I can't remember which thread we had the discussion about the 3 lines in the lower rear window. I can confirm that they are rear defogger wires. I finally was able to fog the lower window (is it me or does the lower window almost never fog up?). By chance, at a stoplight with a vehicle behind me shining the headlights on the lower rear window (it was dark), I looked in the rear view and saw 3 'clear' lines like you would when you defrost the rear window - you would first see lines of 'clear' window.
yup, those lines in the lower rear window really do defrost! I also finally saw them in action about a week or so ago when we had a heavy frost on all the windows. BTW, the outside mirrors defrosted quite nicely after about a minute.
they're not hooked to anything Iv'e seen that glass in a million pieces and with the back cover off and all the wiring exposed and there is no connection to the electric heat supply. On the 2k4 at least.
I've had that little window fog up and those not work.. so I would have to agre that on certain models.. nothing is hooked up. *shrug* i'll have to test it again.. or.. turn it on and feel the window. It is rare for that window to fog up though.
Hmm... well, I have no other explanation for the 3 'defogger-like' marks near the wires when I had the defogger on that night then. Like V8Cobrakid said, it's rare that that window fogs up but I'm sure they are defogger wires. Perhaps the connnections are hidden well inside the body or hatch. I do remember when rear window defoggers had this exposed rectangular thing stuck on one side of the window at which the wires converge
I have an '05. In my model at least, those are definately defoggers and they definately work. Its been a very cold december in the Cleveland area and I've used them almost every day since I got the car.
Maybe they left the connection out on '04's but connected it on '05's? You can use a voltmeter to test them by the way.
forget the volt meter/ohm meter try your infared thermomerter when I say they don't warm up I mean they don't warm up. I've seen the hatch when it's off the car and all apart and the wiring isn't there.
I'm not trying to say you're wrong Frank, but I did see it defog. Maybe we should see whether the 04s are different from the 05s?
I took the covers off my hatch, the bottom wires are connected, and I have an '04 produced in July/August. It looks like they added it to the production, as there is a crimpted wire nut tying the top, bottom and relay + leads. Or maybe its correlated with package? I plan to post pictures.
Mine was made in July. I have a BC package. How could I test to see if it works? Maybe it is a production date thing or a package? Also Frank is in BC could it be a country related item, though I would on average a Canadian is more likely to need rear window defrost than the US market with our larger areas of warmer climates. I love a good mystery. Time to collect data.
I know it makes no sense but that's Toyota, the Classic in Florida had heated outside mirrors and non in Canada did???????? go figure. And the wiring isn't in the harness to add them. I probably will but have to scrounge up heated glass from a Camray and do a bit of wiring. If the second noise filter is in the wiring on the 2K4 I might just scab on the wiring.
Just curious, Frank, have you asked your dealer about the lower rear window defogger? It does seem strange that the lines are in the window but not connected. Maybe it was a manufacturing flaw in your particular vehicle...