virtually impossible to have the repair actually heating the glass. The last one I saw had a permanent circle of condensation round the repair, but the rest of the strip worked perfectly. No idea what the brand was though, I'm not even sure it was this century!


coyoteboy - 12/2/24 at 11:00 PM

Never had a problem with the wee metallic paint things. Always worked if you follow the instructions.


Mr Whippy - 13/2/24 at 07:29 AM

quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
Never had a problem with the wee metallic paint things. Always worked if you follow the instructions.


dito, Halfords sells it. Just give it a clean with alcohol or brake cleaner. use some blue masking tape either side of the break and brush it on, wait 10 mins and peal the tape off. Worked perfectly on my Fiesta where only half the rear screen was demisting due to damage from people closing the boot on stuff.


nick205 - 14/2/24 at 08:56 AM

Never needed to use it, but I can imagine it being difficult to get a tidy and working finish.

I'd imagine car insurance policies cover a broken rear window (probably with an excess), but not a failed defrosting element (you may have already checked this).


Mr Whippy - 14/2/24 at 11:35 AM

quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Never needed to use it, but I can imagine it being difficult to get a tidy and working finish.



Super easy actually, so long as you mask either side of the track, only slightly different colour (the Fiesta wires where brownish but some model paint could sort that if it bothered you enough.