Rear Heated Window

the repair kit comes with a little guide that you paint through, it does work if you take care and provided you can identify where the damage is. cost about twelve quid

you can also buy a kit which is a complete heated screen addition, which you could put over your existing heater element, these are tricky to apply really well, but do work ok, cost about 25 quid.

A secondhand screen might not be better than yours, cost 50 quid upwards (fitted)

A new screen is a much better bet but probably will cost 150 or more pounds.

mrcheerful

Having just done this with the Halfords one...

The supplied brush is too short to reach the paint in the bottle. Brilliant. (the bottle is only about 1/3rd full)

They supply a plastic mask supposedly the width of the element.

I used masking tape.

Make sure the glass is clean and dry - might be difficult this time of year. I used washing up liquid solution, rinsed, dried and then industrial alcohol.

I then cleaned the adjoining parts of the element with a fibreglass pencil. It changed from very discoloured to bright.

Dunno. At least mine works again now. It was the wide strip at the side which fed all the strips which had burnt through near the terminal.

But like anything involving paint and electrical connections cleanliness is pretty essential.

I'd say it's worth risking the few quid to try. Changing a window ain't that easy.

Also sprach "mrcheerful ." :-

Run your tongue along the element - you'll soon find the break. Make sure the neighbours aren't watching 'cos they'll think you're even stranger than they already do.

Or use a DVM set to read volts and probe with both leads on the strip. It will read 12 either side of the break, but near zero elsewhere. Don't push too hard or you might damage the element.

That would be worth watching. Mined ewe you could paint the screen with something tasty so you get a reward as well as a tingle. I'm sure Pavlov would have something to say about that though.

-- Malc

Also sprach "Dave Plowman (News)" :-

Still easier to use your tongue.

I used a product called 'Electrocure' from Halfords some years ago. After cleaning, I just painted a thin line across the break by hand. Slightly wider than the the original, but not noticeable unless you were looking for it. Was still doing it's job nearly 3 years later when the car was sold.

Not worth replacing it IMO. Try the paint cure. I think you'll be happy with the result. Mike.

I can think of better uses for mine.