Rear Defrost not working

[jkubacz]

Hi,

1st post. I have an 09 335i. I used the rear defrost for the first time this week due to snow. I found that the top 3 lines never got hot so the snow remained there throughout the day. Someone who parks in the same lot as me at work has an 09 328i that didn't have the same problem.

The dealership is questionable since I live in Italy but drive a US spec vehicle. They claim that the top 3 lines are the radio antenna, not a heating element. Yet I have the standard compressed antenna on the roof.

Any ideas? Can someone else check their rear defrost to see if the top 3 lines get warm?

Thanks in advance.

[duncan17]

Hi,

1st post. I have an 09 335i. I used the rear defrost for the first time this week due to snow. I found that the top 3 lines never got hot so the snow remained there throughout the day. Someone who parks in the same lot as me at work has an 09 328i that didn't have the same problem.

The dealership is questionable since I live in Italy but drive a US spec vehicle. They claim that the top 3 lines are the radio antenna, not a heating element. Yet I have the standard compressed antenna on the roof.

Any ideas? Can someone else check their rear defrost to see if the top 3 lines get warm?

Thanks in advance.

Mine works all the way up. I think your dealer is telling porkies...

[Critter7r]

Mine works all the way up. I think your dealer is telling porkies...

The top 3 lines are radio antenna, not defroster. Clear the snow off the top of the window and you'll see those 3 lines aren't melting any of the snow that you just cleared.

It's true, really. It's dumb, because the brake light stays covered in snow since those top 3 lines aren't melting anything, but it's true.

The roof antenna is for optional Navigation and Satellite radio, not terrestrial radio.

[mryakan]

If I am not mistaken, there are vents in the back the push hot air onto the rear windshield, that is why they defrost so quickly. It is true the top line are not the defroster, you can see they are not connected to the bottom lines, but I believe the hit air does help in melting. I have never had a problem with the rear defrosting all the way even in -20F, but it does take longer for the top section to defrost. Who cares anyway, it doesn't interfere with visibility.