Heated Rear Window Repair

[nbramwel]

I discovered today that one of the vertical elements in my heated rear window has a 2mm gap in it.  At this stage, I don't know if and how this affects the operation of the window.  I have no idea how this has happened and for how long it has been there.

 

If I do need to repair it, can anyone recommend a good quality produce for this please.

[Rooted]

Dealership employees will likely say not a warranty issue, you or someone damaged it.

If you search you will see that brand new Skoda have been delivered with the problem you have.

Some say a sticker was put on inside and this was removed causing damage, or a bike carried or the likes, 

where it was actually a Build Fault, or Delivery PDI or similar handless persons fault.

 

So before fixing as under Warranty, if you do not ask you never get.

Unless you think it was your accident.

[JoePeddos]

3 hours ago, nbramwel said:

I discovered today that one of the vertical elements in my heated rear window has a 2mm gap in it.  At this stage, I don't know if and how this affects the operation of the window.  I have no idea how this has happened and for how long it has been there.

 

If I do need to repair it, can anyone recommend a good quality produce for this please.

Years ago you could buy a metallic paint to bridge the gap might be worth asking in your local spare parts shop or do a search on the internet.

[CapstanPlug]

4 hours ago, nbramwel said:

I discovered today that one of the vertical elements in my heated rear window has a 2mm gap in it.  At this stage, I don't know if and how this affects the operation of the window.  I have no idea how this has happened and for how long it has been there.

 

If I do need to repair it, can anyone recommend a good quality produce for this please.

 

My car's an estate, and there are 4 vertical element tracks - two left and two right. The two on the right (RHD drivers side)  each, have several 2mm gaps - the outer vertical has 3 gaps, and the inner vertical has 4 gaps.

 

The left side pair of verticals don't have any gap. 

 

It's not damage. They're meant to be there.  When you look closely, as I've just done (yes, in the cold ! what we briskodians do !! ), you'll likely see (if your track problem is what I think it is), that the "break" is

square and regular. This was actually printed on that way at manufacture. I'll see if I can upload a piccie later. 

 

I'm guessing that it's to do with, either, radio interference particularly on cars that double up the elements for antenna duty, or if not that - just for general RF interference purposes.  

Or, to do with electrical impedance within the heater circuit itself. Or all of the above !

 

Is yours a hatch or an estate? They may be different.

 

 

.....  OK - pic attached -

Edited 13 January, 2018 by Dithane

[nbramwel]

Dithane.  Mines a hatchback.  The break I have seen is in one of the left hand side vertical elements.  I'll check tomorrow if I can spot any others.  Going to turn colder next week so I should be able to see if the heated rear screen works OK or not.  I'll report back then.

 

Thanks for getting cold on my behalf.

[thamestrader]

Our 2015 Fabia had a number of gaps in the heated screen element.

 

Suggest you steam the rear window up and take a few phots to show the dealer, I used a boiled kettle of water.

See this thread for the full story 

 

It was all sorted very quickly under the warranty by my local dealer. Car was bought second-hand frmm a car supermarket.

Edited 13 January, 2018 by thamestrader

[vgnils]

@Dithane My estate has the same gaps - thanks for posting and confirming it's normal. I was wondering if these gaps could have something to do with my DAB radio going silent when turning on the rear heater elements.

 

[nbramwel]

Used the heated rear window this morning and it seems to be working OK despite the 2mm gap in one of the vertical elements.  Must be designed this way although I hadn't spotted it before.  Will keep a close eye on it over the next few weeks.  Thanks to all for the helpful advice.

[nbramwel]

Was at a local Skoda dealership yesterday and looked at the heated rear window elements on a new Fabia hatchback.  It also had a break in the elements at the eighth element up from the bottom and the left side vertical element.  Exactly the same as mine.  So my problem wasn't a problem at all.