Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 10:08:46 -0500
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: [WetWesties] Friday question- will this break your window??
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed; delsp=no
My vehicle manuals call the device a defogger, but make no admonition
not to use them for frost or ice. My Toyota manual does say to scrape
ice buildup off before driving, as ice obscures visibility. Really?
Can't imagine. But that instruction indirectly suggests that the
defogger is not for defrosting. I've always used them for defrosting,
though. I seem to recall that the first vehicle I had with this device,
a 1974 Corolla Liftback, stated in the manual that the defogger would
shut off after some fairly short interval to avoid damage to itself
(maybe overheating?). Don't recall that being mentioned in later
manuals. I've also noticed that ice will usually be only partially
thawed after a fairly long interval -- so I end up scraping the softened
ice away.
Actually, same result for the blower in the front. If there is thick,
clear (black) ice, the blower will soften it enough that it can be
easily scraped away, but complete removal by the blower would require
quite a long while.
I do recall back in the sixties and seventies that a lot of folks
thought that these defogger devices, which were usually options, were
not worth the price, as they usually failed fairly quickly. I've not
had that problem.
David Mc
On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 11:57 PM, David Beierl wrote:
> At 08:36 PM 12/11/2009, Rob wrote:
>> At 12/11/2009 02:08 PM,Matthew wrote:
>>
>>> it was around zero degrees f here this week. A coworker claims that
>>> if i use my rear defrost it will break the rear window? Before i
>>> call Tom and Ray, will someone chime in?? it seems a bit
>>> improbable.
>>>
>>> thanks
>>> Skeptic Matt
>>
>> That's what the rear defroster is made for, never had a problem with
>> it in sub zero temps on several different cars.
>
> Honda recalled a bunch of rear windows back around '86 or so because
> of this -- as they said, the defoggers were too strong. Never heard
> of any other vehicle suffering from it. I'm too lazy to go look, but
> I rather think that the manual for the van points out that they're
> for defogging, not defrosting. Or maybe it was for a Corolla -- this
> memory stuff is starting to get tricky.
>
> Yours,
> David
| 
