Heated windscreen?

[Jonanstee]

I have a heated windscreen but no button to turn it on. I've had a look behind where the button should be and the wiring is there. Would this just be as simple as getting a button and plugging it in or would there be more that I need to do?

[isetta]

you details say you have a 2016 focus mk2. that can't be right.

what car and year is this.

seems a bit odd have a heated windscreen and no button to turn it on.

how do you know it's a heated screen, I mean, can you see the hundreds of zig zag thin wires going down the screen inside the glass

[Jonanstee]

39 minutes ago, isetta said:

you details say you have a 2016 focus mk2. that can't be right.

what car and year is this.

seems a bit odd have a heated windscreen and no button to turn it on.

how do you know it's a heated screen, I mean, can you see the hundreds of zig zag thin wires going down the screen inside the glass

Where can you see my details? I have a 2006 mk2 it's the lx version. 

 

Yeah i I can see the zig zags and I had a chip on there repaired today and the guy that did it said that if I didn't get it repaired it would have costed a lot to replace as it's a heated windscreen

[Jonanstee]

Just sorted my details 

[isetta]

if you buy the right switch it might work, but it might not, the others thing that may mean it won't work are:

is the screen connected up electrically. the screens normally have two circuits within the glass. one on left side, one on right. so that would be four wires, a negative and a positive each side. 

also the fuses in the fusebox might not be in the slots.

also the relay for the heated screen might not be slotted in.

have a look at Ford Etis to see if it says you should have a heated / quickclear windscreen

http://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleRegSelector.do?

mine says " with heated windscreen "

 

[Jonanstee]

theres mine. It says I have tinted windows for starters which I sure don't haha

[isetta]

it says Less Heated Windscreen . perhaps a previous owner had the windscreen replaced and the fitter turned up with a heated one in error and fitted it anyway to save having to waste time getting the right one. and then if an insurance job, the fitter billed the insurance company for the expensive one. 

when it says tinted glass it means a light tint which most/all? cars have. if you put the window down an inch and look at the sky you can usually see a slight difference.

i have privacy glass on mine and it says something like light tint / dark tint 

[Jonanstee]

Where would I be able to get a switch from to give it a go?

[isetta]

you could try eBay , eg. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-Ford-Focus-Mk2-ST-3-Heated-Windscreen-Switch-3M5T-18K574-AD-/262825774345?hash=item3d31a30d09:g:ifgAAOSw-0xYi0vq

I don't know how easy it is to remove them from the dash, do you have a friend with a similar car and borrow his switch for a test?

when fitted you should know if the windscreen is drawing current by: car on tickover, put all lights and heated rear window on. now switch windscreen on, you should notice a difference in electrical load by a slight dim of headlights and a momentary diference in engine speed. heated screens use huge amount of current and the additional alternator load will cause the engine speed to alter for a moment.

I think it is unlikely your car will have the fuses and relay in place.   and even if the windscreen wiring is there, did the fitter connect it up, he might not have bothered.

[Stoney871]

Easy to remove the switches.
Use a small flat blade screwdriver to pop them out from the front.
I'd put tape on the screwdriver blade to avoid gouges & scratches.

Sent from my SM-G930F

[DJ_Andy_M]

Have you checked to see if the wiring between the windscreen and where the switch should be even exists in the car? No point buying a switch without the loom being there.

[Jonanstee]

1 hour ago, DJ_Andy_M said:

Have you checked to see if the wiring between the windscreen and where the switch should be even exists in the car? No point buying a switch without the loom being there.

I've checked behind where the button should be and there are wires going there. How do I check if it's connected to the windscreen?

[eddie eastwood]

You would also need to remove the panel under the windscreen wipers to see if if its been connected to the connects at the bottom of the windscreen on both sides.

[Jonanstee]

16 hours ago, eddie eastwood said:

You would also need to remove the panel under the windscreen wipers to see if if its been connected to the connects at the bottom of the windscreen on both sides.

How do I go about taking this off? Having a look and just don't want to break anything 😂

[eddie eastwood]

Put the wipers in the parked (off) position. Place some masking tape on the windscreen along the top or bottom edge of the Wiper Blades, but not stuck to the blades to give yourself the correct position when you come to refit them.

Prise off the plastic covers over the wiper arms nuts and unscrew the nuts. Ease the arms of the spindles.

Prise of the clips holding that long rubber seal along the front edge of the scuttle cowling  panel and lift that panel straight up releasing it from the base of the windscreen.

The electrical connections you are looking for are at  the bottom of the windscreen, one on each side, see if they have been connected to the other connectors to complete the circuits.

 

 

[Jonanstee]

On 14/02/2017 at 2:57 PM, eddie eastwood said:

The electrical connections you are looking for are at  the bottom of the windscreen, one on each side, see if they have been connected to the other connectors to complete the circuits.

 

 

I tried having a quick look today during my break at work but didn't have the correct ratchet set with me to remove the windscreen wipers. I can see there is the strip on the passenger side and will be checking both sides properly tomorrow. Does there need to be one each side for it to be connected properly? 

[eddie eastwood]

Yes its split into two halves, right and left sides. There should also need to be fuses in the engine bay fuse box at positions 14 and 16 both are 40 amp.

I cannot see any reference to fuses for it in the fuse box under the glove box

[Jonanstee]

So I had a look today and it's not connected 😫 What would I have to do to get this wired in? And why would there be wires behind where the button should be?

[DJ_Andy_M]

You're going to need a complete loom change, which involves removing the dashboard I should think!

[trailertrash]

On 16/02/2017 at 11:44 AM, Jonanstee said:

And why would there be wires behind where the button should be?

Possibly for a passenger airbag deactivation switch (for when a child seat is used)

[isetta]

if this was my car I might still be tempted to have a go at getting the screen wired up.

But ,unless you can do this yourself - meaning you have a voltmeter and know how to use it, and you have a soldering iron, some wiring connectors, some wire of suitable thickness and can understand a wiring diragram and can get a suitable switch and relay and maybe some inline fuses, then it would be time to give up on it.

the ribbon cables from the screen are. I believe are both positive connections, one for each half of screen, there will have to be the negative connections also, I do not know where they are on this model car. I think I saw a Ford where the negative connection points were behind the interior light at top of windscreen.