Heated front windscreen - what should I expect to see?

[Walter Eagle]

For the last couple of mornings I've had a thin ice film on the car. No problems, I thought, I have the Winter Pack fitted. I'll get everything up and away in no time.

But I actually expected more of the heated windscreen. I don't know if my expectations were unreasonable or if it's not pulling its weight. The rear window defrosts very much more quickly than the front, and the defrosting pattern follows the lines of the heating elements. Nothing new there, just like any other car. However the defrosting pattern on the front windscreen starts with two little patches at the bottom, just where the air vents are blowing on to it, and grows up the screen from there. Somehow I'd imagined that a 'heated' windscreen would show a flat defrosting pattern over the entire area. I'd expected the top, middle and bottom all to thaw at the same time and rate. If you'd stuck me in the car as a stranger and asked me to observe the behaviour, I'd have said it was just another standard windscreen.

Am I being too demanding, or is there a secret switch somewhere that I've missed? (Both options seems equally likely at this stage.) Is anyone else really impressed with their heated front windscreen?

regards

Walter

[TheDufster]

Hmm, doesn't sound the same to my experience. I agree that the rear-screen seems to defrost sooner than the front but my front screen is usually all done in under two minutes with a heavy frost - completely clear.

Look really closely at the windscreen - can you see the tiny elements running from top to bottom?

I know that mine works properly because there is annoyingly one element (right in the middle) that isn't working and I get a temporary tiny stripe of frost.

[Lexman8]

From my experience with other heated front screens I'd say it isn't working.

Have you definitely turned it on? :-) Reading the manual, there are 3 ways of doing it: physical switch, via centre screen and automatically.

[Philip Fisher]

My other half has a cmax with the ford quick clear windscreen. It is almost certainly the same technology on the Volvo.

It tends to defrost in one very quick go, so you start the car, the screen switches on and it is icy, icy, icy, bang it all defrosts all over at the same time. You can see some frost on the edges of the screen where the elements do not reach.

I would say it takes maybe 60-90 seconds. If you start the car and scrape the side windows then the screen is done by the time you get in.

[yeoman]

Originally Posted by Walter Eagle

For the last couple of mornings I've had a thin ice film on the car. No problems, I thought, I have the Winter Pack fitted. I'll get everything up and away in no time.

But I actually expected more of the heated windscreen. I don't know if my expectations were unreasonable or if it's not pulling its weight. The rear window defrosts very much more quickly than the front, and the defrosting pattern follows the lines of the heating elements. Nothing new there, just like any other car. However the defrosting pattern on the front windscreen starts with two little patches at the bottom, just where the air vents are blowing on to it, and grows up the screen from there. Somehow I'd imagined that a 'heated' windscreen would show a flat defrosting pattern over the entire area. I'd expected the top, middle and bottom all to thaw at the same time and rate. If you'd stuck me in the car as a stranger and asked me to observe the behaviour, I'd have said it was just another standard windscreen.

Am I being too demanding, or is there a secret switch somewhere that I've missed? (Both options seems equally likely at this stage.) Is anyone else really impressed with their heated front windscreen?

regards

Walter

Do you have the head-up display as part of your package?

[Skep]

Originally Posted by TheDufster

I know that mine works properly because there is annoyingly one element (right in the middle) that isn't working and I get a temporary tiny stripe of frost.

If the Volvo is like my previous Disco the heating elements are in 2 halves and there is a small gap between them. My Mrs has a Kuga and that's the same too as half of it doesn't work atall!!

[Walter Eagle]

Thanks to all for the replies.

Yes, I can easily see the dot heating array in the windscreen.

The physical button appears to behave as described in the manual: one press=heated windscreen; two presses=heated windscreen+max defroster. I've also used the central touch display for these, and I've even used the voice control "Turn on electric defroster". I haven't yet tried the Settings option for 'Auto Electric Front Defroster' when the engine starts.

And no, I have no HUD apart from the distance warning lights.

Let's hope it's chilly again tonight and I can do some proper measurements tomorrow rather than posting subjective views.

Regards

Walter.

[Walter Eagle]

Looked outside the back door last thing last night. Excellent. Clear, cold night. Good chance of frost in the morning. Just what we need. Car parked in shaded area, facing west, so no chance of any frost being partly melted by rising sun etc.

Checked again as soon as I got up this morning. Brilliant! Smooth, even layer of frost all over car. Front and rear windscreens nicely obscured by hazy swirls of ice. Ideal.

Got in to car, started engine, AC off. Checked watch. Pressed front windscreen defroster button once - no max defroster, just electric. Button illuminated, and central display confirmed setting. Pressed rear window defroster button. Button illuminated, and central display confirmed setting.

Six full flaming minutes I waited! The rear windscreen was completely clear and steaming nicely as it boiled off the residual drops of water. The front? Nothing. Nowt. Zilch. Zero. Nada. Niente. All apart from two little flabby bits of melt at the bottom centre where a dribble of tepid air was obviously leaking from the vents. The rest of the screen was exactly as it had been at the start.

Oh well, I'll have to get it to a dealer I guess. But how will they check? If all the indicators say the screen's working, where's the evidence for them to see anything wrong. It will probably be a case of "You'll have to leave the car with us overnight and we'll have to hope it's cold enough and we'll try to remember why you're car's here and get one of the lads to check it out first thing." (Assuming, that is, that Volvo dealers are not equipped with cryogenic test chambers to carry out on-the-spot cold weather tests in keeping with the rugged origins for which this Nordic brand is famous.)

Regards

Walter

[Considered1]

I'd take some footage with you to avoid the stock answer.
'Sorry Sir we were unable to replicate the problem'
Hope you get it sorted
Have you tried it with pressing again to get full max strength air_

[Walter Eagle]

Hi there Considered1

Good thought about video. I'll maybe try that - I hadn't considered it. (I'll freely admit I'm not of an age-group that naturally takes photos and videos of everyday life. I do need prompting. Thanks for that.)

Using the max defrost with the second button press produces the symptoms that caused me to start this thread. Yes, I get defrosting, but only from the bottom up where the air vents are. I wanted to check what the electric heating elements should look like in action, hence my original query. I'm reasonably convinced that it isn't working as I expected or as other owners have experienced.

Regards

Walter