Car makers are increasingly introducing electronic and electrical “assistants” to significantly enhance safety and simply make the task easier for the owner. The heated windshield function is one of the useful additional options, but it is rarely found in basic trim levels; some brands offer it in limited editions of certain models.
The reason for this refusal to install heating elements everywhere is the presence of significant shortcomings. However, the owners themselves can assemble the system, making it the most convenient and safe.
Installing a heating element on glass
Remove the front panel to expose the bottom of the glass. Clean the surface of the glass from dust and degrease. Glue one or two strips of heating element (depending on their size) to the glass opposite the wiper blades, following the instructions in the heater installation instructions. Connect the wires through which power will be supplied to the contacts of the elements. Connect the relay, fuse and power button, then connect the entire circuit to the vehicle's on-board network. If you don't know where exactly to get the voltage, contact an auto electrician. This will cost many times less than restoring a car after inept intervention.
Strip heaters
However, if you put your hand on your heart, not all cars have such “lobovukov”, some cannot be found, even Chinese ones, for example, no matter how much I looked (for my Chevrolet AVEO ) I still couldn’t find it! Therefore, you need to be content with little.
By small, I mean heating the wiper area; if it is powerful enough, it contributes to the rapid thawing of the entire stele. So how to implement this?
Adhesive strips have been on the market for a long time, often transparent, but often not. We just glue them to the bottom near the panel, hide the wiring under the plastic, and again connect it to the rear heating.
Thus, the lower part, which is always covered in ice (snow), will quickly thaw, and then the rest of the canvas will be “finished off” by the car’s heater. Personally, I myself have seen this design many times, it works very effectively. It is also gratifying that our Russian manufacturers also produce, the strip does not take very much power - approximately 14 - 20 W, depending on the thickness and length. You can install it yourself, there is nothing complicated here, just glue it in the desired area and connect it.
Time relay
During severe frosts, it is necessary to turn on the fan heater first and only after 1-2 minutes the glass heaters.
This will prevent cracks from appearing. Therefore, it is necessary to use a time relay that will automatically regulate the order in which the heaters are turned on depending on the temperature in the cabin. Most car alarms with an autostart function support connecting a temperature sensor and installing an additional program. If you don't know how to do this, contact an auto electrician. If your alarm does not support this mode of operation, contact an auto electrician to assemble and connect a time relay. Components for such a relay can be purchased at any store that sells radio components.
Pros and cons
Separate heating of the windshield is necessary in regions with cold winters, but it will also be useful for those who drive in conditions of high humidity, in which the windshield can instantly fog up. This option also saves you from snowfall in warm weather, when the flakes literally stick to the wipers like a real snowdrift and significantly impair your visibility. At the same time, for residents of the southern regions, those who do not use their cars in the cold season, there is no point in paying for such functionality. For this reason, some cars are equipped with heating in basic versions.
Among the main advantages of the system is efficiency in any conditions. Severe frosts, intense precipitation, strong fans or fast driving with sudden cooling of the windshield, relays and metal threads can easily cope with all this. The main thing that the driver receives is improved visibility, and as a result, an increased level of safety. The heating will work even on completely frozen glass covered with a thick crust of ice. It won’t take as long to warm up the car, which ultimately affects fuel consumption in winter.
On a note! Masters and professional drivers advise not to waste time “warming up” at idle, so heated glass will be very useful if the driver follows these instructions.
The presence of additional heating elements will help, albeit slightly, to reduce wear on parts. For example, due to intensive cleaning with hard scrapers, the glass quickly becomes cracked. Wipers and rubber bands fail faster if they work with stuck snow or a crust of ice, which again leaves scratches. Therefore, installing heating is a reasonable solution in appropriate climatic conditions. But you need to take care of the correct operation of the battery: heating is a serious load on this car system. If the unit is old and the car is rarely used and for short trips, there is a high risk of discharge.
The system has significant drawbacks. First of all, the price is inflated when purchasing directly from a car manufacturer or an official dealer. Most models can be equipped with heaters or special glasses when purchasing versions “Comfort” and higher; owners of the base will have to independently search for sellers and craftsmen. Depending on the manufacturer’s policy, an option that is not technically complex can cost from 10 to 200 thousand rubles. However, installing heaters yourself on a new car may void the warranty. Some other disadvantages of heated windshields should be noted:
- probable surface cracking;
- expensive repairs;
- possible glare;
- deterioration in the performance of salon gadgets.
Drivers complain that visibility is impaired in sunny weather and when driving at dusk, when the lighting is at its worst and there is a lot of glare. But the most expensive heating systems do not have this drawback. Windshield cracking due to temperature differences is the most common consequence of improper installation or improper operation. If the temperature in the cabin is less than minus 15 degrees, or there is severe frost outside, you cannot turn on the system until the air from inside is at least slightly warmed up. If the windshield already has microcracks, it can break even with smaller differences. This can be avoided by installing a complex system with a “smart” operating intensity controller and temperature sensors. Owners note that radar detectors work much worse after installing such glass, however, this applies to inexpensive models.
On a note! Similar problems can arise with transponders.
When deciding to install zone heating, it is necessary to take into account the cost of further repairs. It is rare that a driver manages to avoid stones hitting the glass or cracks due to accidents. The price of replacement increases significantly compared to the usual configuration. Problems may also arise with obtaining insurance or payments. For example, even CASCO does not cover such damage by default. You will have to pay extra if you want to protect yourself from financial losses during repairs, which is also not always profitable.
Heated car glass
The main, or rather the only, distinctive feature of such a windshield is the presence of special filaments built into its thickness. The uniqueness of this development lies in the fact that the grid of filaments is practically invisible from the inside of the glass, that is, it does not interfere with the driver’s concentration and does not affect the degree of traffic safety. The correct operation of these threads, which are essentially heating elements, is ensured and coordinated by a special control unit of electromagnetic relays.
The modern market of automotive supplies and accessories offers a fairly wide range of not only ready-made heated windshields, but also universal kits that can, for example, provide effective heating of the windshield of a Kalina or any other domestic car. The main condition for the effective functioning of this equipment is a sufficient level of performance of the standard battery, since it is the only source of power for it (the equipment). That is, heating the windshield of a Priora, which has a “weak” battery that is not capable of providing additional load, will be unreliable.
DIY installation of various heating elements
You can install a heated windshield system yourself. Before you begin the process, you need to decide on the type of device that will be used.
Installing heated windshield wipers
One of the simplest options is to install heated windshield wiper blades. To do this, you need to purchase the appropriate wipers in advance.
Device installation instructions
The system installation manual is discussed using the example of a Lada X-Ray car:
- The old windshield wiper blades are being dismantled. To do this, the wipers are disconnected from the leashes.
- New elements are installed instead of old elements. There are wires connected to them, you need to be careful not to damage them.
- When installing the brushes, the electrical circuit is fixed on a leash. For fastening, a plastic clamp or heat-shrinkable tube is used. When fixing, it is extremely important not to damage the wire in order to prevent incorrect operation of the system.
- The system control unit is being installed and installed under the hood of the car. It is important to choose a location where the module will not be exposed to elevated temperatures. If the device overheats, it will quickly fail or function incorrectly. The block is securely fixed to prevent it from vibrating when the car is moving. The device can be installed in the cabin, under the control panel.
- Wiring is routed from the windshield wiper blades to the module. The holes in the body are used for installation. When performing this task, it is important to remember that the wires should not simply hang and touch moving parts of the body or other mechanisms. They must be secured with clamps. After laying the wiring, the power line contacts are connected to the control device.
- To properly protect the power line, a safety device must be added to the circuit. Its presence will ensure the integrity of the circuit and prevent a short circuit in the system.
- The contact elements of the module must be connected to the battery. The red circuit is connected to the positive terminal of the battery, and the black one can be connected to any ground contact. It must be grounded.
- The button for controlling (activating and turning off) the heating system is displayed in the car interior. If the design of the device does not imply the presence of a key, then the contacts must be connected to the steering column switch. To install the button itself in the center console of the car, you need to make a hole of the appropriate size and install the element into it.
Windshield heater design (built-in)
Currently, manufacturers offer two types of heated car windows:
- Products whose heating zone is located in the area of the vehicle's windshield wipers.
- Products whose heating zone occupies almost the entire area.
The offers of modern manufacturers are quite diverse and differ not only in the richness of configuration options, but also in a wide range of technical characteristics.
The system design usually consists of:
- Two electromechanical type relays (capable of withstanding current up to 40 Amperes).
- Filament.
- Control microprocessor.
The entire area of the windshield that is heated is divided into two zones, called circuits “A” (driver’s side) and “B” (passenger’s side).
First of all, heating of circuit “A” is ensured, which allows the vehicle to start moving safely after 5-7 minutes (at an outside air temperature of at least 150C). Then the windshield is heated in the same way in the “B” circuit zone. Switching occurs without the driver's participation (automatically), which allows him not to be distracted from driving the vehicle. However, many models of car window heating systems provide the possibility of forced switching of circuits, the need for which arises when heating of circuit “A” occurs faster than 5-7 minutes.
The advantages provided by the use of this type of vehicle windshield heater were mentioned above. However, this device is not without some disadvantages:
- When illuminated by the headlights of an oncoming car, incandescent filaments create glare that impairs visibility of the roadway.
- The unusual appearance of glass does not always harmonize with traditional design solutions for the car’s exterior.
First, how does classic heating work?
As we know, car glass, especially the windshield and rear glass, consists of two layers, between them there is an adhesive composition usually similar to a film. This is done so that the glass does not shatter into small fragments during an accident, but simply “crumples.”
In the usual version, there is nothing else inside, but in the heated glass on the middle film, small wiring of the heating element is installed, so small that they simply cannot be seen from a distance of half a meter (that is, they do not interfere with driving at all). As you probably guessed, an electric current is applied to them, they heat up and help defrost the entire glass. Very comfortably. But this is not implemented on all brands and models.
Therefore, the question arises, is it possible to install it yourself? It turns out that it is possible, there are several solutions to this issue.
Price issue
Table “Cost of heating elements”.
| Name | price, rub. |
| Heated wiper blades | From 3000 to 5000 per set on average |
| Windshield with heating system | From 5000 to 15000 on average |
| Heating tape for windshield | From 1000 to 4000 on average |
| Prices are relevant for three regions: Moscow, Chelyabinsk, Krasnodar | |
Video “Review and check of the operation of the heating tape for wipers”
A complete review of the universal tape heating system for windshield wiper blades with testing is given by Sergei Aleksandrovich.
Not a single car is produced without such a basic option as heated rear window. And windshields that can defrost themselves are gradually appearing on the list of accessories even on the most inexpensive cars. Progress is obvious, but once upon a time, heated glass was a luxury not available to everyone, and car enthusiasts used various tricks to get rid of the ice crust on the outside of the window and fogging from the inside!
"Shoemakers without boots"
It’s a paradox, but in the USSR, in one of the “winter” countries in the world, for a long time insufficient attention was paid to heating car windows... While foreign manufacturers were already beginning to experiment with electrically heated windshields, USSR cars were not always equipped with heated rear windows. And the heating systems of Zhiguli, Moskvich, ZAZ, GAZ and UAZ cars were clearly not designed for domestic frosts - used Japanese cars, the first waves of which surged in the 80s, pleasantly shocked Russian owners with their “nuclear” stoves. It would seem that the latitudes are still somewhat more southern, but what a difference!
On VAZ cars, rear window heating appeared in 1976 on the 2106 model. And the “barn” received this function (plus a rear wiper) only on the VAZ 2104 model in 1984. Its predecessor, the VAZ 2102 station wagon, did not have it... On Muscovites it’s about the same story: the 412 did not have heated glass; “warm” glass was received in 1976 only by its successor - 2140. GAZ introduced heating on 2410 in 1985 - however, in a relatively progressive form for its time - with two heating positions: strong and weak due to the sequential and parallel inclusion of two groups of threads heating
It should be noted that, in relation to this kind of options in domestic cars, the year is a very arbitrary matter. The capacity of the Borovsky Glass Factory, the main supplier of glass, was traditionally not enough to provide glass with heating filaments to the entire Soviet automobile industry, and many cars, where this option was mastered long ago, actually rolled off the assembly line without it, even in the 90s. Impeccable provision of equipment was carried out only in relation to export cars...
DIY alternative
The “caring” Soviet industry tried to help out car owners who were deprived of electrically heated windows by the plant. In addition to banal fans, the effect of which appeared only after the engine and interior had completely warmed up, several types of glass heaters were also produced - both direct and indirect heating. Both of them, traditionally found by us in the form of “time capsules,” were, to put it mildly, far from perfect...
In the photo there is a direct heating heater in the form of a grid of threads glued to the glass, and an indirect heater in the form of a housing heating element attached to the glass with suction cups.
The heater adhesive to glass was a grid of nine strands of aluminum foil connected in parallel. Glue was applied to the threads, and they themselves were united with plastic film on one side and a protective paper layer on the other. The protective layer was peeled off, the mesh was glued to degreased glass, after which the plastic film was removed.
