Disable Rear Window defog /defrost?

[toku58]

Like everyone else said, if it's quality tint installed by a quality shop, you shouldn't have a problem. Others (as evidence above) and myself run the defrost on tinted windows all the time without problems. Also, like others have said, I know the element heats up but I don't believe it gets as hot as my wife's black car with black interior and dark tinted windows does when it bakes outside in the Central Valley California Sun.

If your shop tells you that you can't run the defroster, I would be pretty suspicious of their work.

Well hot spots are different from daily heat the vehicle experiences on a daily basis. All tint shrinks/distorts no matter the quality.
In fact some tinted windows require you to apply heat to shrink them to the contour of the window.

The defroster lines in the window causes hot spots. which can cause the deformation of the tint.
The factory windows are tinted glass so that won't be affected by the defroster.

All tint uses adhesive. So more than likely they will all be affected by heat in some way or another.
The tint I have is ceramic but still can be heat shrunk for proper installation.

So although people have stated that they have not had issue? There is still a chance that it could happen.

I'm just trying to be proactive in preventing issue with my investment.

 

[1engineer]

Well hot spots are different from daily heat the vehicle experiences on a daily basis. All tint shrinks/distorts no matter the quality.
In fact some tinted windows require you to apply heat to shrink them to the contour of the window.

The defroster lines in the window causes hot spots. which can cause the deformation of the tint.
The factory windows are tinted glass so that won't be affected by the defroster.

All tint uses adhesive. So more than likely they will all be affected by heat in some way or another.
The tint I have is ceramic but still can be heat shrunk for proper installation.

So although people have stated that they have not had issue? There is still a chance that it could happen.

I'm just trying to be proactive in preventing issue with my investment.

You are completely wrong man. The ONLY reason tint could come loose around the defroster lines is poor adhesion. This can happen no matter if the defroster is on or off. How do I know? I tinted windows for years while going to engineering college.

Heat from defroster lines has no bearing on tint. Getting the tint adhesive to hold next to the lines is the most important. What happens in some cases is the tint is not pressed securely enough up next to the lines and it "bridges" the small gap due to height difference between the line and the window. Over time the lack of adhesion next to the lines will grow due to the normal expansion and contraction of the tint and this is what you see. Not caused by heat of the grid but by lack of adhesion next to the grid lines. Do me a favor: Turn your defroster on right now and check the temperature of the grid versus the temperature of another window.

 

[ToyoDriver]

I lived in Kailua for about 4 years. I went to a tint shop, I can't remember the name but it was in Honolulu, and that tint lasted me the life of the Mercedes (10 years). I used the defroster many times without issue.

I also paid about 1/3 what you did for the tint.

 

[toku58]

I lived in Kailua for about 4 years. I went to a tint shop, I can't remember the name but it was in Honolulu, and that tint lasted me the life of the Mercedes (10 years). I used the defroster many times without issue.

I also paid about 1/3 what you did for the tint.

I know I paid top dollar for my tint. It was from TNT tinting.
But because I plan on keeping this runner for more than 10 yrs. I decided to go with the best I could find. Too many experiences with other companies that claim "Lifetime" warranty and when you take you ride back for warranty they no longer honor it because they are under "New" management. (But it's all the same employees)

You are completely wrong man. The ONLY reason tint could come loose around the defroster lines is poor adhesion. This can happen no matter if the defroster is on or off. How do I know? I tinted windows for years while going to engineering college.

I would respectfully disagree.
I tinted widows a few years myself back in the day. But that in no way makes me an expert in what tint is.
I know that heat affects the material of the tint. That's how they shrink tint around corners. (To what degree?? Not so sure?)
Hot summer day, inadvertently turn on the defroster? Heat of the day combined with the defroster, might be enough to distort the material of the tint. (Maybe if used in the cold of winter it may not increase the temp enough to cause any issues to the material?)
But again I'm not an expert on tint simply because I use to install it for a few years.hwell:

I still would like to disconnect the defroster from just the rear window.
Just to be safe.
Like sated before I don't need the defroster for the window here in Hawaii. (But I have had my side mirrors fog up on me a few times.) Rare but has happened.

Just asking if there was a DIY on it yet?

I'll go ahead and do it on my own. (Should be fairly simple) I guess there's no need for me to do a DIY since there doesn't seem to be anyone else interested in this mod?

Again thank you for all the replies!

 

[1engineer]

I know I paid top dollar for my tint. It was from TNT tinting.
But because I plan on keeping this runner for more than 10 yrs. I decided to go with the best I could find. Too many experiences with other companies that claim "Lifetime" warranty and when you take you ride back for warranty they no longer honor it because they are under "New" management. (But it's all the same employees)


I would respectfully disagree.
I tinted widows a few years myself back in the day. But that in no way makes me an expert in what tint is.
I know that heat affects the material of the tint. That's how they shrink tint around corners. (To what degree?? Not so sure?)
Hot summer day, inadvertently turn on the defroster? Heat of the day combined with the defroster, might be enough to distort the material of the tint. (Maybe if used in the cold of winter it may not increase the temp enough to cause any issues to the material?)
But again I'm not an expert on tint simply because I use to install it for a few years.hwell:

I still would like to disconnect the defroster from just the rear window.
Just to be safe.
Like sated before I don't need the defroster for the window here in Hawaii. (But I have had my side mirrors fog up on me a few times.) Rare but has happened.

Just asking if there was a DIY on it yet?

I'll go ahead and do it on my own. (Should be fairly simple) I guess there's no need for me to do a DIY since there doesn't seem to be anyone else interested in this mod?

Again thank you for all the replies!

If I remember correctly, most, if not all rear window defoggers cut off (ours does) before the grid can get "too" hot. I also remember the magic number being somewhere around 84 degrees F. So if the grid only gets to 84...

Remember that the grid only has to get to 33 degrees F to do it's job. They don't get hot ever unless a malfunction, then you have bigger worries than window tint.

 

[Midnight Anvil]

:deadhorse: When I got the tint done on my Echo it was made very clear to me by the installer I used that issues regarding the rear defroster 99.9% of the time came down to installation and materials quality. I think the I had the tint on that car 9 years and never had an issue and the defroster always worked perfectly.

 

[toku58]

Well I spoke with the installation company and they said not to worry about that.
The defroster won't harm the tint. The ceramic tint is good to go!
They said everything is covered under the Lifetime Warranty. :thumb:

So I guess I was worried about nothing!:ybrick:

 

[Dropzone]

Big investment don't blame you
Glad you are covered