So just to begin saying how really angry I am.

So just got to try out my heated windscreen for the first time yesterday and on the passenger side there is a strip that doesn't defrost (no I'm not talking about the edges of the windscreen where it's not really supposed to defrost) so I crossed all my fingers and toes hoping somehow it might have been a one off but it as done it again today.

Now my question is as anybody else come across this problem as well who have heated windscreens?

My concern is that a few of the wire elements are not working, could they be an easy fix or is a replacement windscreen the only option?

A photo would help, but I guess you have a vertical strip somewhere in the middle of the passenger side of the screen that doesn't heat up?

 

Only cure for that is a new screen, there is a common busbar top and bottom for power on each half of the screen.

Someone posted a while ago on here a heated screen where only half of it worked. As andyvee said, pictures would help; certainly a warrant job though.

A full half not working is likely to be a fuse, relay or some numpty at the factory didn't connect it up

 

A strip in the middle of a half is a faulty screen

 

There is a very thin line right down the middle that doesn't heat as it is the very small gap between the two halves, you only notice it briefly though.

I recorded a video rather than take a picture to show the full defrost from beginning to end

Faulty screen. Had just one like that in my old Mondeo. Only mine was right above the steeringwheel.

What I would be asking myself is, can i live with it? or do I want some trained chimp putting a new windscreen in and possibly damaging the dash or paintwork around the screen or a water leak due to incorrect sealing.

 

I don't know what other peoples thoughts are but whenever I have had windscreens changed in the past they always managed to break or damage somethinng

Trained chimp, or sophisticated careful gentleman with excellent manual dexterity and an eye for detail; it matters not, the same rules apply: You break it you buy it.

 

If you're really concerned about damage, take photographs before any work is done. Maybe even walk around the whole car inside and out with the dealer and get the to document that there's no damage

Faulty element. I expect it needs a new screen. I think I had this problem in a previous car of mine.

As Fluffy said, the damage, they pay. Avoid Autoglass if you use them although it's a warranty issue is it not? They may argue that if one element only gone, this isn't acceptable for a warranty claim.

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Dealer warranty claim, let them deal with it. I've had a heated screen replaced on an O3 without any issues or damage.

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That was my worry if it needed replacing, if they did any damage, ive been watching some videos on youtube and they have only made me more paranoid, apparently there pretty much a guarantee that the paintwork will be damaged when removing the glue, which is touched up afterwards before the new screen if fitted

I watched them do mine, if done properly then they shouldnt be anywhere near the paintwork. No touch up needed on mine.

Its the part when they use the sharp tool to remove the glue after the old windscreen is removed, which when you watch the videos they say its pretty inevitable it will happen.

The guy who did mine had a very thin fibreglass(?) or nylon(?) sheet that he put at in the recess at right angles to the mounting surface of the windscreen to stop any damage. He also had some kind of solvent that helped remove the old sealant, there wasn't much left anyway after the cheese wire had cut through as the angle they cut at held the wire closer to the body than the screen if you know what I mean.

I recorded a video rather than take a picture to show the full defrost from beginning to end

 

Have you a link to it then?

I watched them do mine, if done properly then they shouldnt be anywhere near the paintwork. No touch up needed on mine.

I've had them break the plastic tag with the vin number off the dash on an escort, rip the laquer off the roof with the tape on an Ibiza, they have left glass in the runners on 2 occasions when having side windows fitted so I've had to go back in myself and sort it out. They also got something on the dash of my passat that left a mark, I don't know if it was glass cleaner or some kind of solvent.

 

I think this was Autoglass pretty much every time through insurance. Bloody idiots

It was Autoglass that did mine and the job was perfect, he even knew not to disconnect the camera on the windscreen so that it wouldn't flag up errors afterwards. And mine was an insurance replacement as well.

 

Just shows it is down to the fitter, not the company they work for.

 

A bit like places that have Hunter alignment rigs - some do an excellent job and understand what they are doing, others don't have a clue and make matters worse ....... All the gear and no idea .......

Faulty Screen in my opinion, defo!  My new Octavia has the whole driver's side 50% faulty..  I didn't know until recently as I got it in September and we only had frost last month.  It finally went in yesterday and Lookers subbed it out to a glass company and.... They replaced the rear window by mistake!   DOH!  Annoyed, yes, very!  Plus the rear trim wasn't fitted correctly.  So yes, be careful with glass fitters.  Like all things.. there are good and there are bad.

Yeah I had my GTD screen replaced at National Windscreens recently, dreading it having had a bad experience of a screen being replaced in an Octavia but no suh worries.

The depot was only around the corner from where I work so I dropped it with them and they did it there. Stirling job, be hard pushed to tell it wasnt OEM.

Sadly I chipped the screen within moments of having it fitted but its not in tbe line of sight or cracked so will live with it.