2002 Focus Estate, Heated Windscreen issues.

[Larkspeed_NL]

I am at a total loss here, I have tried everything I can think of to no avail.

 

When I push the button on the dash for the heated windscreen I get nothing, no light, no rely click nothing.

I have tried it with and without the engine running

I have checked the ground strap

I have checked the fuses

I have checked the relays

Tested it with a known working button.

Forscan registers that the button is pressed so the button itself is fine but still I get nothing.

 

I did notice that the wires going to the heated washer jets were broken, could this be causing the heated windscreen to fail?

Anything else I should be checking?

[Sashapeanuts]

Hi Larkspeed,

I've been suffering with a similar problem with my fiesta for just over a year now, albeit it is an intermittent problem. Both screen can work one day, and not the next.  Checked all of the items you've listed to no avail.  I've only signed up to see if people think the solution my local Ford servicing proposed is plausible.  They told me the computer requires an update, but the battery didn't have enough charge so they couldn't sort it at the time.  This doesn't make much sense to me but I've no background to argue.  Any and all advise welcome. 

In actual response to your query, I've seen a youtube video of this problem on a focus being the wipers making contact with wires which was diagnosed as the issue.

 

[isetta]

I don't know the answers, I can say that heated front screens have separate circuit for left and right side of screen. My understanding of the problem with the wiper mechanism damaging the connector is that this only makes one side stop working.  

[rhyds]

16 hours ago, Sashapeanuts said:

Hi Larkspeed,

I've been suffering with a similar problem with my fiesta for just over a year now, albeit it is an intermittent problem. Both screen can work one day, and not the next.  Checked all of the items you've listed to no avail.  I've only signed up to see if people think the solution my local Ford servicing proposed is plausible.  They told me the computer requires an update, but the battery didn't have enough charge so they couldn't sort it at the time.  This doesn't make much sense to me but I've no background to argue.  Any and all advise welcome. 

In actual response to your query, I've seen a youtube video of this problem on a focus being the wipers making contact with wires which was diagnosed as the issue.

 

I know that on Focus MK1s the heated windscreen is disabled if there's a battery charging issue because the electrical load is seriously high. Does the heated windscreen tend to work towards the end of journeys or on warmer days and not work after lots of short trips or first thing in the morning?

[Sashapeanuts]

6 hours ago, rhyds said:

I know that on Focus MK1s the heated windscreen is disabled if there's a battery charging issue because the electrical load is seriously high. Does the heated windscreen tend to work towards the end of journeys or on warmer days and not work after lots of short trips or first thing in the morning?

Precisely that!  Not very useful this time of year, I must say.  

[rhyds]

In that case it sounds like the battery either isn't being charged properly or (more likely as it still runs) is getting old and not holding sufficient charge. If you've got a multimeter I'd check the battery is being charged properly and check how old the battery is. 

[Larkspeed_NL]

ok thanks for the answers everyone, sorry for the slow response as I have family visiting from out of country.

Anyway I solved the issue, I got the licence for Forscan and got into the programming section to discover the heated screen had actually been turned off in the GEM, I don't know why it was turned off because an inspection of all the wiring showed it all OK.

I turned it back on in the GEM and now the screen works flawlessly