Hey guys and gals! Ok so here is what happend on the way to work one day I had my rear defroster on and smeld burning plastic and when i looked back I see smoke comming from the clip that connects to the gas window shock. Well somehow the wire melted to the clip. Does anyone know how or why this happend and what I need to do to fix it? Here are some pictures of the problem:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d4...7/IMG_0468.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d4...7/IMG_0466.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d4...7/IMG_0465.jpg

P.S see that rubber thing in the picture and how it has those bubbles on it. What is that? Any help would be great!!! Thanks guys and gals!

 

Not sure, imb... But the filament on the glass itself is what is supposed to get warm.

I'm guessin' your filament is broken, and the connector was groundin' out somewhere near the strut. Was there something in the back that was contacting the connector?

Check the glass filament for continuity, from one strut to the other. Then get back here on it...

 

There wasn't anything in the back, but i will check it out. thank you!

 

Sounds like there is a short in the wiring. Maybe there is some wear that is allowing the two wires to come into contact with each other?

Either way, shouldn't a fuse have blown before it started smoking? Very strange[:@]

I don't claim to be an electrical engineer (anymore) but that is the fuses job to prevent overloads and potential SERIOUS problems.

You may want to also check to make sure that you have the correct size fuse for that particular application

Good luck bro[sm=icon_cheers.gif]

 

Did you check the filament for continuity?

You have to get a wiring diagram, to know where the power flows. And check to see if power is gettin' to the filament with the fuse/relay pulled (which it shouldn't, when the switch is OFF).

Since it apparently IS, you can then check the switch itself, to see if


AHA! It has an 'auto cut-off' somewhere in the circuit. You need to find that!!!That is probably the problem...

EDIT: the auto cut-off is either by a timer, or heat/resistance build-up.

 

I checked the fuzes or breakers and the breaker that was in there was a 14.5v, 35amp breaker. but the weird thing is that all the other breakers are 14.5v 30amp so i think that was the problem. can you guys check your cars and see what amp the breaker is in your fuze boxes for the rear defroster?

 

What year is yours? Mine's an 85 and I can't find the fuse, Is itin the fuse panel onthe side of the dash on the passengers side??

 

Mine is an 89, the fuze pannel is on the passanger side. The one for the rear defroster is accually a breaker fuze. it has a metel shell.

 

That just burns you up when that happens!!!
I inspected my defroster connectors last week to find a similar situation. The wires and connector were corroded and the wire was hanging on to the connector by a couple of strands. I chopped of the insulated connector and replaced it with a .250 uninsulated faston terminal. I chose to solder the new faston connector to the wire after cleaning corrosion from the wire. I don't trust crimped on connectors in high current draw automotive situations. After the solder job, the connector was insulated with shrink tubing.

I am still searching for the defroster relay! Does anyone know where the little bugger is buried?