2011 Jetta problem

erikandrew

Hey all been having an issue with my 2011 Jetta redefroster. It is not working anymore, when I click the button for it to come on the light goes on and you hear the click as if the relay is going off but still nothing. Has anyone had this issue and if so what did you do to fix it? Thanks all in advance for the help.

93tracker5spd

Hey! I have to assume that you do much of your own auto work, so I would approach this as any other mystery electrical problem, by process of elimination. Start at the fuse panel; there should be a fuse map on the cover, or in your owners manual, if you have a test light, check both sides of the fuse, key on, engine running, if the light lights on both sides of the fuse and is normal brightness, the fuse is good and you now know for a fact that power is flowing to the circuit that feeds the rear defroster. Now, after shutting off the engine,(you don't want to breath in a lot of exhaust fumes), leave the key in the on position, proceed to the rear and open the trunk. Look under the inside lip where the back wall of the trunk is located, you should find some wiring running through there. Make sure all lights and the radio is off, so that the only wire that should be powered is the defroster, leave it turned on of course. I don't recommend poking holes in wire insulation with a test light probe, this invites corrosion. But follow the harness to where it plugs into another harness, at the plastic block where the wires are going into the back of the block, you can insert the tip of your test light probe without disturbing any of the insulation or even unplugging the block. If you find that there is a wire that is powered, return to the front and shut down the defroster, not the key, then check that wire again to make sure it is now dead. Now you have the right wire, turn the defroster back on and check both sides of the block, where the wire goes in and where it comes out the other side. If power flows all the way through, you might want your dealer to check the defroster unit itself. If there is no power on the other side of the block, simply unplug it, apply a little die electrical grease to the terminals in both sides of the block and wiggle it back together, the wriggling will help the die electric grease to penetrate corrosion and refresh the connection. Good luck!