Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.
Manuals through 2025 now available!

Our trusted friends have launched a new website named LEMON, which has newer manuals. It also contains all the CHARM manuals.

LEMON is the spiritual successor to CHARM, I recommend you try it!

Link: lemon-manuals.la or lemon-manuals.org.ua

(Some people have issue connecting. LEMON is investigating. For now, use Firefox or change your DNS server)

Or, hide this message: temporarily or permanently

Heated Glass Element: Testing and Inspection

1. Using a strong light inside the vehicle, visually inspect the wire grid from the outside. A broken grid wire will appear as a brown spot.
2. Run the engine on idle. Set the heated back window switch and light to ON. The indicator light should come on.
3. Working inside the vehicle with a 12-volt DC voltmeter, contact the broad red-brown strips on the back window glass. (Positive lead to battery side and negative lead to ground side. The meter should read 10-13 volts. A lower voltage reading indicates a poor connection or a low battery.
4. Contact a good ground point with the negative lead of the meter. The voltage reading should not change.
5. With the negative lead of the meter grounded, touch each grid line of the heated back window glass at its midpoint with the positive ground lead. A reading of approximately 6 volts indicates that the line is good. A reading of 0 volts indicates that the line is broken between the midpoint and the B+ side of the grid line. A reading of 12 volts indicates that the circuit is broken between the midpoint of the grid line and ground.

For additional testing see Windows and Glass/Testing and Inspection/ Testing and Inspection