Rear Defrost Wire Burned and Now Needs Replacing

[Wanzy]

Many years ago my rear defrost quick connect wire burned and was thrown away. It was thrown away when the back windshield was being replaced. You see, that day I was driving home after dropping my daughter off at school when I heard an explosion. I turned around and my back windshield was gone. Turns out the defrost overheated the windshield and it exploded. After all these years I am moving to a cold state and will be needing that feature to work. Since I have to replace the latch I might as well put the wire for the defrost back in. My issue is that I cannot find a part number for it so that I can order it online. If I knew the name that would help as well.

 

[AuSeeker]

Many years ago my rear defrost quick connect wire burned and was thrown away. It was thrown away when the back windshield was being replaced. You see, that day I was driving home after dropping my daughter off at school when I heard an explosion. I turned around and my back windshield was gone. Turns out the defrost overheated the windshield and it exploded. After all these years I am moving to a cold state and will be needing that feature to work. Since I have to replace the latch I might as well put the wire for the defrost back in. My issue is that I cannot find a part number for it so that I can order it online. If I knew the name that would help as well.

I don't know the part number or if you can even buy the wire with the connector, but I would suggest checking at your local salvage yards for a 4th Gen and get the wire.

 

[SocalSam]

I had a look at my spare hatch glass and it looks like the glass side connectors are a pair of standard 1/4 inch blade. Harness side is going to be female. These connectors should be available at Home Depot or equivalent. Shrink tube is a good idea as the hatch interior is not water proof.

The other issue is why did defrost stay powered on? There is a hatch module which operates hatch glass and hatch release. I am guessing defrost is also operated by the module via a relay. Some diagnosing is in order to prevent repeat performance.

 

[VortepJ]

I had a look at my spare hatch glass and it looks like the glass side connectors are a pair of standard 1/4 inch blade. Harness side is going to be female. These connectors should be available at Home Depot or equivalent. Shrink tube is a good idea as the hatch interior is not water proof.

The other issue is why did defrost stay powered on? There is a hatch module which operates hatch glass and hatch release. I am guessing defrost is also operated by the module via a relay. Some diagnosing is in order to prevent repeat performance.

That would be my concern, too... I don't have a third gen, but I've never seen a defroster that had any kind of temp sensor, though. I'm wondering if something else caused the glass to break? I don't think defrost gets hot enough to shatter tempered glass... I could be wrong, though.

The connector is super easy, either use a regular spade connector from home depot, or go to a junkyard and get the connector off any defrost window (I've only seen one 4runner in all my junkyards, so I'm assuming you won't be able to find one.).

 

[AuSeeker]

That would be my concern, too... I don't have a third gen, but I've never seen a defroster that had any kind of temp sensor, though. I'm wondering if something else caused the glass to break? I don't think defrost gets hot enough to shatter tempered glass... I could be wrong, though.

The connector is super easy, either use a regular spade connector from home depot, or go to a junkyard and get the connector off any defrost window (I've only seen one 4runner in all my junkyards, so I'm assuming you won't be able to find one.).

The OP has 4th Gen and the defroster connectors are known to overheat and cause the rear glass to shatter, Toyota had a recall/extended warranty for any that shattered and would replace them, the ones that didn't shatter before that extended warranty expired but shattered afterwards Toyota didn't/wouldn't replace them.

 

[VortepJ]

The OP has 4th Gen and the defroster connectors are known to overheat and cause the rear glass to shatter, Toyota had a recall/extended warranty for any that shattered and would replace them, the ones that didn't shatter before that extended warranty expired but shattered afterwards Toyota didn't/wouldn't replace them.

I didn't know that, thanks for the info.