Rear window heater not working

Sounds like a bad earth - check all connections are clean and tight. JD

OK I'll check that. The heater must have it's own earth as nothing else is affected? I'm thinking that perhaps a wire has got fractured due to the hatchback being opened and closed over the years. It's an L reg Escort BTW.

Thanks for the help, Robert

Check the brass pins and contact pads on the edge of the boot lid (I think the Escort has them). Make sure they are nice and clean, and the pins are free to slide in and out of the boot lid. Also, remove the panel trim from the inside of the tailgate, and check the wiring on the back end of the pins.

HTH

Anthony Remove eight from email to reply.

Bingo!!

I remember now that about a month ago I noticed one of the 3 brass pins got stuck in the "up position" (ie it's got jammed so there's no spring force pushing it onto the brass pad). I guess I just have to remove the trim and I'll be able to remove the pin assembly and free it. At the time I thought these pins were part of the alarm/automatic boot opening mechanism, but thinking about it they are a bit hefty to be carrying such a small current! Sicne everything seemed to be working, I forgot about it and didn't put 2 and 2 together when I noticed the heater problem.

Thanks bery much. I'll have a play this weekend and report back

Cheers,

Robert